Wrentham Public Schools
Writing Instruction Initiative
Principal’s Coffee
February 11, 2016
Kristin A. Dykstra
Agenda

Why a writing instruction initiative?

How does this initiative impact teachers?

How does this initiative impact students?
 Approach

to writing?
 Types
of writing?
 Early
qualitative results?
What must we consider in the future?
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Math MCAS – All Students (Avg 2013-2015)
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Geometry
82%
76%
72%
70%
Measurement and Data
74%
73%
73%
-
Number and Operations in Base Ten
87%
86%
82%
-
Numbers and Operations-Fractions
80%
80%
75%
-
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
85%
79%
78%
-
Expressions & Equations
-
-
-
83%
Ratios & Proportional Relationships
-
-
-
77%
Statistics & Probability
-
-
-
78%
The Number System
-
-
-
85%
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ELA MCAS – All Students (Avg 2013-2015)
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
89%
88%
84%
85%
87%
82%
85%
72%
-
86%
-
-
90%
90%
84%
87%
79%
76%
73%
77%
Craft and Structure
83%
87%
78%
83%
Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
80%
87%
73%
72%
Key Ideas & Details
79%
73%
72%
75%
-
72%
-
-
Production. & Distribution of Writing
-
87%
-
-
Text Types & Purposes
-
61%
-
-
Language
Conventions of Standard English
Knowledge of Language
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Reading
Writing
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Text Types and Purposes



Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or tests, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and
convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization,
and analysis of content.
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences
or events using effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.

MA.3.A. Write fiction, personal reflections, poetry, and scripts that
demonstrate awareness of literary concepts and genres.
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Other Drivers from MA ELA Frameworks

Guiding Principles: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8

College and Career Ready Students
 Demonstrate
 Build
independence
strong content knowledge
 Respond
to the varying demands of audience, task,
purpose, and discipline
 Value

evidence
Key Features in Writing Strand
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Writing Instruction Has Changed

Writer’s Workshop Model
 Focus
Lesson
 Independent

Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study for Writing
 Three
Major Text Types
 Different

Writing / Conferring / Small Group
Writing Genres Within Text Types
Teaching and Learning Alliance
 Overview,
Lesson Demo, Plan/Teach/Reflect, Map Units
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Learning How to Write Has Changed
Prompts
 Pre-writing = Complete
Pre-Made Graphic
Organizers
 Formulaic Writing
 Teacher-driven
revision/editing
 “Perfect” final copy

Generate own ideas
 Start writing about many
different topics
 Basic organizing strategies
 Revisions based on lessons
 Student-driven editing
 Final copy is student work
 Celebration

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Interactive Writing (Kindergarten)
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Oral Storytelling (Kindergarten)

Beginning, middle, and end

Focus on one event, not the whole day

Start merging oral stories with written words
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Launching Writer’s Workshop
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More Launch Anchor Charts
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Narrative Writing

K through Grade 3
 Small
moment
 Personal
narrative

Grades 4 through 6
 Realistic
fiction
 Reflective
 Poetry
 Theme-based
 Fairy
 Memoir
tales
 Crafts
 Deeper
revision
 Revision
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Get Ideas
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Organize Thoughts
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Model Narrative Writing
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Learn What Great Authors Do (Crafts)
through Mentor Texts
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Some Crafts: Elaboration and Dialogue
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Develop Characters
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Consider the Reader
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Beginnings and Endings
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Revise: Cut/Attach, Flaps, Spider Legs, …
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Publish
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Grade 2 Classes Shared with Each Other
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Grade 1 Sharing With Grade 6 Buddies
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Informational Writing

K through Grade 3
 How
 All
To
About
 Crafts
 Revision

Grades 4 through 6
 Research-based
→ Ask
Questions → Find
Answer (repeat)
 Write
 Paraphrasing
 Citation
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Immersion of Genre Through Books
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Get Ideas
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Text Features
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Structure
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Opinion Writing

K through Grade 3

Grades 4 through 6
 Opinion
and reasons
 Personal
 Positive
and negative
 Persuasive
 Literary
response
 Research-based
 Speech
 Literary
essay
essay
essay
 Petition
 Editorial
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Qualitative Results for Students

See themselves and peers as authors

Enjoy writing

Increased stamina

Differentiation

Connections to reading and art
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Future Considerations
When will students focus on different genres
within the three text types?
 How can the master schedule be constructed to
allow for extensive writing blocks?
 How will we integrate writing instruction with
science and social studies?
 How will we prepare students for online MCAS
testing in 2019?
 How will reading instruction align with writing?

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Thank you to the following people for
their contributions to this presentation:

Mrs. Albertini

Mrs. Nunes

Mrs. Fuller

Mrs. Pitman

Mrs. Hanewich

Mrs. Shaw

Ms. Horne

Mrs. Wagstaff

Mrs. Kelley

Ms. Williams

Ms. Maloney

Ms. Yelle

Mrs. Morgan

Mrs. Young
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