July 2, 2024 -

 

In its first year as a K-7 academy in Baton Rouge, the 2023-2024 school year at Great Hearts Harveston was marked by exceptional growth and achievement within our kindergarten reading program. Guided by the Spalding method, our approach to literacy has empowered students to not only meet, but surpass grade-level expectations in reading proficiency.

Transformative Progress

The results speak volumes: starting the year with 46% of kindergarten students below grade level in reading, by the end of the year an impressive 74% of students had surpassed grade-level standards.

Mrs. Chustz, a veteran educator and founding kindergarten teacher at Great Hearts Harveston, attests, “I didn’t believe what was possible until I saw it play out. I’ve had more students score above grade level on the DIBELS test than I had in any other previous year of teaching before Great Hearts.”

The students in Mrs. Chustz’s class that came in with an understanding of the basic letter sounds at the beginning of the year are now reading 16-17 page booklets with complex words – a skill that is far beyond the standard kindergarten level.

 

Foundation in Success: The Spalding Method

Central to our success is the Spalding method, a structured literacy approach that emphasizes phonics, systematic language instruction, and handwriting.

Mrs. Chustz proudly notes, “The success of the students really comes from that consistency of the Spalding lessons. It enables the student to have a strong foundation on their letter sounds and alphabetic principles.”

Each day, instruction begins with phonogram cards, where students learn letter sounds, laying a solid groundwork for reading fluency and comprehension.

 

Supportive Learning Environment

Beyond phonics and handwriting, our reading program fosters a rich literary environment through daily literature blocks. Here, students engage with diverse stories, participate in small group discussions, and hone their communication and analytical skills at an early age.

Mrs. Chustz emphasizes, “Using a Socratic approach, we teach students to think and speak for themselves and listen to others in a group setting.” This method cultivates a love for dialogue and critical thinking, preparing students for academic success and lifelong learning.

 

Individualized Support

At Great Hearts Harveston, we remain dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and confidence to thrive. Recognizing that every student learns differently, our Intervention program ensures that all students receive personalized support tailored to their academic needs.

At the beginning of the year, students are evaluated and placed in groups based on their reading level. A teacher works with students on the same reading level during a blocked out period of time in every student’s schedule – in addition to the reading instruction students receive as a class.

“We take an all hands on deck approach, utilizing not only our intervention teachers, but also our apprentice teachers, lead teachers, and administrators to work closely with students during this daily block,” says Chustz.

This targeted instruction caters to students at varying reading levels, whether below or above grade level, providing the tools necessary for them to thrive in the classroom and beyond.

“All students have different needs, and the reading intervention groups give students the chance to develop the skills they need to progress.”

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For more information on the Spalding Method, visit Spalding.org.

For a curriculum overview, visit: https://harveston.greatheartsamerica.org/academics/curriculum/