What Does CRI Do? We conduct inquiry cycles around team‐identified topics such as vocabulary, discussion, digital literacy and multiple texts. We use professional development days, teacher leadership, summer institute work, discussion-based protocols, classroom observations, and online forum reflections to design materials to fit new learning goals. Then we conduct action research on the areas we have identified as areas for inquiry.
Why CRI? Reading is (still) fundamental. No matter what subject we teach, we want our students to leave BHS as capable, independent, and versatile readers. In order for them to do that, we need to make content literacy instruction a priority in our subject-area classes.
The purpose of the BHS‐CRI is to support departmental teams of six teachers committed to the goal of improving student literacy. Over the last two years (2012‐14), three departmental teams have received financial and technical support to develop curriculum, assessments, and instructional strategies designed to help students read/write/communicate more effectively in the disciplines. As the founding three teams came to the end of their two-year commitment to CRI, three new teams from different BH departments have joined CRI for 2014‐2016.