Grounding Your Writing Grounding Your Writing ClassroomClassroom

Sue Morrell, NBCT, Wagner Sue Morrell, NBCT, Wagner Community SchoolCommunity School

Dakota Writing ProjectDakota Writing ProjectJune 6, 2007June 6, 2007

The Plan The Plan (90 minutes)(90 minutes)

Write – Share (one on one)Write – Share (one on one) Repeat (x 3)Repeat (x 3) Collaboration (“assigned” group)Collaboration (“assigned” group) Post & Share & DiscussPost & Share & Discuss Research baseResearch base Application (and Q&A)Application (and Q&A)

First Question: First Question: Why write?Why write?

Reflex writeReflex write Five minutesFive minutes Write what you knowWrite what you know All answers valid and honoredAll answers valid and honored Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, Don’t worry about grammar, spelling,

handwriting, etc.handwriting, etc.

Second Question: Second Question: What have I What have I learned about Writing?learned about Writing?

As a writer?As a writer? As a teacher?As a teacher? Both?Both? Five minutes!!Five minutes!!

Third Question: Third Question: How do I How do I write?write?

Last Question: Last Question: What are the What are the qualities of qualities of GOODGOOD writing? writing?

Five minutes Five minutes Be a reader!Be a reader! Be a teacher.Be a teacher.

Collaboration TimeCollaboration Time

Your task: Working together, identify Your task: Working together, identify FIVEFIVE significant ideas to share. significant ideas to share.

Appoint a recorder & a spokesperson.Appoint a recorder & a spokesperson. You have TEN minutesYou have TEN minutes

Share all ideas from group members Share all ideas from group members (your question only).(your question only).

Choose best ideas – list on chart paper.Choose best ideas – list on chart paper. Be ready to post & present.Be ready to post & present.

Additional ThoughtsAdditional Thoughts(points from the Prairie Winds Writers)(points from the Prairie Winds Writers)

Why Write?Why Write? To communicate in a To communicate in a

lasting waylasting way To set things right in To set things right in

the mindthe mind To get organizedTo get organized To express feelings or To express feelings or

thoughtsthoughts To commit to To commit to

somethingsomething To pass the classTo pass the class

What have I learned What have I learned about Writing?about Writing? Takes practiceTakes practice Get it down first; then Get it down first; then

get it correctget it correct Is not a subject – is Is not a subject – is

ABOUT subjectsABOUT subjects Works best when I am Works best when I am

motivatedmotivated Requires risk and Requires risk and

sacrificesacrifice

Additional ThoughtsAdditional Thoughts(more points from the Prairie Winds (more points from the Prairie Winds

Writers)Writers) How do I write?How do I write?

IllegiblyIllegibly FastFast Organize as I goOrganize as I go Practice, practice, Practice, practice,

practicepractice ““The poems are in The poems are in

the scars” – Linda the scars” – Linda HasselstromHasselstrom

What are the What are the qualities of good qualities of good writing?writing? Evidence of Evidence of

Motivation Motivation Evidence of Evidence of

CommitmentCommitment Awareness of readerAwareness of reader Uses specific, Uses specific,

concrete wordsconcrete words Observes conventions Observes conventions

of standard Englishof standard English

What have we learned about What have we learned about the teaching of writing?the teaching of writing?

Suggested reading: Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective

strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools – A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Mack-Kirschner, Adrienne. (2005). Straight Talk for Today’s Teacher: How to Teach So Students Learn. NH: Heinemann.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001) Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

NWP & Nagin, C. (2006) Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Our Schools. IN: Jossey-Bass.

Using Research to Inform Our Using Research to Inform Our Teaching of WritingTeaching of Writing

Setting product goals involves assigning students specific, reachable goals for the writing they are to complete. It includes identifying the purpose of the assignment (e.g., to persuade) as well as characteristics of the final product. Graham & Perin, Writing Next, 2007)

Common expectations about writing should be developed across disciplines through in-service workshops designed to help teachers understand good writing and develop as writers themselves. National Commission on Writing, The Neglected “R”: The Need for a Writing Revolution, 2003

Where we go from hereWhere we go from here

Recognize that writing is hard work.Recognize that writing is hard work. Write with your students.Write with your students. Co-design assessment rubrics with Co-design assessment rubrics with

your students.your students. Publication provides motivation to Publication provides motivation to

write.write.