Goals for the Day Review the lenses and 5 Processes Focus: Process #2 Composing Text Get started on Final Project College Credit

Share your reflection with someone you don’t normally work with… Choose a partner to share your paper with-- either the reflection of what you read or your try-out strategy. Person A will read, Person B will respond. Then Person B will read their paper and Person A will respond. Pair to Quads

What is the #1 Predictor of Student Success?

I Have Who Has….

Please Do Now Write 7 lines –Compare a traditional classroom to a student-centered classroom.

For you consideration… Most students don’t have models for writing at home. Why is it important for students to write? How much should they write? How often? About what?

What are your concerns about students’ writing… What are we doing right, to encourage them to be writers? What are we doing wrong, that inhibits their development as writers?

What does writing look like in your classroom? What do students write about? When do they write/how often? How do they write? Who reads it? Ginotti PIIC/PLN9

Students need… Opportunities to write in many environments – the more they write the better they learn, they need 9-12 opportunities/day – this is more important than length of writing! Need to compose with paper/pencil – composing at a keyboard is a separate skill A purpose beyond a grade – by grade 9, both boys and girls have a negative attitude about writing

Choice in topic and form Opportunities to experiment with voice and audience (RAFT) Consistent structure or framework – see it, say it, write it Appropriate, contextual instruction Purposeful feedback (within 1-2 days) They must make the revisions – we must resist overgrading!

Some Interesting Facts Less than 2% of HS students will major in English in college. Less than 1% of HS students will enroll in journalism or professional writing related majors in college. Elmore and Abelman, “When Opportunity Knocks…” CPRE, Ginotti PIIC/PLN12

Some Interesting Facts Writing is identified as #2 on the list of academic predictors for college success. Professors cite the lack of habit, voice, passion, and completeness as the most pronounced deficiencies in college freshmen. Higher Education Research Institute, “Report on Academic Readiness,” 2008 Ginotti PIIC/PLN13

Some Interesting Facts Writing skills are identified as a core requirement of more than 95% of the 25 top paying jobs in America. Writing skills are identified as a core component of 75% of the top job opportunities for HS graduates entering the job market. Sauter, “High Skills, High Pay…” ACT Information Brief, 2007 Ginotti PIIC/PLN14

What Stands Out for You? What are the implications of this research for elementary and middle school educators? Does this challenge any long-held beliefs? Please discuss. Ginotti PIIC/PLN15

Why is Writing So Important? Promotes critical thinking skills Promotes learning: Connections to prior knowledge Comprehension Deeper understanding Retention Promotes vocabulary development Promotes effective communication skills Promotes effective assessment – “a window to learning” Brown, Collins, Duguids, The Culture of Learning, 1999 Ginotti PIIC/PLN16

What Will Make a Difference? Habit Fluency Authenticity Variety Focused Practice Feedback Writing Next, Carnegie Commission, Ginotti PIIC/PLN17

Why The Collins Writing Program? Provides a structure consistent with the recommendations of the Writing Next Report. Consistent with NAEP’s recommendations regarding improving writing achievement: Frequent, informal writing opportunities to think, explore, and observe. Frequent writing in all content areas. Opportunities to write in a variety of formats. Focused, consistent feedback. Contextual teaching of writing skills. Ginotti PIIC/PLN18

How Does Collins Do It?  Structure  Structure: Five Types of Writing Capture Ideas ◦ Type One: Capture Ideas Writing to Learn ◦ Type Two: Writing to Learn Focused Practice ◦ Type Three: Focused Practice Finished Product ◦ Type Four: Finished Product Publishable Work ◦ Type Five: Publishable Work Ginotti PIIC/PLN19

How Does Collins Do It?  Content: Creating  Content: Creating Great Assignments ◦ Assignment ◦ Writer’s Role ◦ Audience ◦ Purpose ◦ Format ◦ Focus Correction Areas (FCAs) ◦ Process Ginotti PIIC/PLN20

How Does Collins Do It?  Consistency:  Consistency: Developing Focus Correction Areas Vertical Articulation 12-K  Organization:  Organization: Writing Folders Ginotti PIIC/PLN21

Collins’ Writing Type 1 – Use to capture ideas No right or wrong No revision/one draft Best if done 8 to 10 times a day Accountable for length and staying on topic only May need to be “timed” Benefits: Builds habit Uses language Rewards success

Collins’ Writing  Type 2 ◦ Purpose of writing to learn ◦ Responses are an explanation that helps cement understanding ◦ Best if done 4 to 6 times per day ◦ Accountable for content only ◦ Usually are soft-timed ◦ Evaluate with 4 point scale ◦ Benefits:  Improves quality of learning while providing opportunities to write  They can self correct

Let’s try a Type Two Writing… Describe one of the processes of learning from Plainer Truths and write 2 ways you have connected it to your teaching.

Collins’ Writing  Type 3 ◦ Edit for FCAs – Focused Correction Areas ◦ This type is the most authentic academic writing experience ◦ Best preparation for testing situations ◦ Pick 3 FCAs at most and keep those until mastery is evident ◦ Model first and be prepared to differentiate ◦ Can be done in class or for homework ◦ Benefits:  Has the most impact on writing  Requires less time on your part for grading

Each participant gets a napkin. Round 1—Talk about a book you have read or a movie you have recently seen. Round 2—Tell about a favorite holiday memory. Round 3—Tell about a school memory.

Collins’ 4 and 5 Type 4 – Type 3 writing and has been read out loud and critiqued by another (2 drafts) Type 5 – Publishable work based on multiple drafts; represents real- world standards

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE… Work in 2 groups. Count off by 2’s Group 1—Read It, Group 2—See It Chart your noticings about the text/illustrations

Big Ideas/Wrap-Up Complexity of Teaching Assignment—2 Wiki responses/try-out, Plainer Truths, Bulkpack article Kathy Genzano will be back for the next session Study Table—Nov. 21; Bring materials to work on your your project.