Writing Instruction as we Transition to Common Core

Local District 4 Instructional Seminar #6 April 26, 2012 Dale Vigil, Ed.D., Superintendent
1

Objectives
Evaluate the LPA in relationship to the CA 3rd Grade writing standards and the implications to the 3rd Grade Common Core writing standards Review the writing content and procedures in LPA #3 Analyze and evaluate lessons for instruction in the content and procedures Determine, for school site application, how to establish and sustain grade level proficiency in writing
2

Background
With your elbow partner, recall your own fourth grade experience:
Can you recall what you were asked to write? Can you recall how you were instructed? At what point in your own life did you decidedly describe yourself as a proficient writer? What evidence did you have to prove your writing proficiency?
3

Reviewing the Prompt

Lets review the fourth grade prompt. Using a T-chart, lets read through the prompt to determine what are the content and procedures students are asked to engage in. Now lets review the Administrator Guide. Lets record, using the same chart, the routines and content.

Where in the program can we practice the routines and content?

Remember the prompt and unit are not necessarily aligned So, we need to review the guide to determine which lessons support students in writing to the prompt
( Weve taken the time to prepare some sample lessons.)

Before we start discussing the sample lessons allow me to suggest a think aloud

Reviewing Writing Lessons

With the chart in mind, what is the purpose of the lesson? Is the lesson:
an opportunity for me to practice a procedure that supports any type of writing? explicitly designed to teach the content? designed to do both?
Structure for Effective Instruction
CRRE instruction is contextualized through our beliefs, values, experiences and language.
Establish the PURPOSE and RATIONALE of the lesson What is the factual, procedural, and/or conceptual knowledge you are attempting to teach? What opportunities develop metacognitive knowledge?

See
Attend
New perspectives in instruction

Throughout the teaching of a lesson we build more comprehensive perspectives of the student, instruction and content.

Our own perspective

CALIFORNIA) STANDARDS)

Challenge ourselves in instructional conversations.

Guiding)Principles)

SYNTAX - the method of your instruction

How do you explain and model the content of the lesson? How did you enable guided or independent practice for the student to internalize the content? How do you activate prior knowledge throughout the lesson?

Guiding)Principles)

Instruction

OUTCOME students demonstrate evidence

What evidence is there that demonstrates factual, procedural, and/or conceptual understanding of the lesson by the student? Can the students articulate how they acquired their understanding of the knowledge?

Literacy Constructed Response

Time to practice the routine at your tables
With your elbow partner review the third grade third LPA Fill in the graphic organizer with the writing procedures and content Share your graphic organizers at your tables to calibrate what the prompt requires

Time for Treasures

Structure for Effective Instruction
CRRE instruction is contextualized through our beliefs, values, experiences and language.
Establish the PURPOSE and RATIONALE of the lesson What is the factual, procedural, and/or conceptual knowledge you are attempting to teach? What opportunities develop metacognitive knowledge?

Our own perspective

CALIFORNIA) STANDARDS)

Reviewing lessons Is the lesson:

Challenge ourselves in instructional conversations.

Guiding)Principles)

SYNTAX - the method of your instruction

How do you explain and model the content of the lesson? How did you enable guided or independent practice for the student to internalize the content? How do you activate prior knowledge throughout the lesson?

Guiding)Principles)

Instruction

See
Attend
New perspectives in instruction

OUTCOME students demonstrate evidence

What evidence is there that demonstrates factual, procedural, and/or conceptual understanding of the lesson by the student? Can the students articulate how they acquired their understanding of the knowledge?

Throughout the teaching of a lesson we build more comprehensive perspectives of the student, instruction and content.

an opportunity to practice procedures to improve writing in general? explicitly designed to teach the content? designed to do both?
Recall purpose, syntax, and student outcomes in evaluating the lesson.

Journal
Thinking of this current school year:
What did you observe in the writing of your students? What evidence, do you recall, demonstrates they can independently write to the grade level standards?

Preparing for next year:

When would you schedule the review of the LPAs? How can you establish and sustain the writing content? Which instructional procedures would you intentionally observe for in writing?
9

Common Core
Writing
10

Common Core Third Grade Writing

Review the Common Core pages (total of three) for Writing Standards K-5 Look at third grade, note the organization. Draw a bracket { on items 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9 Review and discuss with your elbow partner the following. If you had to name the clusters, which cluster would you name the What, the How, and the Why cluster? Come to consensus as a table.
11

So Now Lets Look at the College Career Readiness and Anchor Standards for Writing
Review the Anchor standards Draw a bracket { on items 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9 Review and discuss with your elbow partner the following. If you had to name the clusters, which cluster would you name the What, How, and Why cluster? Come to consensus as a table
12

Expository Text in Common Core

13

What is not in the Common Core

14

Planning for Next Year

With the reduction of budgets and personnel how can you plan now to efficiently address writing instruction in your school?
What would you like to achieve in writing instruction next year ? What are the key events impacting your writing instruction? Where can you get additional support? Who can support your professional development on staff, from neighboring schools, or anyone else?
15

Table Group Share Out

Share with your elbow partner your individual responses to each of the questions Take note of your peers responses and write down any ideas that may serve your school sites needs

16

Thank You
Please fill out your evaluations

17