When RtI Boxes Kids In Instead of Lifting Them Up

I sit down with teacher, instructional coach, and author Julie Wright to dig into her book What’s Our Response: Creating Systems and Structures to Support ALL Learners. We talk about the five problems of practice she names in RtI and MTSS models, and why so many well-intentioned systems end up boxing kids in instead of lifting them up.Julie and I explore what classroom belonging actually looks like when teacher autonomy and agency are honored rather than handcuffed by a chart. We talk about asset-based thinking, why child study teams need to focus on student strengths instead of deficits, and how to build real student engagement by increasing kids' thinking and doing time instead of defaulting to more direct instruction.I ask Julie how Tier 1 instruction becomes the best intervention a classroom teacher can offer, and she breaks down practical moves for small group learning, early intervention, and closing what she calls the knowing-naming-doing gap. We also talk about student motivation, active learning, and what it takes to build a school culture where teachers and students both get to thrive. Episode Mentions: What’s Our Response: Creating Systems and Structures to Support ALL LearnersDr. Mary HowardWhat is RtI?What is MTSS?What is Tier One Intervention?Autonomy & AgencyAsset-Based ThinkingObservation ProtocolsLeast Restrictive EnvironmentTeaching with FidelityLearning WalksThat Workshop Book: New Systems and Structures for Classrooms That Read, Write, and Think by Sam Bennett & Workshop as a Time StructureFREE Resources from Julie Wright Consulting - What’s Our Response?Chapters 0:00 Introduction and Julie Wright's inspiring educator, Mary Howard3:15 Defining Response to Intervention and MTSS5:40 The five problems of practice in RtI models8:00 How the RtI and MTSS triangle boxes teachers and students in12:30 Honoring and increasing teacher autonomy and agency17:00 What asset-based thinking really means21:15 Building child study teams around student strengths25:45 Increasing students' thinking and doing time32:00 Why tier one instruction is the best intervention38:30 Small group learning without making it a whole thing42:00 Closing the knowing-naming-doing gap46:00 Julie's call to action: What's Our Response?Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.🎵 Music: Benjamin WahlDon't forget to🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! #schoolutions #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter #curiositydriven #evidencebasedclassroomreadystrategies #RtI #MTSS #InstructionalCoaching #TeacherSupport #StudentEngagement #SchoolLeadership #EquityInEducation #WholeChild #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherPodcast #SchoolutionsPodcast #InclusiveTeaching #NewTeachers #EducationLeadership #studentsuccess When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.