home

Writing Across the Curriculum Course

Writer’s Notebook and Teaching Journal Student writing samples
 * Materials: **

Nagin, Carl and the National Writing Project //Because Writing Matters// Articles and materials provided by the Instructor
 * Texts:** Strong, William //Write for Insight//

Gail Bourn: gbourn@laconia.k12.nh.us Jen Carbonneau: jcarbonneau@littletonschools.org
 * Instructor Contact Information: **

Through the courses’ readings and teaching demonstrations we will examine a variety of techniques for integrating writing into all classes at all levels. Teachers will adapt the practices demonstrated to their subject area and grade level in order to try them in their classrooms and gather student writing samples. In the reflective practice groups we will analyze student writing samples, and discuss implications for teaching K-12. At the same time we will work on written responses to student writers, responding to students’ writing, write about our teaching, and explore the implications of all of this for our teaching practice.
 * Course Description: **

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to: · Structure and implement writing instruction across the curriculum with their students · Use writing to promote learning and thinking related to their subject area · Reflect on the types of discourse used in their subject areas and how students can become part of these “conversations” · Explore ways to help students develop an identity related to the subject area. · Have a better understanding of the relationship between assessment and instruction and how this affects a writing program · Describe the student writers’ strengths as seen in their writing · Reflect on their students’ writing and the implications for their writing instruction · Participate in reflective practice groups as an active member of a writing community, giving and receiving constructive feedback on students’ writing · Work in groups to assess student writing and develop a plan for instruction out of this assessment · Design or select writing assessments that support the students’ development as a writer and are used by the teacher to inform their instruction
 * Goals: **

30% 3 Final Drafts: 3 reflections 40% Participation (including in-class activities, group work, journals/log) 30% Final Portfolio: 3 Reflections, and Course Narrative
 * Evaluation: **

You will receive full credit for these papers if they are handed in on time and meet these specifications. Each paper should be accompanied by a brief author’s note in which you reflect on how the writing of this paper connects to your teaching. (Please type & double space in a readable 11 or 12-point font.)
 * Papers: **

Guidelines: 1. Adapt the teaching practice demonstrated in class to your subject area and grade level 2. Collect and copy all of the students’ work done in response to the activity. 3. Bring the samples to classes 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11, and be prepared to discuss your students’ writing progress.
 * Reflection pieces:** 3-5 page typed reflections.


 * Reflection #1**: Written response to a piece of students’ writing. In this reflection you will provide a student paper, your written response to that paper, and a reflection on the written response that you provided to the student writer. How did this response support the writer?


 * Reflection #2**: Reflection on a set of responses to a teaching practice. Take one of the teaching practices you have applied in your classroom. Include a class set of responses resulting from the practice and a reflection in which you analyze what you can observe from the practice.

You should reflect on and evaluate outcomes of your practice. You will use this reflection to improve your practice.
 * Reflection #3**: Analyze your data from a major writing assessment to report the performance of the whole class**.** In this reflection, you should explain what you saw to be the strengths and growth areas in the work. What are the strengths of the work? What common strengths do you see in virtually all of the papers? What common weaknesses do you notice? What does this suggest about the students’ understanding of the assignment? Where did they experience difficulty? How would you plan your assignment differently if you were to do it again with this group of students? What follow up, or re-teaching, would you want to do, if any, with this group of students? Where you see students failing at this assignment, why do you think they are failing? How could you build in a “safety net” for these students to avoid failure?

Writer’s Notebook/Teaching Journal: ** One of the main purposes of this course is to get you reflecting on the writers in your classroom and your writing instruction. Much of this work will be done in class, but you will be left to develop it outside of class. Try to write for at least 10 minutes a day in your writer’s teaching journal about your classroom experience and how what we are discussing connects to what you are seeing in your classroom. Bring this notebook/journal to class every session.

The success of a writing group depends upon the creation of a community. Your contribution to this community is vital. You will be expected to offer response to the writing and student work of the other group members, to share your own work, and to receive response to that work. You will be expected to contribute to group discussions of readings. You will be expected to participate in various writing exercises and activities with the group.
 * Participation/In-class Activities and group work: **

At the conclusion of the course, you will prepare a portfolio that includes the three papers for the class, a course narrative in which you discuss your reflections on the course and how you plan to use writing in your classes in the future. Further instructions on the course narrative will be provided.
 * Final Portfolio: **

Class #1 February 9 Introductory session- Inventory of the kinds of writing you do in your classes, What would you like to know? Introduction to Writing across the Curriculum,
 * Course Schedule: **

Class #2 February 16 Writing for learning (Patricia McGonegal) “An Introduction to Insight” //Write for Insight// “Tapping the Power of Metaphor” //Write for Insight//

Class #3 March 2 Follow up on workshop-bring student work “Writing from the Inside Out” //Write for Insight// (“Redefining Content-Area Literacy Teacher Education: Finding my Voice Through Collaboration” Draper)

Class #4 March 9 Reading and writing (Gail) “Challenging the Hidden Curriculum” //Write for Insight//

Class #5 March 16th Follow up “Exploring Expressive Writing” //Write for Insight// Chapter 3 Because Writing Matters Reflection #1 due

Class #6 March 23rd Writing and Technology (Jen C.) “Helping Basic Writers Succeed” //Write for Insight//

Class #7 March 30th Follow up “Designing Assignments and Rubrics” //Write for Insight//

Class #8 April 6th Place Based Writing (Barb/Mandi) “Managing the Writing Process” //Write for Insight// Reflection #2 due

Class #9 April 13th Follow up “Coaching and Judging Writing” //Write for Insight//

Class #10 April 27th classroom demonstrations Follow up “Writing as a means to Meaning” //Write for Insight//

Class #11 April 27th Writing on Demand (Jen P.) “Researching Outside the box” //Write for Insight// Reflection #3 due

Class #12 May 4th Final meeting Portfolio due