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Making the best of it:

Making the best of it: . Teaching writing for learning within the context of the standardized essay. Quick-write. What are the advantages of teaching a basic formula for sentence, paragraph and essay construction? What are the disadvantages?. Contentions:.

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Making the best of it:

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  1. Making the best of it: Teaching writing for learning within the context of the standardized essay

  2. Quick-write • What are the advantages of teaching a basic formula for sentence, paragraph and essay construction? • What are the disadvantages?

  3. Contentions: • Kids’ writing will be assessed in many contexts throughout their student careers • Writing to learn and writing to be assessed do not have to be mutually exclusive. • O’Connor, John S. This Time It’s Personal: Teaching Academic Writing through Creative Non-fiction. NCTE, 2011. • If we want kids to be able to use their assessed writing as an opportunity to think and learn about the topic, we must teach them strategies for doing so.

  4. Common-Core Anchor Writing Standards grades 6-12 • 1.Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. • 2.Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. • 4.Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. • 5.Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. • 10.Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. • http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards/anchor-standards-6-12/college-and-career-readiness-anchor-standards-for-writing/

  5. What’s the difference between Writing to Learn and Public (assessed) Writing?Daniels, Harvey, et al. Content Area Writing p 22 Writing to Learn Public Writing (writing to be assessed) Substantial Planned Authoritative Conventional Audience-centered Drafted Edited Assessable • Short • Spontaneous • Exploratory • Informal • Personal • One Draft • Unedited • Ungraded

  6. What does it look like? Daniels, Harvey, et al. Content Area Writing p 14 Writing to learn Public writing (to be assessed) Research papers Mathematical proofs Biographies Essays Speeches Articles Lab reports Poems • Notes • Lists • Diagrams • Journaling • Response logs • Outlines • Plans • Instant messages

  7. Think of a prompt you often use. • What is typical of the responses you get?

  8. My students typically: • Use Intro/Body/Conclusion format • Have fill-in-the-blank initial thesis statements • Weak or non-existent transitions • Intro = Conclusion OR • The most important information (strong thesis, original thinking, analysis, synthesis) comes at the end.

  9. Real Prompts (Intended for AP European History Seniors) • How did the disintegration of the medieval church and the coming of the Reformation contribute to the development of nation-states in Western Europe between 1450 and 1648? • Napoleon I is sometimes called the greatest enlightened despot. Evaluate this assessment in terms of Napoleon I's policies and accomplishments. Be sure to include a definition of enlightened despotism in your answer.

  10. Prompts I’ve actually used: • "The Black Death fundamentally changed Europe." Defend or refute this statement. Be sure to include three of the social institutions.

  11. Student examples: • Sample Essay 1 • Sample Essay 2

  12. Activity: • With students, I would do this activity using a timed writing that I’ve already handed back. • Use the graphic organizer to create the “body” of your essay • Choose whichever of the following prompts is most relevant to you: • How has NCLB affected your teaching? • Why should the government continue to fund public education? • How should the state government address the need for pension reform for public employees?

  13. Graphic Organizer (Body paragraphs)

  14. What do I think/feel about these topics? (What ties them together? Why should I care? Why should anyone else care? What do I want others to think/feel about these topics?) • Given the previous response, respond to the topic or answer the question in a single, strong sentence.

  15. Wrap-up • Discussion: How would you be able to use a reflective practice such as this in your teaching situation? • In the remaining time: Blog your thoughts regarding this approach and its application to your teaching situation.

  16. Related Readings • Daniels, Harvey; Steven Zimmerman, Nancy Steineke. Content- Area Writing, Every Teacher’s Guide. Heinamann, 2007. • O’Connor, John S. This Time It’s Personal: Teaching Academic Writing through Creative Non-fiction. NCTE, 2011. • Spandel, Vicki. The Nine Rights of Every Writer: A Guide for Teachers. Heinamann, 2005.

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