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Running Head: STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING THE WRITING PROCESS 1

Professional Development Plan

Missy Coons

Towson University


Professional Development Overall Plan

I. Audience

The intended audience for my professional development is the fourth grade team at Piney

Point Elementary School. This team includes four teachers who have been teaching as little as

seven years to as many as fourteen years. This team has been chosen specifically because I am

the team leader and was asked to provide my team with professional development based on their

needs for implementing the Common Core Standards.

II. Timetable

The time line for this plan is the remainder of the school year. I estimate that the

professional development will conclude in April. However, that will depend on school days lost

due to weather and based on teacher need for additional time and support in the classroom for

implementing new strategies. Teachers will be meeting for thirty minutes during their team

planning once a month and/or on the PLC days provided by the county.

Session 1 Professional Development October

Prior to session one teachers were introduced to the Common Core Standards for writing by

our school IRTs. I, the fourth grade team leader, then administered a needs assessment to

determine what professional development my team needs to make their students successful at

meeting the new standards for writing.

I will begin session one with a pre-assessment about what teachers know about the

relationship between reading and writing using the “chalk talk” strategy using a Venn Diagram

for reading and writing. Then, I will use a power point presentation to explain the reciprocity


that exists between reading and writing. After the power point presentation, teachers will be

given a minute reflection to share their reactions to the information presented. Next, the teachers

will work together using the Houghton Mifflin Anthology and the Common Core Standards for

writing to create one writing prompt for each quarter of the school year. Since the Common

Core Standards focus on narrative, persuasive/opinion, and informational writing each prompt

created has to lend itself to one of these types of writing. Teachers will select a specific text

from a genre and decide which type of writing it best lends itself to. I will conclude this session

with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the small group presentation and the activity

implemented.

Session 2 Professional Development November Implemented Piece

I will begin this session with a power point presentation on the writing process and the

research based strategies that can be implemented throughout the process. I will tell the teachers

that each of my professional development sessions are designed to be presented in the order in

which the writing process should be taught. Today’s session will focus on prewriting. The next

session will focus on the drafting and writing process. The final session will offer a strategy for

editing and revising.

Next, I will administer a brief pre-assessment by a show of hands regarding who has used

Kidspiration for reading or writing lessons with their students. I will then explicitly show the

teachers how to use the Kidspiration software and highlight some of its features. Then, I will

model how to complete a character web for a story we are currently reading with our students. I

will then ask that the teachers log onto a student computer and explore using the Kidspiration

software. I will guide the teachers as needed as they begin to explore. I will conclude this


activity with a minute reflection asking teachers how they can incorporate Kidspiration in their

writing lessons.

I will tell teachers that I will offer further coaching on the use of Kidspiration as needed as

they work toward independently using this software with their students for reading and writing

lessons.

Next, I will give the teachers a variety of graphic organizer black line masters. I will ask

them to work together to sort these organizers based on what type of writing they would best

lend themselves to planning for when giving a writing assignment. They will have the following

categories for sorting: narrative, information, or persuasive/opinion. After sorting, the teachers

will discuss how they sorted these graphic organizers and which organizers they preferred for

each type of writing. To conclude this activity, I will ask that the teachers work together, to

decide on a graphic organizer they would prefer to use for each type of writing being taught

throughout the year. These team selected organizers will help provide consistency in teaching

and make our student writing scores more comparable during future meetings.

Finally, I will introduce the journal writing that I would like the teachers to take part in

during the course of this professional development. I will provide each teacher with a guide

sheet to help them as they reflect on their teaching of writing and the new strategies they are

trying to implement. I will conclude this session with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the

small group presentation and the activities implemented.

Session 3 Critical Friends Group Meeting November


Since a big part of this professional development plan is assessing and comparing student

writing it is critical that a consensus is made on the ways in which we as a team are grading the

students’ writing. During this session teachers will look at various writing rubrics and determine

which rubric they are going to use as a team to grade student writing for each of the types of

writing presented. After students complete their first writing assignment, teachers will use the

rubric agreed upon to grade their students’ writing prior to the next meeting.

As teachers work on grading their students’ writing, I will offer to help each teacher grade

the students’ writing using the rubric selected. This will allow me to see if the teachers are

grading similarly or if there are large discrepancies. I can request another meeting if teachers

would prefer to grade the writing assignments together. In the past, teachers have not been in

favor of this practice so it is not something I want to require at this point.

Session 4 Critical Friends Group Meeting November/December

This meeting will begin with a minute reflection on the effectiveness of using graphic

organizers in the prewriting stage of writing. Teachers will then discuss their responses.

Teachers will share their journal reflections and/or observations made throughout their teaching

of writing for the narrative prompt using graphic organizers. Teachers will compare student

narrative writing completed prior to this professional development to a narrative piece of writing

written after this professional development with the implementation of the graphic organizer.

Teachers will discuss how individual student scores compare to each other and if using the

graphic organizer made an impact on student writing.

Session 5 Professional Development January


I will begin this session with a pre-assessment about what knowledge teachers have about

interactive or shared writing. Then, I will provide a brief power point presentation that explicitly

describes the process of interactive writing and how even in the intermediate grades it is an

effective strategy for teaching the writing process across the curriculum. After the presentation, I

will then model an interactive writing lesson with my teachers acting as students.

Our students’ third writing assignment is in response to a given prompt for the story Happy

Birthday, Dr. King written by Kathryn Jones. I will present the teachers with the same prompt

our students are expected to respond to and as a group we will share our ideas and write a letter

to a younger person about the importance of a civil rights leader such as Dr. King or Rosa Parks,

in helping improve the rights of our citizens. I will therefore be modeling interactive writing

with this group of teachers. Throughout the interactive writing lesson, I will encourage the

teachers to think about what topics they could incorporate during this lesson with their students

as well as what issues they can anticipate that may hinder their student’s success while writing.

After this activity, I will ask the teachers to complete a minute reflection about how they can

incorporate interactive writing into their teaching.

This session will conclude with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the small group

presentation and the activity implemented. I will also provide the teachers with a handout to

refer to when implementing interactive writing in their classrooms.

Further coaching will be provided to teachers in the classroom as needed as they introduce

their students to this prompt for writing. I will offer to come into teachers’ classrooms to model

the interactive writing process with their students and encourage them to make graphic

organizers readily available for student use in the prewriting stage of the writing process. I will


also offer to observe teachers to provide feedback as they begin implementing interactive writing

in their instruction. Teachers will also continue writing reflections in their journals for sharing

during our critical friends group.

Session 6 Critical Friends Group February

This meeting will begin with a minute reflection in which teachers will be asked to discuss

the impact on student learning by connecting the writing to reading throughout writing their

informative letters. Teachers will share their journal reflections and/or observations made

throughout their teaching of writing for the informative prompt using the interactive writing

strategy and graphic organizers. Teachers will be asked to bring in their two highest and two

lowest scoring pieces of writing so that we can try to find specific student strengths and

weaknesses in the process of writing to inform. By identifying our strengths and weaknesses we

will learn what we are doing well and what we still need to revisits with our students.

Session 7 Professional Development March

I will begin this session with a pre-assessment to gauge what experience the teachers have

with writer’s workshop. Then I will show the following video clip:

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=53188&title=Writers_Workshop

I will then ask a few questions about the observations made as the teachers were watching the

video and their reactions. I will inform teachers that I am focusing this piece of my professional

development for the writing process on peer conferencing and/or response groups as well as

student teacher conferences regarding writer’s workshop.

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=53188&title=Writers_Workshop


I will then provide a power point presentation that briefly outlines the writer’s workshop

set up and then explicitly explains the benefit of conversations during the writer’s workshop.

The last writing type we will be focusing on with our students is writing an opinion. I will

ask teachers to respond to the following prompt: Is writer’s workshop an effective strategy for

developing young writers? Use support from the presentation provided and any background

knowledge to support your opinion. Graphic organizers will be provided for teacher use. Once

teachers have written their opinions, they will then partner up with another teacher to share their

writing. As they are sharing I will guide them in the process, where needed, for peer editing and

revising. After the teachers have shared their writing, I will ask them to respond to a minute

reflection describing the benefit of incorporating time for peer conferences and student teacher

conferences for writing throughout their teaching of writing.

I will conclude this session with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the small group

presentation and the activity implemented for writer’s workshop. Further coaching will be

offered to teachers in the classroom as they begin implementing writer’s workshop. I will also

offer to complete observations for the teachers as they begin implementing this strategy.

Teachers will then receive feedback on what they are doing well and what adjustments must be

made to make their writer’s workshop run more effectively. Teachers will be asked to bring

their graded student opinion writing pieces to the next meeting. They will also be asked to bring

their opinion pieces that students wrote in the beginning of the year prior to any professional

development for comparison.

Session 8 Critical Friends Group April


This meeting will begin with a minute reflection in which teachers will describe the impact

that peer conferencing had on student writing. Teachers will share their journal reflections

and/or observations made throughout their teaching of writing for the opinion prompt (Are

wildfires helpful or harmful to nature?) using the previous strategies presented as well as writer’s

workshop. At the last session, teachers were asked to bring their students’ graded writing pieces

to this meeting so we could compare the writing scores before professional development to the

scores received after professional development. Again, by identifying our strengths and

weaknesses we will learn what we are doing well and what we still need to revisit with our

students. We will be able to determine which strategies are moving our students closer to

reaching the Common Core Standards for writing and where we have room for improvement

I will conclude this session with the following minute reflection: How was the way you

taught writing last year similar to or different from the way you taught it this year?

III. Modes of Sharing

Small Group Meetings

My professional development will take place during small group meetings or a “critical

friends group.” During these meetings I will be working with my fourth grade team. It is

during these small group meetings that I will be presenting new information and strategies for

teaching the writing process. Throughout the year, teachers will be keeping journals to record

reflections or observations made during their teaching of writing. We will be sharing these

observations and/or reflections in our small group meetings. We will also meet to assess student

writing for strengths and weaknesses.


Explicit Instruction

I will explicitly explain the following three writing strategies: graphic organizers, interactive

writing, and writer’s workshop.

Modeling

I will be modeling writing strategies that teachers can use in their classrooms to aid their

students in the writing process for responding to texts. I will also offer to model the use of the

writing strategies as needed in teacher classrooms.

Coaching

Coaching will be made available to those teachers who feel they need additional support

within the classroom for implementing interactive writing and/or writer’s workshop.

Independent Application

Teachers will apply new strategies modeled into their own teaching of writing.

Observation

I will make myself available for observing those teachers who feel they need the additional

support within the classroom for implementing interactive writing and/or writer’s workshop.

Through my observation of their teaching of writing I will be able to provide them feedback on

what they are doing well and where there are areas for improvement.


Checklists

Checklists will be used to plan for each session’s successful implementation. Checklists will

also be used when modeling, coaching, and/or observing teacher lessons for observations to

ensure all of the elements of each strategy are being used for student success.

Visuals

Visuals such as guide sheets for journaling and handouts with reminders for when teaching

different writing strategies will be provided to the teachers. Power point presentations will be

presented and provided to teachers in handout format so they can have them for reference for

each of the writing strategies.

IV. Segment for Implementation

The session I will be implementing is session two which is the most critical session to the

entire professional development plan. I will be implementing this session in November. This

session has an overall focus on the strategies I will be teaching for aiding students in the writing

process. Then more specifically, I will use a power point presentation to discuss the benefits of

using graphic organizers in the prewriting stage of writing. I will then model for teachers how to

use the Kidspiration software we have available for all students in the computer lab. Teachers

will then have an opportunity to explore this software with my guidance. After this activity,

teachers will respond to a minute reflection in which they will be asked to discuss ways in which

they can use Kidspiration for teaching writing lessons.

Next, teachers will then categorize a variety of graphic organizers based on which type of

writing they best lend themselves to for writing. Finally, teachers will work together to decide


on a graphic organizer for each of the types of writing that will be used throughout the school

year for teaching the three writing types. This way we can be certain that there is consistency in

our teaching and our student scores are comparable.

I think the biggest challenge I will have to overcome in implementing this plan is lack of

time. My grade level has students switching for Math and Literacy Labs throughout the day.

We plan to do our writing instruction in our literacy labs but right now the time is cut short do to

an intervention that is taking 30 minutes to complete daily. This intervention (Rewards) will last

until the end of November.


Research Support of Practice

Reading and writing are interrelated processes therefore development in one enhances the

other. According to Anderson and Briggs (2011), “when we write, we read: when we read, we

compose meaning” (p.546). While reading students are searching, monitoring, and self-

correcting in order to make meaning from the text in which they are engaged. These actions are

similar in the writing process. While writing, students are searching, monitoring, and self-

correcting to create meaning of their own based on their own experiences and prior knowledge

from stories they have read. Anderson and Briggs (2011) state, “Explicit teaching to help

students understand the reciprocal nature of reading and writing is a powerful tool for accelerated

learning” (p. 547).

Pearson (2007) states, “When you engage kids in writing stories, there’s a natural hookup

to those they read” (p.1). Students are using the ideas they have read in other stories and texts as

a model for their own writing. From the stories and texts they have read, students begin to

conceptualize the structure of each of these texts and begin to apply them in their own writing

(Pearson, 2007). Strategies for learning to write, such as peer editing or conferencing, can help

children learn to read. Ideas discussed and questions posed during this process promote critical


reading (Pearson, 2007, p.2). This research is the basis for teachers generating prompts

connected to texts for writing throughout this professional development plan.

The writing process is the recursive process of pre-writing/planning, drafting, revising,

editing, and publishing. Karsbaek (2011) states, “the teaching of the writing process focuses on

the process of writing rather than the end product of writing” (p.4). Writers are continuously

planning and revising as they compose a piece of writing. However, strategies for writing need

to be taught through explicit modeling and then responsibility should be gradually released to the

students when they are ready (Karsbaek, 2011, p.10). According to the International Reading

Association (2011), this process can be used in all areas of the curriculum and provides an

excellent way to connect instruction with state writing standards.

Three writing strategies were selected for this professional development to be used

throughout teaching the writing process. The first strategy examined was the use of graphic

organizers in the pre-writing stage of writing. During this stage, students gather and organize

their ideas for writing. Graphic organizers are visual representations of ideas and concepts.

Many teachers choose to use graphic organizers for aiding in the comprehension of texts during

the reading process across the curriculum. However, Brovero (2004) discusses that “these

helpful organizers can also be taken a step farther, as inspiration for students to write creative

stories as well as biographies” (p.45). She suggests providing students with graphic organizers

for writing that students used for reading a text. Hence, students are connecting reading to

writing in an authentic context.

According to Adam and Mowers (2007), “graphic presentations of ideas and how they

connect to each other can help students through that brainstorming process, helping them

organize their thoughts in a visual, nonlinear way before taking pen to paper (or fingers to


keyboard)” (p.24). Throughout their article they list a variety of software and online tools that

can be used to create an array of graphic organizers for student writers who will benefit from

seeing their ideas mapped out before beginning the act of writing.

Inspiration (2011) is computer software used for generating graphic organizers using

symbols and curricular templates (Adam & Mowers, 2007). Kidspiration (2011) is designed for

students in kindergarten through fifth grade (www.inspiration.com). Students can use this

software to build graphic organizers using words and/or pictures on the computer screen. They

can then further apply their ideas to a format for writing also using this software.

The benefit of using the Kidspiration software in the prewriting process for elementary

school students, specifically second graders, was studied in 2009 at an elementary school in

southern California. In this study, students who used the Kidspiration software outperformed the

students who did not use this software during the prewriting stage of writing. According to

Brown, Green, & Lorenz (2009), “All the students in this evaluation were eager to create the

computer generated graphic organizer. They expressed their enthusiasm through word choice

and focus during the work sessions” (p.128). This software can be a powerful motivator for

students during the prewriting process.

Once student writers have finished the planning stage they begin drafting their writing.

This stage, as well as revising and editing, should be modeled for young writers. Interactive

writing or shared writing can be an effective way for teachers to model these stages of the

writing process. Effective literacy teachers present the demonstration, explanation, and models

needed by naïve writers in order for them to understand how and why to incorporate genre and

text structures into their own writing (Gibson, 2011).


While researching, I found that the terms shared writing and interactive writing are very

similar. Shared writing involves students sharing ideas while the teacher does the writing.

Interactive writing also involves the students sharing ideas but they too participate in the act of

writing. According to Clemens, Patterson, and Schaller (2008), “Interactive writing can be used

in all grade levels and settings” (p.496). However, as the students become more independent

writers, the teacher becomes more of a facilitator during the writing process. Interactive writing

engages all students in the writing process and improves their language development, writing,

and spelling skills (Clemens, Patterson, & Schaller, 2008, p.496).”

According to Wall (2008), “While interactive writing has been shown to have good

success in the primary grades, very little research has been done using this approach in the upper

elementary grades” (p. 149-150). However, Wall has shared her successful experience of

implementing interactive writing in her classroom in the article “Interactive Writing Beyond the

Primary Grades.” Because she had experienced much success with interactive writing as a first

grade teacher she wanted to implement an adapted approach to interactive writing in her third

grade classroom. At the end of each week she had her class work together during an interactive

writing lesson to compose a few paragraphs summarizing their week’s learning for their weekly

parent newsletter. She selected students to write as their classmates helped with composition,

spelling, punctuation, and grammar. She was the facilitator of discussion and more sophisticated

revision.

Wall (2008) stated, “As the students became comfortable with our interactive writing

routine, they internalized the process and concepts and began to include them in their own

writing” (p.151). Students were able to make connections to their own writing allowing them to

become more successful in the writing process because the lessons modeled were authentic.


Interactive writing served to provide a shared text around which class discussions of grammar,

punctuation, and writer’s craft revolved (Wall, 2008, p.152). Interactive writing can be a

valuable instructional strategy that greatly enhances engagement in the classroom therefore

improving student reading and writing abilities. Clemens, Patterson, and Schaller (2008) state,

“It reaches all students and ability levels by developing language and building schema” (p. 496).

The last strategy researched for implementation throughout this professional

development was that of writer’s workshop with a more specific focus on the benefit of talk.

According to Karsbaek (2011), “writer’s workshop typically begins with a minilesson, is

followed by writing time, and ends with a share time” (p. 4). The teacher may first model a

specific skill or concept through interactive or shared writing and then gradually release

responsibility to the students. However, a majority of the writer’s workshop time is spent

writing and conferencing with the teacher and peers.

Karsbaek (2011) states, “As students share their work with others, they are able to see

other people’s points of view and acknowledge other ways of thinking” (p.5). This allows for

the development of critical reading skills. The strategy of peer editing in the writer’s workshop

also helps kids to learn to read. This is due to the conversation that takes place between student

authors which creates opportunities for critical reading when examining each other’s writing

(Pearson, 2011, p.2). Anderson and Briggs (2011) state, “as teachers interact with children and

respond to them as readers and writers, they will create additional opportunities to support

reciprocity” (p. 458).

A yearlong study was conducted on the implications of the functions of talk during the

writer’s workshop in a fourth grade class composed of seventeen students. Referring to her

observations of teacher and student conferences, Laman (2011) states, “I found that conferences


often became a shared thinking space where writers and their writing teachers came to new

understandings” (p. 136). These conversations build teacher awareness regarding their students’

understandings of writing concepts. Regarding peer conferences, Laman (2011) also states,

“Students’ contributions functioned in a way that afforded opportunities for students to make

connections to one another’s texts as readers and writers continue to raise their metaawareness of

their writing process” (p. 138). This study concluded that peer conferencing during the writer’s

workshop allows students to connect to their growing understandings of writing and highlights

their intentions as writers. Teacher conferences with students provide teachers with valuable

information regarding their students’ understanding. This knowledge is what drives effective

instruction. Children need to see writing as a way of communication and know that they are

creating something meaningful when they write (Karsbaek, 2011, p.10).

In conclusion, if teachers provide authentic contexts for writing and provide a link to

reading during the process, students will become more successful in both areas of literacy.

Graphic organizers, interactive writing, and writer’s workshop are all effective strategies that can

be implemented throughout the writing process to enhance student success in both writing and

reading.


References

Adam, A., & Mowers, H. (2007). Get inside their heads with mind mapping. School Library

Journal, 53(9), 24.

Anderson, N.L., & Briggs, C. (2011). Reciprocity between reading and writing: strategic

processing as common ground. The Reading Teacher, 64(7), 546-549.

Brovero, M. (2004). Graphic organizers as writing tools. For a Clearer View, 13(5), 45-46.

Brown, A., Green, T., & Lorenz, B. (2009). Using multimedia graphic organizer software in the

prewriting activities of primary school students: what are the benefits. Computers in the

Schools, 26, 115-129.

Clemens, J., Patterson, E., & Shaller, M. (2008). A closer look at interactive writing. The

Reading Teacher, 61(6), 496-497.

Gibson, S. A., (2011). Teaching Writing: Shared Writing. Retrieved from

http://www.readwritethink.org.

Inspiration Software, Inc. (2011). Kidspiration [Computer Software]. Beaverton: OR.

International Reading Association. (2011). Implementing the Writing Process. Retrieved from

http://www.readwritethink.org.

Karsbaek, B. (2011). Writer’s workshop: does it improve the skills of young writers? Illinois

Reading Council Journal, 39(2), 3-11.

http://www.readwritethink.org/

http://www.readwritethink.org/


Laman, T. T. (2011). The functions of talk within a 4th-grade writing workshop: insights into

understanding. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 25(2), 133-144.

Pearson, P.D. (2007). Reading researcher advocates strengthening literacy programs through

reading-writing synergy. National Writing Project.

Wall, H. (2008). Interactive writing beyond the primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 62(6),

149-152.

Reflection: Before, During, and After Professional Development

Assessments

Preassessments

The preassessments I am using throughout my professional development plan are designed to

be a fast way for me to receive important information about my participants’ prior knowledge

about a specific topic in my plan.

During the first session, I will conduct “chalk talk” regarding reading and writing to

determine what connections my participants are already making to each. This will help me more

forward when discussing the reciprocity that exists between these interrelated cognitive

processes.

While presenting information regarding strategies for teaching writing, I will conduct several

preassessments by a show of hands to determine who has had any experience with Kidspiration

software and interactive writing. This will help me to determine the appropriateness for the

modeling aspects of each strategy being implemented.

Minute Reflections

After my first presentation on the reciprocity between reading and writing, I will ask teachers

to write and later share their reactions to the information presented. The purpose of this minute


reflection is to engage them in the activity of writing prompts for our students that connect to

stories in our reading anthology.

In session two, once I have modeled for teachers how to use the Kidspiration software we

have available at our schools, teachers will respond to a minute reflection by discussing how they

can incorporate Kidspiration into their teaching of writing. Next, I will begin my fourth session

with a minute reflection as a discussion starter. I will ask teachers to describe the effectiveness

they observed in using graphic organizers in the prewriting stage of writing with their students.

After modeling the interactive writing process in session five, I will ask the teachers to

respond to a minute reflection about how they can incorporate interactive writing into their

teaching of writing. In the following session, I will use a minute reflection as a discussion starter

for teachers do describe the impact the implementation of interactive writing had on student

learning in their classrooms.

Session six, a group meeting, will begin with a minute reflection in which teachers will be

asked to discuss the impact on student learning by connecting the writing to reading throughout

writing their informative letters and other writing assignments. This will allow teachers to

reflect back to the beginning of this plan and review the reciprocity that exists between reading

and writing.

I have chosen to use a minute reflection as one of my preassessments. Prior to my

presentation of writer’s workshop and the benefit of talk, I will present teachers with the

following question: What is the impact of talk during the writing process? This will allow me to

gauge what knowledge teacher’s have about the benefit of peer and teacher conferences during

writer’s workshop. After I have explicitly taught the writer’s workshop model and presented the

benefit of talk, teachers will be asked to write their own opinion piece and share their writing just


as students would do in the classroom, I will then ask them to respond to a minute reflection

describing the benefit of incorporating time for peer conferences and student teacher conferences

for writing throughout their teaching of writing.

My last session will conclude with two minute reflections. First, I will present teachers with

a discussion starter so they have the opportunity to discuss the impact on student learning they

observed by implementing peer and teacher conferencing into their teaching of writing. Then, I

will conclude my professional development with the following minute reflection: How was the

way you taught writing last year similar to or different from the way you taught it this year?

What would you change for next year?

Evaluations

I have designed four evaluations to be used at the conclusion of each of the professional

development sessions in which I explicitly share information about a writing strategy and model

its practice. These evaluations will be used to assess my delivery of the information

disseminated and provide me with beneficial feedback before presenting material in future

sessions. Each evaluation will also request that teachers rate the value of the professional

development provided. I want to be sure each session holds value for my participants and their

input is key in determining this factor. I do not want to waste their time or mine because in the

world of education time is extremely valuable.


Presentation and Reflection

My plan has changed greatly since I first began its development. I chose to focus on a

topic of instruction that my grade level team is actually working on improving in our classrooms.

I began by asking what the greatest need my team felt we have to address to meet the new

Common Core standards. As a team, we decided that we could use improvement in the area of

teaching writing. We often implement lessons designed around the 6+ 1 Traits for writing so we

thought it would be best to get back to the basics of the writing process based on the overall

student need. We also wanted to be sure to connect the writing to reading as this is a major

component of the new standards as well. This decision has proven difficult for me because I

chose my own area of weakness in which to provide professional development. However, it has

also proven to be a great learning experience as I am able to share with my team the writing

strategies I have researched. I have actually begun implementing them in my classroom as well

so that I have experience when I present these ideas to my team.

Originally, I was simply going to model each step of the writing process but as I started

to write and visualize this process it proved to be redundant and meaningless. So, I decided I

should focus more on the strategies that could be applied during the stages of the writing process

to not only increase student success in writing but also be new learning experiences for teachers.

I suggested to my group that I would plan for sharing the research that supports graphic

organizers, interactive/shared writing, and writer’s workshop during the writing process. A great

suggestion was made to incorporate Kidspiration into the graphic organizer piece of my plan. At


first, I simply decided I would let the teachers just explore this software and discuss its potential

for instruction. However, after meeting with my group for the second time, they suggested I

model how to use the Kidspiration software. This made me nervous because I had never used it

before! However, after spending time in my school’s computer lab and researching online, I do

have some knowledge about Kidspiration and Inspiration and how to use them. I chose to use

this piece of my plan for implementation since the teachers on my team, like me, have never

used this software despite the fact that it is a resource at my school. After exploring with

Kidspiration, I am anxious to share my ideas with my team and hear what suggestions they have

for using this resource in their teaching.

On the online discussion board, a classmate had asked about how my team was going to

be assessing the student writing throughout this plan and she had asked if we would be using a

common rubric. I had not even thought of this at that point but I took her question as a

suggestion. It only made sense that my team be using the same scoring tool to make the data

collected more comparable. I also went a step further and decided that I would ask my team to

decide on a common graphic organizer for each type of writing that we would be using during

the prewriting stage of the writing process. Again, this would help to ensure that our student

writing scores are more comparable.

Documents

towsonpdclass.wikispaces.comtowsonpdclass.wikispaces.com/file/view/… · Web view · 2011-11-07The intended audience for my professional development is the fourth grade team at