How do we improve writing instruction in all of our schools?
What have we learned thus far.
First, here is a review of the purposes of the writing committee and the work of my office in this area. We are attempting to:
Recommend best practices and principles of writing instruction all schools will adopt
How they are adopted are the decision of the local principal and teaching staff
The superintendent’s office will expect that every school has a plan and action steps to implement the best practices that are recommended and agreed to beginning next year.
What I am presenting below is the best thinking on the above tasks our committee is charged with to date. Please consider what is stated below and provide input as to key areas that are missing or suggestions to add. I will also share what is stated below with some of our teachers in personal meetings with them to get their feedback.
The sources of the points below come from various places including:
The NewCommonCoreStateStandards for Language Arts
Dr Pennell’s presentation
Work our committee has done thus far
The results of the survey we gave early in the year to all teachers and principals
First the Common Core State Standards.
It is recommended that all teachers should familiarize themselves with the referenced documents below.
CommonCore StateStandards for English Language Arts See Appendix A: pages 23-25
CommonCore StateStandardsfor English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects See pages 18-21 and 41-44
The material below is taken from “publishers criteria for the Common Core State Standards in Language Arts”.
Increasing Focus on Argument and Informative Writing: While narrative writing is given prominence in early grades, as students progress through the grades the Common Core State Standards increasingly ask students to write arguments or informational reports from sources. As a consequence, less classroom time should be spent in later grades on personal writing in response to de-contextualized prompts that ask students to detail personal experiences or opinions. The Common Core State Standards require that the balance of writing students are asked to do must parallel the balance assessed on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP):
In elementary school, 30 percent of student writing should be to argue, 35 percent should be to explain/inform, and 35 percent should be narrative. In middle school, 35 percent of student writing should be to write arguments, 35 percent should be to explain/inform, and 30 percent should be narrative. In high school, 40 percent of student writing should be to write arguments, 40 percent should be to explain/inform, and 20 percent should be narrative.
Suggested action step for all of our schools:
Every teacher should evaluate the blend and proportion of writing purposes (narrative, argument, explain/inform) they assign in a quarter, semester or year.
The following points have been gathered from the survey results each teacher completed in August, our teacher committee input, and Dr. Pennell’s presentation
Develop a common system everyone follows.
This system should include
A common language Common rubrics after they have been reviewed by all staff for excellence Common editing marks Maybe a banned word lists Writing across the curriculum Common sets of expectations in each grade level Writing folders or portfolios to show growth Ongoing training and staff collaboration regarding improving writing instruction Defined expectations of how much graded writing each grade level is expected to do per week and month Student self assessment of their own writing Make time to conference with students regarding their writing
What have we learned thus far.
First, here is a review of the purposes of the writing committee and the work of my office in this area. We are attempting to:
What I am presenting below is the best thinking on the above tasks our committee is charged with to date. Please consider what is stated below and provide input as to key areas that are missing or suggestions to add. I will also share what is stated below with some of our teachers in personal meetings with them to get their feedback.
The sources of the points below come from various places including:
First the Common Core State Standards.
It is recommended that all teachers should familiarize themselves with the referenced documents below.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts See Appendix A: pages 23-25
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects See pages 18-21 and 41-44
The material below is taken from “publishers criteria for the Common Core State Standards in Language Arts”.
Increasing Focus on Argument and Informative Writing: While narrative
writing is given prominence in early grades, as students progress through the
grades the Common Core State Standards increasingly ask students to write
arguments or informational reports from sources. As a consequence, less
classroom time should be spent in later grades on personal writing in response to
de-contextualized prompts that ask students to detail personal experiences or
opinions. The Common Core State Standards require that the balance of writing
students are asked to do must parallel the balance assessed on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP):
In elementary school, 30 percent of student writing should be to argue, 35
percent should be to explain/inform, and 35 percent should be narrative.
In middle school, 35 percent of student writing should be to write arguments,
35 percent should be to explain/inform, and 30 percent should be narrative.
In high school, 40 percent of student writing should be to write arguments, 40
percent should be to explain/inform, and 20 percent should be narrative.
Suggested action step for all of our schools:
Every teacher should evaluate the blend and proportion of writing purposes (narrative, argument, explain/inform) they assign in a quarter, semester or year.
The following points have been gathered from the survey results each teacher completed in August, our teacher committee input, and Dr. Pennell’s presentation
Develop a common system everyone follows.
This system should include
A common language
Common rubrics after they have been reviewed by all staff for excellence
Common editing marks
Maybe a banned word lists
Writing across the curriculum
Common sets of expectations in each grade level
Writing folders or portfolios to show growth
Ongoing training and staff collaboration regarding improving writing instruction
Defined expectations of how much graded writing each grade level is expected to do per week and month
Student self assessment of their own writing
Make time to conference with students regarding their writing