Transitions from stumbling blocks to stepping stones

Lucy Tribble MacDonald

lucy@lucyonline.com

Stumbling block here is the gap.

We need to develop a connection with the

college and connections with college

faculty, administrators, counselors and

staff.

Stepping Stone #1 - Be visible on

campus.

Example: Office area in different locations

Benefits:

• De facto consultant for that program

• Easy way to build relationships with

faculty

• Perceived a “real” faculty

How does the campus perceive you?

How do they refer to your program?

Is it still remedial reading?

“Perception is real

even when it is not reality.”

-- Edward de Bono

Is it still remedial reading?

Stepping Stone # 2: Speak Academic.

Get help with Stanislas Dehaene’s

– Reading in the brain:

The science and evolution of a human invention

– Number Sense: How the mind creates mathematics

Coordinate Services with your program

– Advising

– Counseling

– Distance Learning

Advising

Stepping Stone # 3

Coordinate and integrate advising

Example: Pre-tech program

Distance Learning

Stumbling Block:

We don’t recommend online classes for

those students.

Distance Learning

Stepping Stone:

Design online classes specifically for

development students.

http://www.lucyonline.com/mnade

Counseling

Stepping Stone:

Can you refer students to me?

Stepping Stones

within your

Program

Stumbling Block:

Which stepping stone is first?

Aha. The placement test will

tell us. Right?

Stepping Stone:

Schedule various levels at the

same time to allow for

adjustments of placement

without rescheduling.

Stumbling Block

“We do not ensure a

seamless transition.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping Stones:

Exit level standards for one

level course are consistent

with the entry level for the

next level course.

Stumbling Block

“ We do not train adjunct

faculty teaching

developmental courses.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stumbling Block

“... Only 35% of

developmental courses in

the community colleges are

taught by full time faculty.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping stones:

• Develop online training courses

• Provide incentives for participation

• Provide training manuals

• Provide mentors

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping stones:

• Provide a formal plan for training adjunct faculty in Math

• Ties together Developmental Math and the Math department

-- Selina Vasquez Mireles

Stumbling Block:

Reading is the invisible curriculum.

Stepping Stones:

Analogous to Thinking

Edward de Bono’s explanation of thinking

Stepping Stones:

Our brain was not designed for reading, but recycles some of its circuits for this novel cultural activity.

--Dehaene

Contextual Reading

Reading Scenario

“I have a Master’s degree in Reading, why can’t I read my computer science textbook.”

Contextual Reading

McWhorter, Kathleen T.

Academic Reading.

Pearson.

Customized.

Contextual Reading

Academic Reading

• Social Sciences

• Business

• Humanities and the Arts

• Mathematics

• Natural Sciences

• Technical and Applied Fields

Review the journey

Thank you

Lucy Tribble MacDonald