Greene County elementary teachers had a rare opportunity last Wednesday. Gail Boushey (left) and Joan Moser (right), known in education circles as “The Sisters,” were in the building most of the day. Staff was still excited about the day as they spoke at the board of education meeting that evening.
The Sisters developed the Daily 5® and the accompanying Daily 5 CAFÉ® website for the teaching of reading. The Sisters are now introducing the Daily 3® math program, which interfaces well with the “Everyday Math” curriculum the Greene County district is implementing this year.
The Daily 5 and the Daily 3 programs let each student work at his or own level of challenge while taking responsibility for their learning. Teachers work with students one-on-one and in small groups alternating with large group lessons. Students having a wide variety of educational games and tasks to choose from when it isn’t their “turn” with the teacher. Greene County reading specialist Julie Neal has guided teachers toward Daily 5 for years, and it has been embraced by the elementary teachers.
According to Neal, The Sisters have more than 70,000 subscribers to their Daily CAFE website, and they’ve been invited to speak in China, Australia, and Canada. “They’re huge,” Neal said.
Elementary teacher Karen Shannon was at the board meeting. “When I went to the international reading conference, I couldn’t get into the room where they were speaking. It was so full, I didn’t get to see them, but they were in our school today. I wish more people could have heard them. They were great!” she said.
The Sisters videotaped teachers Lisa Wilkins and Anne Ostendorf as they taught reading, and Shannon teaching math. The videos will be incorporated on the Daily 5 CAFÉ website.
Elementary principal Scott Johnson told the school board that the pair was “like kids in a candy store,” as they asked about the teachers’ first hand use of the lessons. The Sisters debriefed the local teachers at the end of the day. “They saw things they’ve never thought of before, and they’ve been doing this for a very long time,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the Sisters get about 20 requests a week for school visits. Their visit to Jefferson was at the request of Allison Behne, who lives in Jefferson. Behne is an assistant professor of education at Upper Iowa University and works for the Sisters as a writer and as a webinar presenter on the Daily 5. “We’re very lucky. Allison has kids in our district, so the Sisters have partnered with us,” Johnson explained.
The Sisters, who actually are sisters, plan to return to Greene County in the spring.
