Message from Metro RESA:

Meet Tyrica McCullan-Dowdell, a dedicated kindergarten teacher at Stone Mill Elementary School in Dekalb Schools.

After attending her first Growing Readers Professional Learning session in September and completing her initial coaching round in October, Ms. McCullan-Dowdell has been shining in her implementation of effective literacy practices.

Her students are showing:

1. Increased independence during application time

2. Steady growth in reading stamina

3. Improved ability to select appropriate books and decodables their reading baggies

Using student data, she ensures each learner has access to the right resources- especially those designed for emergent readers. And she's taking it even further by conducting daily reading conferences, giving her valuable insights into students' readibng behaviors, strengths, and next steps for targeted instruction.