Reflection on IES What Works Clearinghouse

As I explored the IES What Works Clearinghouse I had a tough time staying in just one topic area to explore the research.  As I explored the different sections I felt justified in seeing that the strategies we have been using at our school have made the list and are considered to have effective results.  Other strategies I read about are strategies that can be implemented without “buying” a program, or having to obtain training and resources to begin an intervention known to make academic gains.  4 interventions I read about were from the English Language Learners section, the Literacy section, the Early Childhood Education section, and the Student Behavior topic areas, the interventions can be modified to span all abilities and several grade levels for literacy and math achievement.  The interventions included Interactive Shared Book Reading, Instructional Conversations and Literature Logs, Project CRISS, and Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom through Character Education.  As part of our School Improvement Plan we are focusing on providing a common strategy to use with all our tutors throughout the building, these interventions are easy to implement and will be easy to share in a basic training session.