Writing Resources Recommendation Lucy Calkins Writing Units of

Writing Resources Recommendation Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study June 24, 2019 1

Committee Members Alyssa Orosz 7 th Avenue Angie Bukowiecki 7 th Avenue Katie Walsh Spring Avenue Jacquie Crowley Hodgkins Maggie Melone Spring Ave Amanda Dahlin Spring Ave Celine Hill 7 th Avenue Emmie Crement Hodgkins Mary Pat Larocca Ideal Shannon O’Malley Ideal Kimberly Folkening Ideal Cathy Nestlinger 7 th Avenue Susan Calder Spring Ave and District Sara Cruz Hodgkins Nicole Manganello Spring Ave Nicole Musillami Spring Ave and Hodgkins Shannon Beezhold Ideal Priscilla Drenning Ideal Laura Benning Ideal Angie Lewandowski Hodgkins Arjeta Gjoni Gurrie Liz Waterston Spring Ave Erin Hall 7 th Ave Kathryn Heeke District Julie Jacobs 7 th Avenue Jennifer Sutsser Gurrie School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 2

Review Process Overview Literacy Committee Focus – 2 year process: Charge: ➢ Examine and recommend writing resources to best support writing instruction in D 105 ➢ Determine resources to best support the reading-writing connection ➢ Determine resources to best support instructional consistency K-8 ■ common language and expectations ■ common assessment practices ➢ Determine resources to best support students to become better writers ➢ Determine resources to best support teachers in becoming stronger writing teachers School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 3

Review Process Overview ➢ Year 1: ○ Review of resources to consider for a deeper review ➢ Year 2: ○ Thorough examination of three (3) research-based writing programs ○ Examination of current writing instruction ○ Review of Writing Standards K-8 ○ Update of scope and sequence ○ Review of writing programs in other suburban districts ○ Writing Beliefs and Values School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 4

D 105 Writing Beliefs and Values ● Teachers must have a variety of instructional writing strategies/tools to ensure student growth. ● Teachers must have access to a scope and sequence including coherent vertical alignment. ● Teachers must evaluate writing regularly to inform instruction. ● Teachers and writers must have a growth mindset around writing and a willingness to try and always improve practice. ● Writing must be across all subjects in order to build stamina and develop skills.

D 105 Writing Beliefs and Values, Continued ● Writing must have ample time and take place DAILY. ● Writing must be a fun, authentic, and collaborative process. ● Writing must cross a variety of genres, audiences, and purposes and extend beyond the classroom to prepare our writers for the future. ● Writing must be connected to reading, speaking, and listening. ● Students learn from quality feedback ; they must receive timely feedback around their writing in order to grow as writers.

Current Programming - Strengths CCSS Aligned ➢ K-8 teachers have aligned Reading, Writing, Language, and Speaking/Listening Standards in ELA Units of Instruction ➢ Outlined in each grade level’s CCSS aligned ELA units of instruction, the writing standards gradually increase in rigor related to ○ Genre writing ○ Language skills ○ Production and Performance of writing ➢ Teachers use a variety of writing resources to support writing instruction Genres of Focus: ➢ K-5 Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Opinion ➢ 6 -8 Narrative, Informational/Explanatory, Argumentative School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 7

Common Core Institute

Current Programming - Weaknesses ➢ Need stronger “Guaranteed” writing program ○ Writing expectations vary as related to genre instruction, writing process ○ Writing assessment practices vary ○ Need for common set of resources to support core instructional path in writing ○ Inconsistencies have made it more difficult for grade level planning across the district ➢ Need for consistent materials to support teacher professional development related to best practices in writing instruction ➢ Need for consistent use of Writer’s Workshop model across district ➢ Need for consistent language development/grammar supports ➢ Stronger supports to best differentiate in writing

Materials Review Timeline and Tasks Reviewed three (3) research based writing programs ➢ Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ Schoolwide Writing ➢ Scholastic 6 -Traits Writing Review Process ➢ Publishers - Overview of programs and implementation guidance ➢ Review of each program for full trimester ➢ Explored programming with students ➢ Evaluated through EQu. IP rubric (Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products) through Achieve ➢ Analyzed Strengths, Weaknesses, and Barriers to each program ➢ Examined programming from feeder districts ➢ District visit to interview teachers around program implementation

New Programming Criteria ➢ Beliefs and values ➢ EQu. IP rubric 1. Alignment to depth of CCSS 2. Addresses key shifts of CCSS 3. Provides instructional supports responsive to varied student learning needs 4. Regularly assess development of standards-based skills ➢ Analyze Strengths, Weaknesses, and Barriers ○ Barriers - Program has only barriers that can be overcome ○ Weaknesses - Program had to have limited weaknesses ○ Strengths - Program strengths had to outweigh any weaknesses

Recommended: Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ Three Key Units ○ Narrative, Information, Opinion ○ 4 th unit - memoir, poetry, realistic fiction, literary analysis, etc. ➢ All grade level units include ○ Genre Study with increasing with rigor ■ Structure and organization - lead, transitions, ending, etc. ■ Development - elaboration and craft ■ Language conventions - spelling, punctuation, sentence structure ○ “Bends” serve as the larger lesson focus over several days ○ Entire unit focuses on elements of the Writing Craft, Writing Process, and importance of Language Conventions

Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ Example Grade 2 Narrative Unit ○ BEND 1: Studying the Masters for Inspiration and Ideas ■ ■ ■ Discovering small moments that matter - generating writing ideas Capturing story ideas Stretching out small moments Revising - crafting powerful endings Rereading writings like detectives - making our writing make sense

Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ BEND 2: Noticing Author’s Craft: Studying Imagery, Tension, and Literacy Language ○ Revising with intent - always revising to create effect for reader ○ Close Reading - Learning writing from studying different parts of books/text ○ Learning to write in powerful ways - trying crafts from mentor authors ○ Emulating authors in ways that matter - revising in meaningful ways ○ Word choice - examining mentor texts for precise and specific language ○ Re-reading and editing like detectives - Making sure writing makes sense and sounds right

Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ BEND 3: Study your own authors ○ ○ Being bold and trying new ways to improve writing Writers can help each other - revising together Editing and preparing for publication Celebrate writing - sharing with our “audience’

Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study ➢ If. . . Then Curriculum Resource ○ Alternate and additional units/supports ○ Extension Units ■ Moving from narrative to realistic fiction writing ○ Scaffolded Supports ■ If the story lacks focus. . . then… ■ If the story has too much dialogue. . . then… ■ If the writer does not know how to edit her piece… then… ➢ Guide to the Common Core Writing Workshop ➢ Mentor Texts ➢ All units and resources available online

Lucy Calkins Writing Units of Study Evaluation Supports ➢ Performance Assessments (pre and post assessments) ○ On-Demand prompts K-2; 3 -5; 6 -8 ➢ Learning Progressions ○ Examples of writing development K to 8 ➢ Leveled Student Writing Samples by Genre ○ Exemplar writing pieces ➢ Grade Span Rubrics ○ Learning expectations across grade bands ➢ Student Checklists ○ Student ownership of writing growth

Costs and Implementation ➢ Strategic Plan focus to dictate how much occurs next year ➢ Implementation planning team - teachers and administration ➢ Multiple year roll-out Professional Development ➢ Writers workshop model ➢ Best practices instruction related to each genre ➢ Interdisciplinary writing connections ➢ Navigating each unit and related resources (print and online) ➢ Planning and preparation for roll-out of each unit of instruction School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 18

Costs and Implementation Costs ➢ Costs for teacher materials - $25, 000 ➢ Costs for implementation - TBD based on strategic planning ■ Materials training ■ Writers Workshop training ■ PD support around instructional implementation of each unit Related Committee Work and Implementation ➢ Benchmark Reading Assessment - reading progress as it relates to writing ➢ Examination of Calkins K-2 Phonics programming ➢ Examination of additional grammar supports ➢ School visits ➢ Cornelius Minor - ELA teacher, Instructional Coach, Equity focus School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 19

Measures of Success ➢ Positive teacher survey ratings regarding changes in Writing resources and accompanying professional support ➢ Positive student survey ratings regarding level of challenge with writing programming ➢ Long term: Improved achievement and progress results (MAP, IAR) ➢ Measurable growth on Pre and Post On-Demand writing assessments School District 105 Countryside – Hodgkins - La. Grange 20