Writing in Schools
Seventy percent of students in grades 4-12 are low-achieving writers. Every school day, more than
7,000 students drop out of high school. Only 70% of high school students graduate on time with a regular diploma. Students who enter ninth grade in the lowest 25% of their class are 20 times more likely to drop out. Nearly one third of high school graduates are not ready for college-level English composition courses. Over half of adult students at the lowest literacy levels are dropouts, and almost a quarter of these persons are high school graduates. College instructors estimate that 50% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level writing. U.S. graduates’ literacy skills are lower than those of graduates in most industrialized countries. The knowledge and skills required for higher education and for employment are now considered equivalent.
Writing in the Workplace
Thirty-five percent of high school graduates in college and 38%of high school graduates in the workplace feel their writing does not meet expectations for quality. About half of private employers and more than 60% of state government employers say writing impacts promotional decisions.
Poorly written applications are likely to doom candidates’ chance for employment. Writing remediation costs American businesses as much as $3.1 billion annually. (Writing Next, 2007)
State of Oregon Writing Scores
As measured by the 2010-11 Oregon Academic Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) annual assessment
(grade 11) Oregon students meets or exceedst benchmarks with 71.8% accuracy.
(http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/testresults/reporting/)
Bend La Pine School District Scores
As measured by the 2010-11 OAKS writing assessment, Bend La Pine students meets or exceeds the state average by 3.6% ((http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/testresults/reporting/)
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Now that all but five states have adopted the CCSS, the adoption provides a ‘perfect storm’ for K-12 district wide professional development in writing instruction. This is pivotal moment in education that may support leaders to work to create and distribute high-quality professional development to guide teachers through the CCSS transition. Those leaders may use the internet as a powerful tool for sharing resources and materials across state and district lines. Sharing resources that are commonly aligned may provide both an opportunity for America to grow student writing skills and maximize limited fiscal resources.( www.nwp.org
)
Professional Development Action Plan:
‘Unpacking’ the CCSS coupled with best practices in writing as measured by the effect size in the
Writing Next meta-analysis will be instructed in grade level professional development, professional learning community (PLC) teams of K-12 general education, special education teachers and supporting educational assistants to materialize alignment and consistency of strategy instruction across both grade levels and content areas.
Using the workshop, studio model (link, model, private think time, turn and talk, give it a go, share out) professional development implementation will be administered utilizing four key elements (time, creativity, clear commitments and professionalism) to ensure every teacher learned and contributed to the conversation. Infusing these elements into site-based and district level professional learning can shift professional development from something that is done to teachers, to something that is done by teachers.(www.nwp.org)
To support effective instrumentation, professional development supports will be housed as an on-line resource for instructional coaches/teachers to access and instruct on an as needed basis.
District: Located within Deschutes County:
County Size: 3,055 square miles
Attendance Area Size: 1,600 square miles
Population (as of 2010 census): 157,733
Elevation (at Bend Airport): 3,628
Seventh largest Oregon school district
Established in 1883; Sunriver and La Pine joined in 1961
Enrollment (as of Oct. 2011): 16,364
Grades K-5 schools: 7,113
Grades 6-8 schools: 3,464
Grades K-8 schools: 264
Grades 9-12 schools: 5,003
Charter (grade 6-8): 133
Other Programs: 387
Demographics (as of Oct. 2011):
Receiving Free & Reduced Meals: 43%
Special Education Students: 13.4%
English Language Learners (ELL): 4.8%
Talented and Gifted (TAG) Students: 7%
Minority Students: 14.8%
2010-2011 Summary Writing Report Data For: Bend-La Pine Administrative SD 1______________________
Sub-Group Grade Level Performance District
N %
State_______
N %__
Total Population 11
Total Population 11
Total Population 11
Participation______1170___95.9%_______38137____92.5%
Meets or Exceeds__ 839 71.8% 25896 68.2%
Exceeds 77 6.6% 2207 5.8%
Total Population 11 Meets 762 65.2% 23689 62.4%
Total Population 11 Nearly Meets 151 12.9% 5216 13.7%
Total Population 11
Total Population 11
Low 178 15.2% 6807 17.9%
Very Low 1 0.1% 43 0.1%
2010-2011 Summary Writing Report Data for Bend La Pine Administration SD 1
Performance Grade Level
Meets or Exceeds 11
District
71.8%
State
68.2%
Total Difference
3.6%_________
Exceeds
Meets
Nearly Meets
Low
Very Low
11
11
11
11
11
6.6%
65.2%
12.9%
15.2%
1%
5.8%
62.4%
13.7%
17.9%
1%
(http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/testresults/reporting/)
0.8%_________
2.8%__________
-0.8%
-2.7%
POSTER TEMPLATE BY: www.PosterPresentations.com
Measureable Writing Goal
• Increase the number of teachers who attend professional development in writing by 50% each year (2012-13, 2013-14).
• Increase the number of teachers who attend professional development in CCSS ‘slim curriculum guides’ by 100% in one year.
• Increase the number of teachers who attend professional development in ‘unpacking’ CCSS in writing by 50% (K-8 2012-13, 9-12 2013-14) annually until 2014.
• Increase the number of teachers who score writing with correct word sequence, holistic scoring guide and 6-traits writing rubric by 50%(K-8 2012, 9-12 2013-14) annually until 2014.
• Increase the number of students who meet or exceed grade Oregon State Writing Rubric expectations by 5%.
• Increase number of 11 th grade students who meet or exceed the Oregon State Assessment tool by 5% each year.
Assessment Data
• Writing Performance of students who met or exceeded the state standard-11 th grade, 5%.
Description of How Students Progress Toward This Goal Will Be Measured
• Teachers in grades 3, 4, 6, 7 & 10 will collect a writing sample in February of each year and score the results according to the Oregon State scoring guide rubric 6-traits, holistic scoring rubric, and/or correct word sequence and share the results with the District Writing Coordinator.
• Based on test scores, professional development will be administered to support student learning.
• Professional Development will be administered in support of student needs.
• 11 th grade students will take the OAKS (Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) writing assessment each February and transition onto Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessment by 2014.
Description of procedures for reporting student progress toward this goal to staff and parents
• Parent letter explaining writing in CCSS, SBAC transition/implementation.
• Parent hyperlink information page on writing, transition to CCSS on district/school website.
• Parent information night hosted by elementary, middle and high schools using district-wide powerpoint slide presentation explaining writing in both CCSS and the SBAC.
• Parent-Teacher conferences (share student writing samples, CCSS/SBAC parent letter/weblink)
• District Writing Coordinator will compile assessment data and include it in the district-wide annual report.
• District-wide annual report will include suggestions for grade level/site based professional development in-services.
• Professional development to support writing instruction.
• Studio support for teachers to develop writing strategies across grade levels.
Professional Development to Support Writing Goal
Instructional Strategies
• Implement the Writing Workshop presentation model to present three Writing Next (metaanalysis) strategies (ie., summarizing, sentence combining, writing process) to K-12 special education teachers and educational assistants (2010-11 school year).
• Implement the Writing Workshop presentation model to present three Writing Next (metaanalysis) strategies (with high effect sizes) (ie., summarizing, sentence combining, writing process) to K-12 general education teachers and principals (2011-12 school year).
• Implement Writing Workshop presentation and studio models to develop/ implement curriculum maps, unit plans and lesson plans to K-12 teachers (2011-14 school years).
• Implement Writing Workshop presentation and studio models to implement and support writing strategies with high effect sizes (ie., summarizing, sentence combining, writing process) to K-12 special education, general education teachers and principals (2014-15 school year).
K-12 CCSS Standards
• Use CCSS to implement best practices of backward design onto building level curriculum maps, unit plans and individual lesson plans in K-12 building grade level professional learning community’s (including special education, educational assistant’s, speech and language pathologists, speech and language pathologist assistant’s, and general education teachers).
K-12 Writing Workshop presentation model (2012-14 school year).
• Provide 1 credit Portland State University K-12 Writing class to support professional development
(summer 2010-15).
Writing Next Recommendations
11 Key Elements of Effective Writing Instruction As Identified By Meta-analysis
1. Writing Strategies 7. Prewriting
2. Summarization 8. Inquiry Activities
3. Collaborative Writing 9. Process Writing
4. Specific Product Goals 10. Study of Models
5. Word Processing 11. Writing for Content Learning
6. Sentence-Combining
Report of the National Commission on Writing, May 2006
7 Key Findings:
1. Many excellent examples of effective practices of writing exist.
2. Standardization and scoring instruction threaten to undermine this writing instruction.
3. A climate to encourage writing must be created.
4. Genuine reform requires personalization of instruction.
5. Maintaining a sense of community is essential both to writing and the larger reform movement.
6. Integrating writing into the reform agenda, while challenging is intergral to both.
7. The best hope for improving both writing and schools generally lies in highquality professional development.
For further information, or sources contact Trish Havlin at trish.havlin@bend.k12.or.us
Mountain View High School Special Education Teacher
Potential Options
• Hire full-time district-wide Writing Coach
• Increase amount of professional development for writing
• Increase amount of instructional time for writing
Decisions
• Funds are not available for a writing coach
• School Improvement Wednesday’s tightly scheduled
• Master schedules and classroom schedules are tightly scheduled at this time
2011-2012
Special Education professional development days allocated to utilize Writing Next best practices for (a) roll out of plan (b) summarizing (c) sentence combining (d) writing process.
Professional development includes K-12 special education teachers and teaching assistants.
2012-2013: K-12
Prioritize all Professional Development Days for 2011-2012 school year to (a) best practice strategy instruction (b) unpack CCSS into curriculum maps (c) studio model support (d) assessment administration and scoring.
• Videotape and house professional development on line.
• Develop year long writing scope and sequence based on CCSS for K-12 (curriculum map, unit plans, lesson plans, assessment).
• Provide specialized support based on individual building needs.
• Develop writing work samples for grades 3, 4, 6, 7, & 10.
• Train teachers on how to use studio model to implement (a) Writing Workshop (b) Step up to Writing (c) 6
Traits (d) systematic approaches with curriculum scope.
• Train teachers on how to use holistic, 6 traits rubrics and correct word sequence for scoring.
2013-14 School Year
• Conduct professional development day to articulate annual plan
• Integrate Writing Workshop into the Language Arts Curriculum
(ie., Houghton Mifflin, Open-Court, EMC).
• Continue to grow mentor text supporting units of study
• Continue to grow the student-teacher conference model
• Continue support in studio model implementation.
• Based on test scores (student needs), professional development will be administered to support student learning.
Intended Outcomes
• Writing Skills for all students will improve
• 11 th grade students meet intended writing benchmarks
• Writing benchmarks aligned to standards
• Curriculum and writing integrated into daily instructional time
• Teacher fluency with writing standards, assessments and scoring
• 6. Teacher and student preparedness to meet CCSS on SBAC assessment
References
Calkins Curriculum Plan (2011). Retrieved February 27, 2012, from
CalkCurricuPlan_WtgWshp.
Writing Next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools: A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington D.C.: Alliance for
Excellent Education.
Fletcher, Ralph J., and JoAnn Portalupi. Writing Workshop: the Essential Guide .
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2001.
National Writing Project (2010). Retrieved March 3, 2012, from www.nwp.org
.
The National Commission on Writing For America ’s Families, Schools, and Colleges. (2006,
May). Writing and School Reform. Washington, DC: The College Board. Retrieved
February 2012 from: http://www
.writingcommission.org/prod_downloads/writingcom/writing-school-reform-natl- commwriting.pdf.
Oregon Department of Education (2011). Retrieved February 27, 2012, from http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/testresults/reporting/.
Quotes:
“Writing might be magical, but it’s not magic. It’s a process, a rational series of decisions and steps that every writer makes and takes, no matter what the length, the deadline, even the genre.
”
-Donald Murray
“A pen is better than glasses as a tool for seeing.”
–Lucy Calkins, Keynote Address, July Writing Institute, 6/27/11
”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!
”
-Margaret Meade
July 2012: 1 credit Portland State University K-12 Writing course offering
August 2012: Kick off Writing Action Plan
• Roll out of professional development topics, research and calendar dates
• Introduce use of CCSS ‘slim curriculum guide’
September: Launching Writing Workshop/Personal Narrative
• Instruct elementary schools and support PLC’s in unpacking CCSS ‘slim curriculum guide’ onto curriculum maps
• Support elementary schools in developing unit plan, model lessons that follow Writing
Workshop routines
• Administer baseline writing assessments
• Support scoring using correct word sequence, holistic, and 6 traits rubrics.
• Video tape and house on line as resource
October: Fiction
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessment that follow Writing Workshop routines.
• Studio support in professional learning communities
• Video tape and house on line as resource
November: Non-Fiction
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessment
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
December: Historical Fiction
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
January: Writing Prompts for state & district assessments
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
February: Writing
• Develop unit plan, model lessons
• Assessment, scoring
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
March:
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
April: Poetry
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
May: Independent Writing
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
June: Independent Writing
• Develop unit plan, model lessons, assessments
• Studio support in PLC’s
• Video tape and house on line resource
July 2013: 1 credit Portland State University K-12 Writing course offering
August 2013: Kick off Writing Action Plan II
• Roll out of professional development topics related to data, research and calendar dates
• Continue building use of CCSS ‘slim curriculum guides’
• Integrate Writing Workshop into Language Arts Curriculum
• Continue monthly support in studio model implementation
• Continue support in assessment and student scoring
• Celebrate student, teacher, building and district level gains
• Implement K-12 building wide writing gallery walks