Christina Tettonis

Hellenic Classical CharterSchool

646 Fifth Avenue

Brooklyn, New York11215

718-499-0957

How can I develop a collaborative professional development learning community that uses common language when analyzing writing data in order to accelerate student achievement?

  • My novice as well as my experienced teachers had not received professional development in the area of writing.
  • An adult learning survey administered in September revealed that 100% of the teachers were at the “developing” stage when asked about their knowledge of the writingworkshop model, writing standards, looking at student work, the writing process, conducting a writing conference, and kicking off a writing genre.
  • My conversations with teachers and my informal analysis of student work confirmed that our teachers needed adult learning in the area of writing.

Process

  • The School Bottom Lines were established as follows: Classroom Environment, Looking at Student Work, TheWriting Workshop
  • The Development of A Professional Development Plan with a Timeline:

It included the planned activities, target groups, accountability measures, and expected outcomes. Topics included the following: looking at the standards (which made teachers more familiar with the writing standards), the writing genres, the writing process, writing teaching points, writing lesson plans, the workshop model, the classroom environment, the writing exhibit portfolio, writing stamina, the writing conference, the writing notebook,publishing celebrations, kicking off a genre, author studies and establishing classroom routines.

  • The Development of A Writing Curriculum Map:

A writing curriculum map was written and included the following genres: personal narrative, response to literature, narrative procedure, authors as mentors, poetry, informational text and persuasive writing.

  • Professional Development in The Writing Workshop Model

The mini lesson, independent work time and share time

  • Professional Development in APurposeful Classroom Environment

Writing center including a variety of papers and other writing materials, Authors’ gallery, Author’s chair, Writing folders

  • Distribution of a professional development survey
  • My Belief of Professional Development was Made Public:

Vision/Commitment to improve Teaching and Learning

Professional development: Ensuring knowledgeable and effective teachers

Professional development: Focused on and resulting in high student achievement

Professional development is valued as a powerful change agent for total school improvement

  • A Protocol for the Class Writing Exhibit Portfolio:

The portfolio was referred to as “the exhibit”. Each piece of writing inside the exhibit was calledan “entry”. An “entry slip” was attached to each piece of writing. The entry slip described the writing task, evaluated the piece according to the standards, and provided an explanation of why the piece was chosen. The exhibit included the following:

A request for evidence of writing accomplishment in particular genres

A request for evidence of writing craft

A request for evidence of writing conventions

Teachers were asked to think about the following questions:

“Does this piece of work show that this student can meet the standards?”

“Is this his/her best work?”

“Are there particular writing genres that I did not address as thoroughly as I could have?”

“Do I need to modify entry slips according to student ability and needs?”

  • Individual Teacher Learning: One on One Conversations:

It became common practice for me to meet with each classroom teacher at least once or twice a month to talk about student work. These one on one conversations became powerful. Teachers were invited to bring a piece of student writing to the meeting.

  • Lesson Plan Formats and Observations:

Lesson plan formats were reviewed and I asked teachers to do a writing lesson as their formal observations. I also reviewed all schedules and flow of the day charts to ensure that writing was being taught on a daily basis in each grade starting with Kindergarten.

  • The Implementation of the Writing Notebook:

Kindergarten / First / Second / 3-4 / 5-6 / 7-8
What kind of notebook? / *Class or Group
notebook / *Class notebook and transition into an individual notebook / *Every student has their own notebook / *Every student has their own notebook / *Every student has their own notebook / *Every student has their own notebook
What goes in it? / *Photographs
*Pictures/Drawings
*Magazine Cutouts
*May contain writing
*Stickers
*Special things to put in the notebook box
*Rhymes/songs/poetry
 / *Lists
*Magazine Cutouts
*Pictures
*Seeds! Begin as a class to introduce them to this idea
 / *Table of contents
*Pictures
*Photos
*Memories
*Family Stories
*Trips
*Beautiful words or language
 / *Wonderings
*Questions
*Reflections on life/work
*Vocabulary that stands out from skills block
*Lists
*Feelings
*Free writing/seed pieces
*Mapping the heart
*Lifting Lines
*Memories/personal experiences
*Practicing the Craft/Elements of Genre
 / *Writing in the content area
*Conversations
*Experiences
*Carrying the books home and with you. Trust the students with it
*Ideas or Info from the content area
*Primary Sources
*Taking notes to support writing genre
 / *Add in the practice of other genres listed in standards (poetry, persuasion)
*Generating Ideas
*Advertisement and propaganda
*Taped Conversations
*Free Writing
  • Professional Readings:

Helping Teachers Learn by Eleanor Drago Severson

A School Leader’s Guide to Excellence by Carmen Farina and Laura Kotch

The New Standards

Best Practices by Steven Zemelman, Harvey Daniels &Arthur Hyde

On Solid Ground, by Sharon Taberski

  • Intervisitations with my Cahn Ally Denise Spina, Principal PS 30

Conducted focus walks on writing

Outcomes:

  • Student Writing Exhibit Portfolio for every child in the school. Every genre is represented. Students self selected their entries.
  • Successful implementation of the writing workshop model. The beginning stages of writing conferences and keeping writing conference notes.
  • June faculty conference dedicated to celebrate student work by reviewing student writing portfolios. Most entries met all the elements of the standards. Teachers had a clear understanding of the rubrics.
  • State Review commented on the quality of writing in the school.
  • My lead peer review teacher decided to use a writing lesson as her first peer review.
  • Formal and Informal Observations evidenced a greater understanding of the writing genres and the writing process.
  • Teachers have invited parents to publishing celebrations and children read their published pieces while sitting in an author chair.
  • Celebration of student writing on bulletin boards.
  • My one on one conversations with teachers are driven by analyzing student work.
  • Faculty members are starting to ask for additional professional development.
  • Student writing stamina has substantially increased evidenced by their work in their writing notebooks.

Next Steps

  • Study groups
  • Focus walk teacher planning committees
  • Writing unit plans for writing
  • Professional Developmentfacilitated by teachers
  • Lesson plan formats
  • Writing conference notes
  • Teacher commentaries

Resources

  • Helping Teachers Learn by Eleanor Drago Severson
  • A School Leader’s Guide to Excellence by Carmen Farina & Laura Kotch
  • The Primary Literacy Standards
  • Best Practices by Steven Zemelman, Harvey Daniels &Arthur Hyde

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