1. Literacy Matters Teaching Writing EVG December 9, 2011

2. History of Writing Workshop Methodology http://www.nwp.org/ http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource_topic/research_nwp National Writing Project NWP began in 1974 By 1976 NWP grew to six states By 1991 NWP was authorized as a federal education program Today NWP is in all 50 states Teachers College, Columbia University houses a “chapter” of the NWP.

3. Writing Workshop is situated in the latest research on HOW students learn: (Wiggins and McTighe) BehavioristsCognitiveSocio-cognitive B.F. Skinner Teacher-centered Conditioning Programmed Thorough and efficient Banking-model Tracking “What” students know Dewey Piaget J. Bruner Student-centered Constructivist “movement” “Ownership” Learning is the responsibility of the individual Cooperative learning “How” students know it Vygotsky (*ZOPED) Learning-centered Learning is a developmental process of gradually participating in a community Students are positioned to learn not “programmed”) Shared expertise Scaffolding Apprenticeship/mentorships Heterogeneous/multi- cultural What students DO with what they know Starts with what students know

4. What Exactly is Writing Workshop? Writing Workshop creates a rigorous learning environment that positions students as producers of texts – students produce drafts, revise, edit and publish within particular writing cycles or genre studies. The focus is on how texts are written…

5. Teachers become facilitators who provide both direct and indirect instruction based on what students know and still need to know.

6. Some Teaching Strategies Taught: Brainstorming for “seed” ideas Lift a line (say more) Leads Vivid words Slow down Fill a gap

7. More strategies Get right to it Prune New idea from old New point of view Combine entries Show don’t tell

8. Writing generated by Writer’s Workshop Personal narrative (aka) memoir Fiction Nonfiction (article, persuasive, informational text) Poetry

9. Let’s Pretend that we are writing a memoir….a slice of life piece about a moment in our lives…. “ Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros could be one of our “mentor” texts. Mini lessons: Effective use of repetition woven throughout the story Use of similes Circle story Voice

10. How can parents help? Read to your child and talk about the text Have your child sketch while you read – keep sketches in a family folder Have your child write about the book – keep all writings in a family folder Make a word wall on your refrigerator Take you child to the library regularly Set reading times and you read, too Pick out favorite sentences and write them on Post its

11. More helpful hints Read a book that has been made into a movie talk about similarities and differences Download audio books Buy books and read together Cook meals together and talk about recipes; read labels Create a family writing center with a bulletin board to hang messages, family news items, household and family events Have your children make books of all sorts Books of poems Books of letters Books of stories Scrapbooks Dictionaries family photo albums KEY: do not over correct

12. Questions Discussion Comments Please email us any additional questions or concerns. lcella@evgschool.org Sueperl@evgschool.org ksalerno@evgschool.org

13. Reading instruction Math instruction Updates on Anti-bullying Budget information & the future of EVG and GW Other ideas???? Topics for next meeting February 3, 2011