By RRCNA Immediate Past President Leslie McBane

Summer is here at last! And here I am, at the end of my RRCNA presidency. Since I have a bit of time to reflect, lately I’ve been thinking about what our Community has been able to nurture and grow in the midst of an increasingly fractious literacy landscape. 

Back in 1991, Marie Clay was prescient when she stated, “I find the big debates divisive, for people feel obligated to take up opposing positions on matters like phonological awareness, the reader’s use of context, and the nature of getting meaning from texts.”  (p. 3). She knew that holding a complex theory of literacy development would serve to keep us out of the weeds of oversimplified conclusions. We are attempting to grow readers and writers while narrow views and simplistic theories are threatening to starve these tender sprouts by withholding needed nutrients — such as continuous text, responsive teaching, and books with natural language patterns. Instead, let’s make sure they thrive by clearing away the weeds of compromise. And let’s keep our garden litter-free while we’re at it. 

What might constitute the ‘litter’ in our Community?  It is found in the clamor of voices, the clutter, if you will, of opinions and viewpoints that make a mess of the landscape but do not really achieve anything of value. The distractions that get our attention but aren’t worthy of our time and energy.  The social media pettiness and noise that saps our energy. We’ve got some litter defacing our garden. When is it our responsibility to pick up the trash, and when must we leave it to decompose? And how, exactly, can we address real concerns without adding to the debris? 

For starters,  we can speak up against misinformation and oversimplification wherever it appears — on social media or in person. Our message continues to be, “Whatever it takes.” We can make it a personal responsibility to respond thoughtfully to those who may not agree with us. Think of it as making sure that our personal space is clutter-free.  This requires refining how we describe our work, and using all of our  ingenuity to clarify what we say and do when others misrepresent Reading Recovery  theory and practice. In our own backyards, we must become adept at presenting our viewpoints with more than just fervor.  

Litter is not only an eyesore, it is depressing. But, in contrast, our message is attracting others because  it is attractive. We have a joyful message. There are countless stories of cheerful readers and writers who – guided along different paths – have entered the world of literacy with competence and success. My most recent student, Tyler, approaches reading and writing with exuberance, agency, and good humor. When I recently cut a word in his cut-up sentence into parts, he exclaimed, “Get a medic!”  Tyler has a can-do spirit in part because he has successfully learned how to look at print. And my hope for each of us is that we, too, learn how to look. To train our eyes to see possibilities among the problems. To see  growth emerging through the garbage. 

Serving as President of RRCNA has been an immense honor and  responsibility. But my personal and collective advocacy on behalf of kids is not tied to a role.  No matter where we find ourselves, each of us has tremendous opportunities to speak up and speak out. Let’s tend our Reading Recovery Community garden shoulder to shoulder, so that young learners can thrive in the sun. 

Citations: 

RRCNA vision statement 

Clay, M. M. (2016). Literacy lessons designed for individuals (2nd ed.). Heinemann. 

 

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Leslie McBane has been involved with Reading Recovery for 25 years, 21 of those as a Teacher Leader. She has also served as a literacy coach through Literacy Collaborative. She is currently on the 2022-23 Board of Directors as Past President for RRCNA.

 

 

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