Reading permeates our curriculum. We are constantly investing in quality leveled reading material for both classroom and school libraries. We try to tailor the scientifically, research based understanding of how to teach reading to a diagnostic approach that focuses on individual student need and progress. We have been successful in teaching children to love to read. We use our flexibility as a charter school to allow us to respond to student progress and prevent crippling frustration. More and more we have been impressed by how reading can be content driven even at the earliest stages. We feel success is assured when students love to read because they want to learn. While many students have come to our school not wanting or enjoying reading, it seems none fail to demonstrate a desire to learn about the world once they are given the opportunity. Reading becomes a tool they can use and master.
Our small group learning practices are based on the successful tutoring program the CRC developed prior to starting the CRCCS. At the school, an important difference compared to other schools is how we respond to the students with the greatest difficulty. We believe in using our most effective and qualified reading teachers in individual or small group tutoring to face the challenges rather than volunteers or aides. This helps the teacher and the students. It uses the teacher's special skills and training and increases their in-classroom effectiveness. Advanced activities that do not require teachers with this special knowledge and skill are used to challenge our more advanced readers.
Reading instruction is concurrent with writing and the development of the other language arts skills. We have had particular success with the CRCCS "detective" program we have developed (Or perhaps better said, we are developing) for comprehension skill development.