Setting up Writer’s Workshop Lisa Harrison Writing Curriculum Support, ETO

Cover Page Set-up

Components of an effective Writer’s Workshop Interactive journals Goal Setting Identified framework (purposeful lessons) Planning (get organized) Explicit Instruction (rigorous mini-lessons) Modeling Progress Monitoring Grouping Providing Feedback

Interactive Journals Rules Page Rule 1: I will Never tear out a page in my journal. Rule 2: I will write a page number for every entry in my journal. Rule 3: I will include a title for every entry in my journal. Rule 4: All of my entries will be placed in my table of contents at the front of my journal. Rule 5: I will use the following “Left Side/Right Side” Rules: Rule 6: I will write in my journal everyday! What goes on my LEFT SIDE? What goes on my RIGHT SIDE? Prompt (stapled)Responses to prompt Editing/RevisingReflections to literature Comments from teacherGraphic Organizers Summary Frames Essential Questions

Table of Contents DateEntryPage #

A Teacher’s Goal: Inspiring Writers! Diagnosing student needs Grouping students for instruction Evaluating this instruction Providing meaningful feedback to increase student performance Empowering students to think critically and personally about writing Classroom writing assessment: intermingled, varied, shared, informative*, personal

What resources do I use for modeling lessons? Calibration sets (Anchor sets) Writing Task Cards Mentored Text Grammar Resources (G.U.M)

Framework: 30 minutes vs. 60 Minutes

Writing Framework for the week

Explicit Instruction Bell Ringer/Opening Routine: 1. Have students complete five review items as a warm-up activity. 2. Review any additional prerequisites for the skill/strategy to be taught. Whole Group: 3. Establish the goal and relevance of today’s lesson. 4. Model the new skill/strategy. Small Group Rotation: 5. Provide guided practice with the new skill/strategy. 6. Introduce independent practice with the skill/strategy. 7. Provide small-group instruction to struggling students as needed based on Focus, Organization, Support, Conventions. Wrap-Up: 8. Review the focus skill at the end of the period and assign homework.

Rigorous Planner

Where can I access resources for planning? The 2012 FCAT Writing Calibration Scoring Guides FCAT Writing Anchor Sets FCAT, FCAT 2.0, Florida EOC Assessments, Computer-Based Testing, and Test Schedules Link to Common Core State Standards Link to PARCC information

Writing environment looks like… Seating arranged for ease of collaboration, peer response, revision, and editing Student folders with student writing, word lists, planners, rubrics, etc. Student journals with focused lessons, responses to prompts, evidence of the writing process Classroom environment should be visually stimulating: Anchor charts Student friendly rubrics Editor’s checklist Posters of planners Current student writing

Endings

Endings that Work

Integrating Reading and Writing

A Definition of Rigor Rigor is the expectation that students will be able to perform at levels of cognitive complexity necessary for proficiency at each grade level.

Rigorous Classroom Only by creating a culture of high expectations and providing support so students can truly succeed do you have a rigorous classroom. Barbara Blackburn 2008

Rigorous Classroom Standards-based teaching Look for Lots of high level activity- - - High Levels of Questioning Reflecting Analyzing Doing experiments Discussing Writing Working in groups And a Scoring Guide available to all students for all major assignments

ACT Report on Increasing Rigor The following strategies should be promoted to increase course rigor and student achievement: Instruction that Is Bell-to-bell Is Connected to prior learning* Incorporates probing questions, group work, and higher level reasoning

STRATEGIES TO EXTEND THINKING Remember "wait time I and II" –Provide at least five seconds of thinking time after a question and after a response. Ask "follow-ups' –E.g., "Why? How do you know? Do you agree? Will you give an example? Can you tell me more? Cue responses to "open ended" questions –E.g., "There is not a single correct answer to this question. I want you to consider alternatives. Use "think-pair-share" –Allow individual thinking time, discussion with a partner, and then open up for class discussion. Call on students randomly –Avoid the pattern of only calling on those students with raised hands. Say you are going to wait until you see 5, 10, 15 hands, etc… Ask students to "unpack their thinking" –E.g., ‘Describe how you arrived at your answer."

STRATEGIES TO EXTEND THINKING Ask for summary to promote active listening –E.g., "Could you please summarize our discussion thus far?" Play devil's advocate –Require students to defend their reasoning against different points of view. Survey the class –E.g., "How many people agree with the authors point of view?" (thumbs up, thumbs down) Allow for student calling –E.g., "Richard, will you please call on someone to respond?" Encourage student questioning/Elicit responses –Provide opportunities for students to generate their own questions. Use task cards.

Relevance Connection Reinforce the skill into the students writing… –Students need to understand how the skill or concept applies to their life. –Students need to know why this an important skill to know? –This builds buy-in from the students.

Dissect the Prompt Writing Situation Specific Writing task Something to think about

Progress Monitoring TEACHER: STUDENT:

Providing Feedback

Grouping

EXIT SLIP Three things you learned….. Two things you will incorporate into your instruction….. One question or comment you have…..