Writing Workshop 1 Writing Workshop and Common Core

Writing Workshop and Common Core Standard Course of Study: Teaching students to be Writers

Linnea Czerney Michigan State University

Writing Workshop 2 Writing Workshop and Common Core Standard Course of Study: Teaching students to be Writers Introduction Topic: Writing is the format through which thoughts, understanding, and opinions are published and shared and for too long, writing has been pushed aside in the classroom to allow for more instructional time for math and reading. How can we deny the connection between writing and all subjects, do they not go hand in hand? As schools continue to evolve and adapt to the changing student, writing should be at the forefront of all communication. Adoption of the Common Core Standard Course of Study requires students to explain their thinking and justify their answers, which means, being able to express their ideas and understanding in words, through writing. The topic that has been so long ignored must reemerge into every subject and every classroom. Not only must teachers begin teaching student to write, but also this involves instruction on grammar, conventions, and spelling. It is necessary to make up for the years they have lacked in writing experience and make years of growth in just one year to ensure that students are competitive in their academics. Schools must adopt a writing program to encourage the writer in every child. General Overview of the Literature: Research supports that schools are in need of a Writers Workshop and the characteristics that should be involved. However, there are several quality programs to choose from, but what makes an excellent workshop? In reviewing literature by several researchers, Donald Graves, Nancie Atwell, Jane Hansen, Mark Dressman, and others who have great

Writing Workshop 3 contributed to the study, there are certain characteristics that were interlaced and supported by nearly all of the experts. A workshop should involve student led discussions and allow for freedom of choice in their writing. According to Fletcher and Portalupi, Young writers work best when they feel a sense of ownership personal investment in their writing giving them a this really matters to me feeling as they write, (p. 23) if a teacher cannot invest the students the workshop may be a lost cause (2001). When teachers release control to the students, they are able to explore and learn on their own. It is also evident that one of the most important criteria for an effective workshop is allowing for time; students need the time to brainstorm, write, confer, and revise their writing. All researchers were in favor of choice for students in their writing, but also promoted worthy questions that also affect a writers voice and development. Rationale: Common Core Standard Course of Study requires students to effective explain their reasoning and thoughts across the curriculum, schools are in need of a writing program that is supported by data research. Teaching writing is hard; it is a collection of skills that require other subject knowledge and ability to put thoughts into words (Fletcher, 2001). As there is plenty of research around writing, the focus of this literature review will be in the overall environment in the classroom to foster excellent youth writers. Denise Leograndis identifies four primary goals for writing workshop: build a safe writing community, establish rituals and routines, generate lots of thinking, talk and writing, and develop the understanding that all good writing has meaning, detail, structure, and pacing (2008). Therefore, the majority of research fell into three major aspects that must be present for a successfully workshop: proper teacher modeling, students routinely given time to write, and opportunity for student choice.

Writing Workshop 4 Body Kinds of Work Reviewed: To form an educated opinion, one should consider scholarly research from a variety of studies, case studies, reviews, and articles. Many of these researchers are interrelated and often discuss the others research in their own. It seemed that many built their theories and studies based upon anothers. Lucy Calkins and Donald Graves studied and researched together, which led to many findings involving each others work. One such study by Graves and Calkins that related to the revision process of students (1991). This research also contained his case study featured in Research in the Teaching of English that looks specifically at the writing process of seven-year-old children. All the research pointed conclusively to the need for writing workshop in the classroom environment, but differed slightly as to what need to be emphasized in that workshop (1975). All agreed to the development of student choice to develop themselves as authors. Mark Dressman conducted his research by reviewing the procedures of reading initiatives in to states, Texas and California. Although not direct research upon the writing program, reading and writing should not be separated, which included the emphasis on explicit teaching to marry reading and writing in the classroom setting (1999). Primarily this research seemed to be qualitative research based on the observations of students and their interaction within the classroom. This type of subject is difficult to support with data analysis because students vary in countless ways. However, the results are conclusive; writing workshop is a necessary aspect for teaching student writers with specific characteristics involved, but primary emphasis upon student choice within their own writing development. Description of selected important works:

Writing Workshop 5 Writing should be an opportunity for students to have a choice and a voice in the classroom and their writing. Nancie Atwell (1985), references to Lucy Calkins idea of an underground curriculum of the students ideas and knowledge, which the teacher too often ignores. It should not be the teachers role to assign mandatory writing topics, but rather demonstrate good writing habits for students to imitate and make their own. By modeling and participating, the teacher demonstrates that each student has their own story to tell. According to Donald Graves and Lucy Calkins research, students should develop as writers by having the opportunities of authors: daily time for writing, conferences with teachers, and peers, and opportunities to draft, revise, and publish their writing; most significantly they took responsibility for deciding what and why and for whom they would write (p. 35). This is a necessary freedom for children to find their own authors voice. Furthermore, the recognition for the need of time, talk, and reading all play an important role in writing. This journal, really hit upon many aspects that I have found must be in a writing workshop for maximum success in the development of student writers. That being said, one of the most important aspects is creating the proper classroom environment where students feel able to write freely and bring out the author inside, whomever that may be (Atwell, 1985). Gender and environment can affect the type of writer a student becomes. Through a case study of a seven-year-old child, Donald Graves (1975), finds after observing students writing, the classroom setting in which this occurred, analyzing writing samples, and looking at the interventions of the teachers in those classrooms, that learning environments, sex differences in writing, developmental factors and the writing process (p.234). Thus proving that students need a relaxed environment to be able to write freely and independently and recognizing the difference in the needs of students based on gender. These conclusions led him to the

Writing Workshop 6 classification of two writers that students may become due to these factors: reactive or reflective. Understanding the ways in which students write and their writing styles, allows a teacher to better mold the workshop to fit those writing needs. For example, reflective writers do not usually need as much time before writing, and often revise frequently at a phrasal level. However, the needs of these two writers are very different and by recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, and providing support for both, the teacher would ensure that a proper environment, conducive to their writing is produced. It takes time for a student to truly develop who they are as a writer (Graves, 1975). Students need ample time to routinely practice the writing process. After reviewing the practices in two highly regarded states for eduction, Dressman (1999), found the need for curriculums to proide explicit, systematic instruction (p. 278). Not only must a writing program encourage writers, but also students need consistency and instruction when they write. It is through these lessons and teacher modeling that students observe proper skills for writing and truly learn and internalize the writing process. (Dressman, 1999). Teachers are active learners and model the writing process for student learning in the classroom. As teachers, we should continually be learning and growing in our profession, as we do through professional development. Jane Hansen and Donald Graves (1986), emphasized the importance of the teacher actively portraying a learner in the classroom. Not only should teachers teach, but they should learn from their students as well, giving students ample time to be teachers in the classroom. Teachers should attend professional development, read educational literature, or even do research, and demonstrate this continual growth to their students as a model for students to imitate their learning habits. Similarly, the teacher needs to demonstrate the act of

Writing Workshop 7 selecting topics and the writing process, especially revision, for students to truly grow in their writing (Hansen & Graves, 1986). Students demonstrate sophistication of writing. As students develop as writers, their stories become more descriptive and detailed. Donald Graves (1991), found that character development is a primary characteristic to show development in a childs writing. He goes on to address poetry, as another form of development. Lucy Calkins (1994), mentions poetry beginning with songs and chants, where students are able to the sounds of their writing, but Graves says students are developed when they are able to understand what information is necessary to the piece and what is superfluous. Students can fall into the trap of writing what they think the teacher wants, but advanced development shows when they truly act as a writer and find their own voice. Their growth as a writer leads to appreciation of authors craft, in turn developing their overall literacy (Graves, 1991). Literacy development through reading and writing is critical in students. For true literacy development, workshops must develop students as lifelong readers and writers. Referencing other great researchers, Nancie Atwell, Lucy Calkins, and Donald Graves, Mark Dressman (1993), creates the statement students largely read silently and independently from books of their choice and dialogue with teachers and classmates through response journals, while promising to transform the reluctant readersinto lifelong loves of books and into critical, literate citizens, are also, by design, a socially reproductive practice (p. 258). That is the true purpose of literacy development and the workshop program. However, as readers and writers, literacy cannot be confined to the classroom (Dressman, 1993).

Writing Workshop 8 Writing should bridge the connection between home and school. Connecting home and school can be a great challenge, but with a literacy program that embraces and enables parents to be an active participant in their students life is what every school needs. By having a program in which the teacher has more control over the content and subjects taught, they are able to incorporate lessons and texts that reinforce the lives of their students. Although this article discusses greatly, ways in which to involve parents, the relevance lies in the flexibility allowed through various reading workshops that is not allowed through textbook programs. As McCarthey emphasizes, understanding their students backgrounds is important so that the teacher may alter curriculum and discourse patterns to include all children, and strictly following a textbook of stories through which families cannot relate, will not bridge the gap from classroom to home. Through workshop style curriculum, the teacher would be able to reinforce those connections and allow parents to be a great part of their students literacy development (McCarthey, 2000). Conclusion How your work is informed by the work of others: After extensive research, I have found the criteria upon which to base a writing workshop. The research has been very conclusive as to what the teacher should provide and what the students must bring to the workshop. Many of the articles and books I reviewed led to similar conclusions as to the emphasis of writing workshop. I now understand that workshops should be primarily student led in conferences and discussion of topics. Although the teacher must set an example and provide instructional mini-lessons, for the students to use, the teacher must allow student choice to play the primary role in their writing. The workshops purpose is for the

Writing Workshop 9 students to find their voice in their writing. The element of choice for students was evident in nearly all the researchers works. Prior to this research, my understanding of a workshop was to provide plentiful writing prompts for students to choose from and that would allow them choice. It seemed more teacher led, the teacher choosing topics for the students to follow and practice a skill of writing daily. However, I have found that this is not the case; the best word for the teacher that I have found is facilitator. Lucy Calkins emphasizes that this is not the case, as teachers we should gradually release the responsibility, initially helping students to brainstorm, but in the end the students should choose a topic that is meaningful to them. Fletcher and Portalupi (2001), put it best in saying that students must have the this really matters to me (p. 23), feeling in their writing. If a student is not invested in telling their story, then they are unable to create the detailed piece with proper character development that is necessary for a proficient writer. Without doubt, my vision of a writing workshop has drastically changed and as I had mentioned before, countless researchers reference Lucy Calkins and her writing workshop. Although I have heard of other programs, this research continuously peaked my interest in evaluating the aspects of Calkins program. That being said, this research confirms my need for writing workshop for students to be proficient according to Common Core Standard Course of Study and will lead to my proposal to our school for the adoption of Lucy Calkins writing program. This program ensures that students are given a choice, within a safe environment, and their writing is facilitated by the teacher model, but they encouraged to find their own voice. As Common Core primarily supports argumentative writing, as opposed to narrative, some adaptations will need to be made to the workshop to promote this writing. Naturally students write what is familiar and that involves stories that do not need factual support. Thus, more

Writing Workshop 10 emphasis upon teacher modeling will be needed to teach students to find a topic that interests them and go through the writing process for a persuasive piece. How will students learn to write if they are not given the time, the choice, and the support to do it? Writing workshop will be in place in my classroom and hopefully within my school.

Writing Workshop 11 Works Cited Atwell, N., (1985). Everyone Sits at a Big Desk: Discovering Topics for Writing. The English Journal, 74 (5), 35-39. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/817698 Calkins, Lucy McCormick (1994). The Art of Teaching Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman. Dressman, M., (1993). Lionizing Lone Wolves: The Cultural Romantics of Literacy Workshops. Curriculum Inquiry, 23(3), 245-263. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1179992 Dressman, M., (1999). On the Use and Misuse of Research Evidence: Decoding Two States Reading Initiatives. Reading Research Quarterly, 34(3), 258285. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/748064 Fletcher, R. J., & Portalupi, J., (2001). Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman. Graves, D.H., (1975). An Examination of the Writing Process of Seven Year Old Children. Research in the Teaching of English, 9 (3), 227-241. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40170631 Graves, D. H., (1991). Trust the Shadows. The Reading Teacher, 45 (1), 18-24. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20200796 Hansen, J., & Graves, D., (1986, April). Do You Know What Backstrung Means? The Reading Teacher, 39(8), 807-812. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20199226 . Leograndis, D., (2008). Launching the Writing Workshop: A Step-by-Step Guide in Photographs. New York: Scholastic. McCarthey, S. J., (2000). Home: School Connections: A Review of the Literature. The Journal of Educational Research, 93(3), 145-153. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27542260