How to Ground Workshop in the UbD Format Secondary Achievement by Design June 4, 2008

1. How to Ground Workshop in the UbD FormatSecondaryAchievement by DesignJune 4, 2008 Rebecca Langrall, Ed.D. Curriculum Coordinator, Secondary Communication Arts Susan Doering Literacy Coach, Southwest Middle School

2. Agenda • Check in • Exploring Workshop • Representing UbD • Integration Issues • WHERETO?

3. Check In With Your Partner Your name Your school Current assignment What is your experience with a workshop approach to reading and writing? What is your experience with UbD?

4. Workshop • Take two minutes to write out your understanding of the key traits of a workshop approach to reading and writing. 2. Discuss with your partner. 3. Create a shared list.

5. Opportunity Choice Response Relevance/ Authenticity Space Confidence Uncertainty Key TraitsHow many did you cite? Any overlooked?

6. Opportunity In order to provide students with the opportunities they need to become successful readers and writers, they need timeto read and write, access to a large variety of quality reading materials, and a classroom structure that supports social interaction.

7. Choice Students need to make choices about what they read and write, what groups to participate in, and how to respond to their readings. This does not mean however, that the teacher abdicates all control over the classroom; it just means that teachers involve students in as many decisions as possible.

8. Response Students need response to their efforts. They need to receive feedback about their attempts and acknowledgement for their achievements. Students not only need to receive responses from the teacher and their peers, they also need the opportunity to respond for themselves to the texts they read and write.

9. Relevance/Authenticity The experiences that we provide in our classrooms must have a close relationship to the events in the actual world outside of schools. We need to be careful that the things we do in school are not just designed to make us better at school, but better at reading and writing.

10. Space Students need a supportive environment in which to develop as readers and writers. Whether this means creating a safe place to make mistakes or allowing teens the extra time they need to develop, they need space. The design of our workshop should not restrict opportunities; rather it should create space for teens to interact with caring, supportive teachers and peers in the learning community.

11. Confidence We need to have confidence in our students as ‘makers of meaning’ and ‘communicators of ideas’ and in ourselves as ‘responders’ to their efforts. When we sit with lit study groups, or finish a read aloud, if we have chosen a book that connects, we need to have confidence that students will respond to the story. We have to have confidence that if we give students the opportunity to select topics to write about they will have important messages to share.

12. Uncertainty Reading and writing are highly complex events that cannot be reduced to a formula or a commercial program. As teachers, we need to be able to live with a certain amount of uncertainty as we work with developing readers. We must become “reflective practitioners’’ who continually question our practice, keep an open mind about the methods and experiences we provide in our classrooms, and use assessments to inquire into the needs, interests, and abilities of our students. fromThe Reading Workshop: Creating Space for Readers by Frank Serafini

13. UbD You are mentors for a new teacher. Avoiding the lingo, how might you clearly explain and justify the UbD model in use in your workshop-based school? Represent your thinking in any way you like. Discuss with your partner.

14. The primary goal of UbD is the development and deepening of students’ understanding. Evidence of understanding is revealed when students apply knowledge and skills in authentic contexts. Backward design helps to avoid both coverage and activity oriented instruction. --McTighe and Sief (2003) School and student performance gains are the result of continuous reviews of achievement and student work followed by targeted adjustments to curriculum and instruction. Teachers provide students with opportunities toexplain, apply, interpret, shift perspective, empathize and self-assessto show their understanding. Teachers, schools, and districts benefit by “working smarter”— using technology and other approaches to collaboratively design, share, and critique units of study. Tenets of UbD

15. Integration? When you think about the key traits of workshop and the tenets of UbD, what do you notice? Jot down your first thoughts… then share with your partner.

16. How It All Fits Together Workshop McWilliams, 2008

17. W Where are we going? Why? What is expected? W H E R E T O H How will we hook and hold student interest? E How will we equip students for expected performances? R How will we help students rethink and revise? E How will students self-evaluate and reflect on their learning? T How will we tailor the learning plan? O How will we organize and sequence the learning? How It All Fits Together McWilliams, 2008

18. W Where are we going? Why? EUs and EQs What is expected? Authentic discussion, pieces for publication W H E R E T O H How will we hook and hold student interest? Through choice, ownership, authenticity, time E How will we equip students for expected performances? GLE-basedmini lessons & practice R How will we help students rethink and revise? Conferencing with teachers and peers; share time E How will students self-evaluate and reflect on their learning? Portfolios; setting goals; reflection T How will we tailor the learning plan? Choice of texts and writing genres, topics; adjust time O How will we organize and sequence the learning? Needs-based How It All Fits Together McWilliams, 2008

19. Stage Three: WHERETO

20. Closure Final Reflection: What does UbD offer a workshop approach to reading and writing instruction? What does a workshop approach offer UbD?

21. Thank you! rlangrall@pkwy.k12.mo.us sdoering@pkwy.k12.mo.us