Keeping things moving forward with the … OUR FOCUS THIS MORNING IS...

…without adding more spinning plates! RTI Writing workshop New Mat h PLC Social studies Daily 5/cafe Science Differentiati on Character Ed.

So, why are we here this morning?… To teach writing effectively so as to produce growth in this area for our students. To get tips on moving the writing workshop along more timely To learn how to conference and gather small groups for learning To get students to work more independently!! To understand each component of the mini-lesson To get the most points on my APPR – teacher evaluation

Promise to Our Students UNITS OF STUDY SAYS… Non-negotiables for Writing Writing is a subject to be scheduled every day, a minimum of 30 minutes… up to 60 minutes. Writing needs to be explicitly taught. Students need clear goals and frequent feedback. Students need opportunities to read, hear texts, and read as writers Students need to write for real purposes and write for an audience. Students invest themselves in their writing, when they choose topics that are important to them. Our Writers’ Bill of Rights: Writing is a subject. It is taught every day Students will be explicitly taught There is time in the day when students are given time to write During writing time, students write Students write for volume Students are to be invested in their writing Students have the freedom to choose their own topic Writers produce writing

“What is your promise that you make to children for writing?”

 Rehearsal  Publishing  Share  Small moments  Mentor text  Touchstone text  Thought prompts  Share the pen  Seeds  On-demand writing  quick write  Teaching point  Scaffold  Draft/revising/ editing COMMON LANGUAGE

Resources Kit CD Materials

The Workshop Structure  Mini-lesson 10 min.  Independent Writing 20+ min.  Mid-workshop Interruption 3-5 min.  Conferencing 5 min.  Share 5-10 min. 40 – 60 minutes

Connection Teaching Point Active Engagement Link Mini-lesson – Important to keep between minutes

Don’t skip these preview pages!!

The Workshop Structure  Mini-lesson 10 min.  Independent Writing 20+ min.  Mid-workshop Interruption 3-5 min.  Conferencing 5 min.  Share 5-10 min. 40 – 60 minutes

Research says: “Length, more than any other factor, correlated with a high score on the essay portion of the SAT." ~Les Perelman, the director of writing at M.I.T

Research says: “Along with purpose and audience, an important component of the Writing Workshop at any grade is volume. By volume, I mean write a lot. And after they write a lot, write more.” ~Two Reflective Teachers

To get tips on moving the writing workshop along more timely 1.Choose a deadline and make it public. 2.Use assessments to customize a unit. 3.The less you know, the faster you go. 4.Build student independence. 5.Trust the process.

What Actions to take to lift the level of writing across the grades? Teachers should be doing…. ●Plan the unit to start and end together as a grade level. ●Administer the On-demand assessments ●Look at student work with grade level team ●Units should be no longer than weeks. (pacing guide) ●Plan that celebration date! Principal support…. ●Encourage cohorts to stay in sync. It’s hard, but asking for their celebration dates will help teachers stick to the 5-6 week units. ●Make time and establish Norms for Grade-Level Meetings. ●Help Grade-level Cohorts Study Students’ Writing. ●Speak firmly but kindly to resistance.

Building Effective Partnerships 2015

To get students to work more independently!!

Research says… Why Partnerships? ● we need opportunities to interact through giving and receiving feedback as well as collaborating on writing activities. ●this increases the sense of community in a classroom, as well as encourages students to become engaged in the writing process with their peers. ●e stablishing partnerships helps with efficiency, expectations, and a consistent routine.

Connection Teaching Point Active Engagement Link Mini-lesson – Important to keep between minutes

Rehearsal before writing Why Partnerships? All of our writing actually starts with cognition and speech. Providing time for rehearsal is actually providing additional thinking time. During the active engagement part of the minilesson, there is always a spot for partners to rehearse or practice a writing move together. This rehearsal is the part of the “we do”/practice before independent writing.. Everybody loves feedback. Rehearsing together is an additional way to provide immediate feedback.

There are two articles about partnerships. Each partnership will be given an article to divide up the reading. You will be given time to discuss your part of the article. Then you will join another partnership to share out your article with them Learning with a partner

Using partnerships within a classroom, gives the message that we can be in charge of our learning, and we can learn from one another.

Why Partnerships? Setting Goals… Partners can push each other to set goals and be accountable to those goals. Teacher can conference with partners then partners can check in on each other at the end of workshop.

Embedded in sessions are partnership tips Sometimes in the share Sometimes a mini-lesson

Why Partnerships? Setting Goals… Partners can push each other to set goals and be accountable to those goals. Teacher can conference with partners then partners can check in on each other at the end of workshop.

Every student is partnered with someone he/she can benefit from in some way. NO EXCEPTIONS! What are some ways to assess our writers with the idea to build exceptional partners? How can we do this quickly? Brainstorm with a partner ●green partner goes first ●alternating from green then blue, name what criteria information you might gather from their on-demand writing. Making Partners

PARTNER A - works very, very slowly and sometimes too carefully PARTNER B - drafts quickly and freely, gets thoughts down fast PARTNER A - methodical and strategic about writing PARTNER B- writes fast all of the time and too sloppy

Structures and Routines ●Partner work should be happening every day. TURN AND TALK IS NOT PARTNERSHIP TIME ●Partners will sit next to each other during mini-lesson time. (efficiency) ●At the beginning of independent writing/reading time partners tell each other what they are working on today. At the end of that time, partners share whether they accomplished their goal or set a new goal. (accountability/self-assessment) ●Place partner chairs around the room with a five minute timer. (accountability, stamina, self-assessment)

WANTED Write a want ad for a writing partner. Think of at least 3 things that you are looking for in a partner. Be specific. Remember you are looking for someone that will help you to become a better writer.

APPLY to the WANT AD Write a brief letter to answer the application or ad for the writing partnership job. Include at least 3 specific skills you can bring to the partnership.

Strategy Two: Videotape Pay close attention to what the students are saying and doing. What does the teacher offer this partnership? What are some benefits of videotaping your student partnerships? 2:26

Methods to Teach Partners demonstration Proficient Partner Ghost Partner Fishbowl

FISH BOWL Find willing partners to display their partner dialogue while the rest of the class observes. Then students discuss and sometimes suggest how to improve. (midworkshop share?)

ASKING OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS What are you working on? Can you show me where you tried that? How can I help you?

Mentor Texts

ANCHOR CHARTS

Charts, displays, storage & binders

I do We do You do model also known as the gradual release model Teach students to use the checklist during independent writing time Conferencing is differentiated instruction where students work off their own goals. To get the most points on my APPR – teacher evaluation

Professional Development  Collaborative planning/PLC  Small study Groups  Lab Site work  Whole school PD  Invitation to Coach

●On-demand writing pieces leads to collegial conversations around student work and future planning. ●Students choose their topic. ●Each student is working at his/her level. ●Students are continually setting goals with partners and teachers. ●One on one conferences and small group conferences are based on student’s needs. APPR Connections

Q & A