[MOSAIC] AR

[elaine garan]

> Dick Allington' research would support that as well, wouldn't it, Tim?
>
> Lori
Yes-- Allington's research supports the idea that it's the teacher that 
makes the difference and there is a convergence of evidence from 
federal research studies that support that as well. In the present 
education environment though, there are varying degrees of exactly how 
programs are used and how much autonomy teachers have. Some teachers 
must follow the script or the program right down to the word minute by 
minute. Others have more freedom as the various posts to this listserve 
have shown. The research supporting the role of the teacher then, is 
particularly important to those teachers who are restricted and whose 
decisions and intelligence are trumped and totally controlled by 
scripted or highly structured programs.

It's reassuring to know that so many of you can make decisions in your 
own classrooms. Ardie Cole wrote a wonderful commentary for Education 
Week titled "It's the Teacher, Not the Program" and P. David Pearson 
had an inspirational article in Language Arts Journal a couple of years 
ago that reaffirmed the importance of the teacher. That's why I've 
found this listserve so refreshing and enlightening. Here are teachers 
searching, questioning, exploring and growing. I intend to recommend to 
all my masters students when classes start,