Nancie Atwell

1. Nancie Atwell Prof. Myrna Monllor Jiménez Prof. Helen AvilésAbreu

2. Nancie Atwell • Teaches seventh and eighth grade writing, reading, history • Has received awards for distinguished research in the teaching of English • National Council of Teachers of English David H. Russell Award • MLA Mina P. Shaughnessy Prize

3. Her Books

4. Atwell’s Seven Principles of Teaching • Writers need regular chunks of time to write. • Writers need their own topics. • Writers need response during the composing process. • Writers learn mechanics in context. • Writers need to know adults who write. • Writers need to read • Writing teachers must become writers and researchers Seven Principles That Guide Teaching and Student Learning in the Atwell Curriculum http://home.moravian.edu/public/educ/Shosh/MPLFS.html

5. The Writing Workshop • Provides immediate response • Never writes comments on students’ papers • Writers work and finish papers at their own pace • Goes to their desks for writing conferences • Listens to what they wrote, but doesn’t read the drafts • Reflects upon the reading (Listens for meaning) • Summarize, paraphrase, restate • Gives the writer an opportunity to explore their options • Doesn’t praise “I don’t read drafts. I need to listen. Why don’t you tell me what you think? When I accept the piece to read, I’ve accepted responsibility for it; worse, I’ve established a pattern, and kids will expect me to read their pieces and take responsibility over and over again.” from In the Middle

6. Getting ready for writer’s workshop Sets up different work sites Puts out supplies and references clearly labeled 3. Designates conference corners/ affixes a pocket with paper for note taking Prepares permanent writing folders Prepares daily writing folders with three forms students are responsible for : Titles and dates of finished pieces My ideas for writing Things ___ can do as a writer Mini-lesson (5-10 minutes) Status-of-the-Class Conference Write/Confer Group Share (5-7 minutes)

7. Teacher’s Record Keeping • Status-of-the Class Conference (Donald Graves) • Introduces writers’ options: draft, revise, topic, conference, respond, abandon • Takes three minutes of the class time • Verbal contract • Conference journal • 8 pages per student • Record of the skills taught through the mini-lessons, anecdotes of things that happened during conference, comments that will help the teacher as a researcher

8. Example of Status-of- the- class 24 students

9. Writers’ Workshop • Students write for 2/3 of the class • Students may not erase so that they save it as a record of their thinking and how it has changed • Write on one side of the paper • Save everything • Date and label everything • Group share: sharing a technique that worked, a new piece of writing, a lesson learned, receiving different input

10. Evaluation • Looks for growth in the following areas: • Finding a subject • Collecting specific information on that subject • Ordering that information • Presenting that information with clarity and grace • Following the customs of spelling, mechanics, and usage. • Amount of time and effort spent on writing • Degree of risk-taking and initiative

11. Sample Evaluation Criteria

12. Atwell on video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SRjjb7V4rU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHnwLXdte4M

13. Bibliography • Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: Writing, Reading, and Learning with Adolescents. Boyton/Cook Publishers, 1998.