Implementing the Calkins’ Writing Units

of Study

Amy Oak, Literacy and Early Childhood Consultant

Muskegon Area Intermediate School District

Muskegon, MI

Our Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions• K-W• History and overview of the Units• Structure of the Units• Writing Invitation• Implementation Process• What’s working• What’s working• Next Steps

Why focus on Writing?

• MEAP Scores in the County

– Lower than reading scores

– Few districts were on par with the state or above

• Districts requested support

Teacher’s College, Columbia University

• Premier national think tank on the teaching of writing

• Test scores in NYC

• Created Units of Study for Writing

Mini-lesson structure

• Connection

• Teaching

• Active Engagement

• Link

• Writing and Conferring

• Share

MAISD Professional Development

• 06-07 Pilot

• 07-08 Phase I– 250 K-6 general & special education

teachers– Ten Districts– Ten half day sessions with each grade

level– Initial work with middle school staff

• Optional after school sessions– Lake Michigan Writing Project

Assessment– Teaching Grammar

On-going Professional Development

• Summer 08– Homegrown Institute– LMWP– Writing Through the Units

• 08-09 School year– New group of 1st year with Units

• 230– Returning/year two teachers– Conferring Class– Grammar Class– Middle School teachers

Results

• Embraced at many levels

– Curriculum Directors

– Principals

– Teachers

– Students

– Parents and Grandparents

Data and Feedback

• Schools who do quarterly writing prompts have reported great improvement in quality and quantity of student writing compared to last year in classes where teachers are implementing the Units of Study.

Quotes from Teachers

• Special education students are producing!

• Students are transferring their writing into other subjects

• Partnering is working, they are actually helping each other revise.

• I have a classroom of authors, they love writing! K

Plans for 2009-20010

• Summer 09– Writing Through the Units– Book studies

• Continued Support 09-10– After school monthly meetings– Repeat topic specific classes– Leadership strand– May have small group of

teachers in their first year.

Next Steps

• What are your next steps?

• Reading Workshop Pilot

• aoak@muskegonisd.org