DUNLAP’S K-5 WRITING TEAM:

YEARLONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUDY FOCUSED ON EFFECTIVE WRITING INSTRUCTION

Facilitator:

Julie Rule – Dunlap Schools #323

Literacy Specialist/Coach

SMART GOAL (SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RESULTS-ORIENTED, TARGET DATE).

During the 2010-2011 school year, the District Literacy Specialist will facilitate professional development and coaching for an elementary writing team in order to develop writing leaders who will model and share best practices in writing instruction with their colleagues in their individual buildings. 

This goal will be measured by: 1) completion of professional development/coaching 2) writing leaders will create an implementation plan for

their building describing how they will share and model new writing strategies

ACTION PLAN – STEP #1

Identify two teachers per elementary building (one K-2 and one 3-5) to be a member of the writing team. (Banner had 3 teachers)

The District Writing Team will consist of 9 classroom teachers, the district literacy specialist/coach, and the executive curriculum director.

DUNLAP SCHOOL DISTRICT #323K-5 WRITING TEAM

K-2 3-5

Banner Heather Rutherford – 2nd Shelley Hughes – 3rd Becky Hansen – 5th

Dunlap Grade Stefanie Pitzer – 2nd Natalie Lanser – 3rd

Ridgeview Antonio Johnson – 2nd Teresa Marquis – 3rd

Wilder-Waite Rachelle McConaghie – 1st Sarah Urbanc – 3rd

Dr. Lonna Anderson – Executive Curriculum Director Julie Rule – Literacy Specialist/Coach

BANNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Heather Rutherford – 2nd

Shelley Hughes – 3rd

Becky Hansen – 5th

DUNLAP GRADE SCHOOL

Stefanie Pitzer – 2nd

Natalie Lanser – 3rd

RIDGEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Antonio Johnson – 2nd

Teresa Marquis – 3rd

WILDER WAITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Rachelle McConaghie – 1st

Sarah Urbanc – 3rd

ACTION PLAN – STEP #2

The Literacy Specialist will teach, co-teach, or observe with each of the 9 classroom teachers using a two week on/off cycle.

ACTION PLAN – STEP #3

The District Writing Team will collaborate monthly and participate in professional development on research based/best practices in writing instruction.

Friday, September 17, 2010 Friday, October 8, 2010Friday, November 12, 2010Wednesday, December 15, 2010 (Full Day)Friday, January 14, 2011Wednesday, February 9, 2011Thursday, March 17, 2011Friday, April 15, 2011Tuesday, May 17, 2011 (Full Day)

ACTION PLAN – STEP #4

The team will make connections between best practices and current curricular resources.

ACTION PLAN – STEP #5

Team members and principals will create an implementation plan for sharing and modeling research based writing strategies.

DUNLAP’S K-5 WRITING TEAM OFFERS2-DAY WRITING WORKSHOP

Become energized about enhancing your teaching of writing!!! 

When:                       August 1st & 2nd  Time:                         8:30-3:30  Lunch will be on your own 11:30-12:30 Where:                     Ridgeview Elementary School Overview:                The District K-5 Team will give you an overview of

our yearlong study of writing.  The workshop will be interactive and engage you in instructional strategies you can incorporate in your classroom in the fall!  You may even want to become a member of Writing Team #2!

 Contact Information:     Julie Rule jrule@dunlapcusd.net  or

Dr. Anderson landerson@dunlapcusd.net

As of right now we have 34 teachers signed up!!!

ACTION PLAN – STEP #6

Formative and summative feedback will  be collected from the writing team to guide professional development and coaching activities.

Writing Team #2 – Beginning Fall 2011 Building SMART goals for writing! Create a website for teachers with professional

resources, video, writing examples, etc…

TOPICS WRITING TEAM RESEARCHED:

Gradual Release of Responsibility (OLM – Optimal Learning Model)

Examining our Writing Beliefs Genre Writing Demonstrating Writing (modeling for our

students) Public Content Conferences Negotiating Editing Expectations Editing Conferences Assessment – Formative/Summative, High-

Stakes Testing

TEACHER INSIGHTS

I hold my students more accountable for their writing.

I learned the importance of modeling writing for my students.

I feel that modeled writing is crucial to the development of students’ writing.

My instruction has changed from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered approach.

It is important to celebrate student success. The importance of modeling my writing and

thinking with my students.

MY INSIGHTS:

Transformation of my teaching – grounding my instructional practices in research shaping/defining instructional pedagogy

We are in the midst of a “Literacy Revolution.”

This kind of PD is CRITICAL to truly transforming our teaching.