KASTOR: Knowledgeable and Skilled Teachers of Reading 

If you are a stargazer, you know that Castor is one of the brightest stars in the Gemini Constellation field.  KASTOR is the name of Neuhaus' professional development program for novice teachers.  KASTOR stands for Knowledgeable and Skilled Teachers of Reading.  The teachers who participate in this program will be the brightest stars in the field of reading.

 

What is KASTOR?

KASTOR is a two-year pilot program for general education teachers of Grades 1, 2, or 3 in Houston-area public schools with one to three years of teaching experience. The 40 teachers who are chosen to be KASTOR Scholars will participate in a collaborative, consultative model of professional development leading to a Neuhaus Education Center Knowledgeable and Skilled Teacher of Reading Diploma.

 

As a KASTOR scholar, what will I do?

Each KASTOR scholar will work with a Neuhaus mentor. Together, the scholar and  mentor will design an individualized, sustained plan of professional development that includes best practice research and learning opportunities that meet identified needs of the scholar and her or his students.  KASTOR scholars will have the opportunity to participate in extensive professional development such as virtual teacher forums, online classes, and bimonthly webinars.  KASTOR mentors will provide feedback from classroom observations and continuous consultation aimed at promoting student achievement.

 

What is the cost of KASTOR?

KASTOR is available at no cost to the teacher, school, or district, as tuition and other program costs are provided through the generosity of local foundations and other funders.

 

How do I apply for KASTOR?

Details about the application process for participation in KASTOR are being accepted NOW and can be accessed at neuhaus.org. 

 

Why is KASTOR important?

The ability to read well is critical to educational advancement, economic opportunities, and quality of life.  In the US, 15-20% of students will experience reading failure because of unidentified or untreated reading disorders (IDA, 2010). Another 20-30% of students are at risk because the reading instruction they are receiving does not meet their needs (IDA, 2010).  The best prevention against reading failure is a knowledgeable and skilled teacher.  However, in a recent study (Carreker, Joshi, & Boulware-Gooden, 2010), in-service teachers with 3 to more than 20 years of experience teaching reading did not possess the knowledge that is needed to teach all students to read. Additionally, the study demonstrated that pre-service teachers in their final semester of college did not possess the knowledge and skills needed to teach all students to read.  In other words, university and college programs had not adequately prepared teachers of reading.  However, explicit professional development in literacy-based instructional methods and mentoring increased teacher knowledge and skill in understanding student needs for making informed instructional decisions. Novice teachers need explicit professional development in research-based literacy instruction and mentoring to become proficient teachers of reading.  Proficient teachers will experience success in teaching and desire to continue their teaching careers.