 Sticky Note Chart paper  Markers, Glitter markers, highlighters  Ream of Paper  Video (Individual) Handout 1- The Standards (Class Sets) Handout 2- The Prompt and Texts Handout 3- The Student Sample w/out Comments Handout 4- The Student Sample with Comments

College Career Ready Conference

 Discuss the Maryland College and Career Ready (MCCR) standards for argument writing  Differentiate between assigning and teaching writing  Identify the components of effective argument writing

“Writing is a craft before it is an art; writing may appear magic, but it is our responsibility to take our students backstage to watch the pigeons being tucked up the magician’s sleeve.”  – Donald M. Murray, A Writer Teaches Writing Anderson, Carl. Assessing Writers (107).

 Argument  Informative/explanatory  Narrative

The Standards acknowledge the fact that whereas some writing skills, such as the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish, are applicable to many types of writing, other skills are more properly defined in terms of specific writing types: arguments, informative/explanatory texts, and narratives.

Students can, without significant scaffolding, comprehend and evaluate complex texts across a range of types and disciplines, and they can construct effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information.

They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and they begin to adapt the form and content of their writing to accomplish a particular task and purpose.

Grades 9-10Grades W Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Grades 9-10Grades W a Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. W a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Grades 9-10Grades W b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. W b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

Grades 9-10Grades W c Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

Grades 9-10Grades W d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

Grades 9-10Grades W e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

 Establish a clear purpose for writing, modeling the language found in the Writing Standards  Specify the audience to be addressed  State clearly the topic, issue, or idea to be addressed  Reference the source text(s) serving as the stimulus for a student response  Specify the desired form or genre of the student reponse

What is the difference between assigning writing and teaching writing?

What do we do when we assign writing?  provide students with the writing task  assign a text and require students to write an essay on a given topic  collect and grade the task  provide minimal feedback  proceed to the next task

What do we do when we teach writing?  show students what is expected of them based upon the standards  provide models of high-quality writing  offer meaningful feedback  allow opportunities for students to develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach

 Deconstruct the following prompt

 Read the texts  Take critical notes as necessary

How can we prepare students to become good writers?

 Introduce claims  Analyze the texts  Use valid reasoning  Establish the significance of the claim  Distinguish claims from alternate or opposing claims  Create logical sequence

 Use relevant and sufficient evidence  Develop claims and counterclaims  Point out the strengths and limitations  Clarify relationships between claims and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claims and counterclaims  Maintain a formal style

 Read the student samples  Use the writing and language standards to provide appropriate comments where necessary  Construct feedback in the affirmative

At your table, what comments based on the standards would be most helpful for this student?

1) Read the comments provided by achievethecore.org on the student samples. 2) In what ways did achievethecore.org use the standards in their feedback?

What are the instructional implications?

Modeling Writing: “Teachers better understand the writing task when they do it themselves. There’s no substitute for doing when it comes to understanding.” “Teachers, when they write, uncover the hard parts and are thus better able to see which mini- lessons will most benefit their students. Writing done by the teacher drives better instruction.” Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).

Benefits to Teachers and Students: “Teachers can model that writing is challenging. This demonstrates to students that good writing is the product of multiple revisions.” “Students see the teacher struggle with the complexity and chaos of writing. This helps demystify the writing process. Students no longer maintain the false impression that good writing just flows at will.” Gallagher, Kelly. Teaching Adolescent Writers (48).

  msde.state.md.us   Carl Anderson’s book: Assessing Writers  Kelly Gallagher’s book: Teaching Adolescent Writers

Please contact MSDE staff with additional questions: Ava Spencer