South Plainfield’s

Writing Initiative

2010 -2011

BOE adopted Being a Writer for grades K – 6 as the writing curriculum

Helping students get better at writing is a K – 12 responsibility (not today’s topic)Helping students get better at writing is an interdisciplinary responsibility

Helping students get better at writing is an

interdisciplinary responsibility

What do these phrases mean to you?

Writing across the curriculum

Assigning writing v. Teaching writing

Teaching content specific writing

Types of “Interdisciplinary” WritingJournals Editorials

Position papers Articles/Reviews

Cause and Effect I-Search papers

Comparison and Contrast Memoir

Lab report analysis Multi-genre writing

Critical analysis papers ‘How to’ writing

Writing to explain Historical fiction

Journals

History/Social Studies/Geography Health &PE Art Music Theatre Language Arts/English Spanish Math ScienceThe Journal Book by Toby

Fulwiler

BOE adopted Being a Writer for grades K – 6 as the writing curriculum

What Being a Writer IS

Packaged program that unifies the best of a methodology commonly referred to as Writing Workshop

What Being a Writer is NOT

How is Reading Workshop different from

Writing Workshop

What Being a Writer is NOTNot reading workshop

Not teaching reading strategies/comprehension strategies

Not writing about reading

Not focusing on meaning making of text

Writing generated by reading in all content areasResponses to text Open-ended questions

Comparisons to other texts Summarizing or retelling

Character analysis Change endings or other what if scenarios

Essays Opinion pieces

Letters to authors/characters Any “creative” writing connected to a text

What stays when we teach reading?

Reading Series

Reading Practice Book – stays

Anthology and activities that relate to the selection – stays

Writing about selection – stays

Vocabulary - stays

What Exactly is Writing Workshop?

And/or Being a Writer

Being a Writer creates a rigorous learning environment that positions students as producers of texts – students produce drafts, revise, edit and publish within particular writing cycles or genre studies. The focus is on how texts are written…Teachers become facilitators who provide both direct and indirect instruction and various assessments.Mini-lessons, conferencing, writer’s notebook, mentor texts, genre study, author study, craft lessons, assessment, skills, read alouds, contextualize grammar instruction, self assessment, strategies, living as a writer,

audience, word choice, reading like a writer….

Writing generated by

Being a Writer•Personal narrative (aka) memoir

•Fiction

•Expository Nonfiction (article, persuasive, informational)

•Poetry

Teacher’s Manual – Units of Study Calendar for the Year of writing is set

Spelling and Grammar are incorporated contextually

Mentor texts are includedAssessment rubrics are included

Being a Writer

Teachers who have piloted the program

Mary Rodger’s offering

My availability (interdisciplinary writing or to expand upon teaching writing v. assigning writing)

Questions DiscussionComments

Thank you.

Please email us any additional questions or concerns.

lcella@spnet.k12.nj.us

mrodger@spnet.k12.nj.us