Outcomes

1. Outcomes • Achieve an understanding of the writing “current reality” • Build a district-wide writing philosophy (beliefs) • Build an understanding of the writing process • Develop resources that will be of benefit in delivering writing instruction • Create school and district capacity for translating the above elements into staff development opportunities for teachers at the school level

2. Current Reality: Historical Perspective Historical Perspective: 11-33 years • Up to ten years ago there was little curriculum direction for schools • Few resources were available • Focus was on conventions, sentence structure, penmanship • Writing was not formally assessed

3. Current Reality: Historical Perspective Historical Perspective: 1-10 years • Pretty much the same as now • Parents are confused as to how the writing process works and what a grade in writing means • There is some confusion on the part of teachers

4. Current Reality: Data • Citrus County Schools is below the state average in writing in all areas and at all levels. • We range from 33rd to 57th in the state • Good News: Closing the gap may not be as difficult because the disparity is not great between districts. • For example: Top district for 4th grade at 3.5 is 82. Citrus is 74.

5. Strengths and Needs Elementary Strengths • Writing rubrics provide guidelines for support • Clear scope and sequence related to expository and narrative writing

6. Strengths and Needs Elementary Needs • Focus needs to be on writing from K up. • Need more time for daily writing • Need consistent curriculum throughout the district • Need more consistency between grade levels • More collaborative time • Consistent vocabulary • Discussion and decision on grading

7. Strengths and Needs Secondary Strengths • District training is solid • Prewriting process Secondary Needs • Need a prewriting strategy that will be mastered by all students • Cross curricular writing • Split language arts into reading and writing up through 8th grade level • Clear expectations at each grade level

8. Perspectives from Tara and Charla • Vocabulary is inconsistent • There is a tendency to teach the product, not the process of writing. • Study groups or learning communities have had a major impact on creating focus and consistency on the writing process. • The study of student writing samples is helpful.

9. An Understanding of the Writing Process • Smith’s Myths: Implications for beliefs • Lessons Learned: Implications for best practices • Both can serve as valuable staff development resources.

10. Core Beliefs Process • Writing should not always be graded. • There should be enjoyment of the topic (exigence) • Writing should be done across the curriculum • Writing should be modeled • Writing is more than an academic task. It is a life skill. • Student writing should be used for writing instruction • Reading and writing should be connected

11. Core Beliefs • Students should be able to answer the question, why am I writing? • Students should have choice • Writing should be personally meaningful • Teacher enthusiasm and confidence is important • Writing is a collaborative activity • Writing needs to be shared • Students should write for a variety of situations

12. Core Beliefs • Students should receive continuous feedback • Students should be stimulated by the right (write) brain activities • Writing instruction should be differentiated • Establishing an appropriate writing environment important is important • Students should have access to multiple resources

13. Core Beliefs • Can be taught in pieces and assembled like a puzzle • Students need to be provided with a context • Experiences shape your writing • Prompts should be student generated • There are multiple learning styles • Convention instruction should be in the context of writing

14. Core Beliefs • Time should be provided to write, edit and share

15. What is the big picture? • When should the horse head to the barn? • What do you bring to the process? • Upon what should resources be built?

16. Today • Developing contextualized prompts • Elements of writing • Modeling contexutalized responses • Contextualized rubrics • 3D Process (describe, diagnose, direct) • IPS Modeling • Reflection

17. Future Work Identify • What teacher resources are needed (beliefs in place, rubrics?, continuum adjustments?, resource guide? Etc.) • What resources are needed in order for you to feel comfortable conducting school training or leading a study group/learning community. (Lesson plans, resources, PowerPoint's etc.) • When?