The teacher observes the child precisely and records systematically what the child knows to support what has to be learned. The teacher provides opportunities for the child to make his own links between the reading and writing process. The teacher strives to make the child independent by never doing for the child what she can teach him to do for himself. During the school year, teachers meet three hours per week after school to learn the components of the lesson and the basic procedures. Service to children begins immediately.
Teachers apply and expand their new knowledge as they work with children in their classrooms.
Other teachers observe and discuss the child's behavior and the effects of the teacher's instructional decisions. The teacher leader's role is to get the teachers to think and analyze their own teaching decisions. During the school year, teachers meet three hours per week after school to learn the components of the lesson and the basic procedures. In the Connecticut area schools, the Reading Recovery Program is a cooperative effort of the University of Connecticut and the Capitol Region Education Council in affiliation with The Ohio State University and The National Diffusion Network.