From the Beginning Planning for Impact in Writing Instruction, 6-12 Dr. Patti McWhorter

Agenda  Introductions and Overview  Planning for Impact: Research Base  Prioritizing Standards  Building a Writing Community: Workshop Approach  Pre-Assessment Data  Goal Setting  Self- and Peer Assessment: Critical Training  Managing the Paper Load  Questions and Discussion

Introductions and Overview  Who am I?  Why am I here?  Who are you?  What do you hope to learn?

Planning for Impact: Research Base and Resources  Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing  Writing Next Writing Next  Visible Learning Visible Learning

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Prioritizing Standards Writing/Language Priority Anchor Standards Evidence of Achievement (Assessment Data) W 1, 4, 9 L1 Best piece and artifacts that show growth in argumentation (prior papers, strategies, etc.) using Literacy Design Collaborative rubric W2, 4, 9 L1 Best piece and artifacts that show growth in informative/explanatory (prior papers, strategies, etc.) using Literacy Design Collaborative rubric Pre-Assessment/Data Points:  Mock writing samples holistically scored using LDC continuum  Teacher generated data and writing samples  Flexible grouping based on data Post-Assessment:  Growth Portfolio  Additional mock writing opportunities L4 Vocabulary (word family; differentiated vocabulary) (need a variety of evidence) L5 Figurative Language (need a variety of evidence)

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Building a Writing Community Attitude in a writing community…  Writing is important.  Writing is an ongoing and creative process.  Writing development occurs as a continuum.  We share our knowledge of the writing craft with one another.  Our writing belongs to us.  We are all developing writers.

Building a Writing Community A successful classroom writing community requires….  A philosophical and physical environment conducive to a sustained writing experience.  A reliable, consistent and sufficient block of time for daily writing.  A set of rehearsed writing workshop procedures involving materials, movement, and writing process components.  A continuing curriculum of content and skills.  Lessons in writing content, composing skills and conventions through examples, demonstrations and models.  The use of writers’ vocabulary.  Self-evaluation procedures.  Classroom management techniques.

Building a Writing Community  Teachers provide the resources, opportunities, and lessons needed for young writers to progress in the writing craft.  Teachers model the procedures and provide the structure that will help young writers productively pursue and practice their craft.  Writers confer with other writers and revise in response to their comments.  Writers phrase their comments and questions in non-threatening ways.  Writers keep their work in a personal folder and maintain a writer’s notebook.  Writers know the writing curriculum and take responsibility for skill acquisition.  Writers evaluate their writing using criteria based on process and content.

Building a Writing Community How do you build a writing community in your classroom?  Icebreakers?  Surveys?  Collaborative class rules and procedures?  Writing instruction survey for teachers Writing instruction survey for teachers

Key Practice: Building a Writing Community Creating a Community of Writers Annenberg Learner

Writing Workshop What characteristics of the writing workshop model do you currently have in place in your classroom?  Content choices  Time  Teaching  Talking  Focused study  Publication  High expectations/safety  Structure management Ray, Katie Wood The Writing Workshop: Working through the Hard Parts (and They’re All Hard Parts). Urbana, IL: NCTE.

Key Practice: Writer’s Notebook  Format: sections and procedures  Regular, systematic use

Key Practice: Writer’s Notebook  Freewriting  Writer’s Eye (I)  Author’s Word and Phrase Palette  Gems  Editing Checklists and Mini-Handbooks Anderson, Jeff Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer’s Workshop. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers.  Drafts/Ideas  Published Pieces  Editing Checklists, Mini-Handbooks, Rubrics

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Pre-Assessment Data What pre-assessment data do you collect about your students as writers? How do you use the data?  Writing Experiences Survey: Who am I as a writer?  Examine writing from previous years  Varied initial writing assignments (letters of introduction; short readings and reflections or critical analysis questions; journals and/or daily writing, etc.)

Pre-Assessment Data:Rubrics  Strong/medium/weak/no evidence  I am impressed/I can work with this/I’m concerned/no evidence  Literacy Design Collaborative rubrics Literacy Design Collaborative rubrics Not Yet Approaches Expectations Meets Expectations Advanced  Mock writing: In Common; Engage NYIn CommonEngage NY

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Goal Setting: Based on Data How do you use goal-setting with your students?  Long-term goal: Become a better writer  Short-term goals: Stronger leads or “hooks” Use more complex sentences  Establish process and procedures Determine timeline for reviewing goals Reference goals often and gather data

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Self- and Peer Assessment How do you currently use self – and/or peer assessment with your students? What are the obstacles to this type of practice?

Self- and Peer Assessment: Critical Training  Sorting samples of writing  Recognizing writing that represents the achievement levels and descriptors of your rubric  Score papers from real samples (taking care to preserve anonymity) Students might receive peer feedback and respond to the suggestions Teacher can select one domain on which to focus the peer assessment/feedback work  Use small score sheets or post-it notes Ask for specific feedback on a particular domain

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Managing the Paper Load How effective is your feedback if you cannot manage the paper load?  Draft parts and whole pieces with feedback from peers and then teacher (after critical training)  Focus on specific domains: differentiated groups  Expert groups score first – you confirm  Use an instructional rubric (like LDC)  Student choice of topics: prevent assessor’s fatigue

TKES/TAPS Connections  Teacher Keys Effectiveness System Teacher Keys Effectiveness System  Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards and Rubrics  Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators Reference Sheet and Sample Indicators How does this information connect to what you are hearing?

Questions and Discussion  What do you need to know more about?  What will you do differently from the beginning of the school year?  How can we collaboratively help each other across the state? Dr. Patti McWhorter