® donna herold, spokane public schools ascd understanding by design cadre / faculty member july 1,...

®

Donna Herold, Spokane Public SchoolsASCD Understanding by Design Cadre / Faculty Member

July 1, 2012 St. Louis--------------------------------------------------------------------

ASCD Summer Conference

Writing the UbD Way: Ends-based Modeling, Coaching, and Conferencing

in the Writing-Centered Secondary Classroom

Objectives

ContextO Why writing instruction matters

Understanding by Design as model for writing instructionO A M T

Criteria O Four characteristics of effective writing assignments

Alignment (models and practice)O Creating assignments aligning skills, understandings, and

criteria

Objectives

Objectives

Objectives

Objectives

Objectives

National Commission on Writing:

O We must DOUBLE the writing kids are doing in ALL content areas

O Students must write more out of school

O Writing must be taught in all subjects and at all grade levels

O Writing and School Reform, including ‘The Neglected ‘R,’ The College Board. May 2006

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard #10

O 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.

O CCSS for English/Language Arts & Literacy in, p. 41History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Writing:

Of freshmen entering Harvard:“Bad spelling, incorrectness as

well as inelegance of expression in writing, [and] ignorance of the simplest rules of punctuation.”

O Harvard President Charles Eliot, 1871

Writing through time:O“Children don’t get many

opportunities to write. In [a] recent study in grades one, three, and five, only 15% of the schools day was spent in any kind of writing activity.”

O R.C. Anderson, Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading, 1985

Writing through time:O“Each year in their writing, students

should demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of of language use, from vocabulary and syntax to the development and organization of ideas, and they should address increasingly demanding content and sources.

O CCSS for English/Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, p. 42

Source: Balog, David, Ed. The Dana Source Book of Brain Science: Resources for Teachers and Students 4 th edition. Dana Press, c2006.

Source: Balog, David, Ed. The Dana Source Book of Brain Science: Resources for Teachers and Students 4 th edition. Dana Press, c2006.

Philosophy of Writing Instruction . . .

What are your central beliefs about writing instruction?

Philosophy of Writing Instruction . . .

O Successful writing instruction takes time

O Writing requires planning backward from the goal

O Writing deepens thinking around content

O Writing is a powerful way to exhibit understanding

Understanding by Design’s A M TO Acquisition–

O A fact is a fact; a skill is a skill. We acquire each in turn.

O Skills and facts do not mean I understand, but I cannot understand without skills and facts.

O Making MeaningO What do these facts imply?O What is their sense, import, value?

O Transfer– O How should I apply my prior facts, skills, and ideas

effectively in this particular situation? O The situation must be new and uncharted.

How People Learn

O Transfer is “the ability to extend what has been learned in one context to new contexts.”

O National Research Council, How People Learn, 2000

Memorize these numbers:

17766024365911

Think of . . .

OThe Declaration of Independence

Minutes / Hours / Days / Years

Emergencies!

Memorize these numbers:

1776-60-24-365-911

Can you transfer?

IBMATTIKEAGMDKNY

Can you transfer?

IBM-ATT-IKEA-GM-DKNY

Simple A. M. T. ExampleO Students practice tying their shoes

O Students draw/speak the steps of lace tying

O Students discuss the pros and cons of laces vs. Velcro, and different methods of tying

O Students teach others how to tie their shoes

O Students tie something else—ropes or ribbons

Learning to Write--Acquisition

Writing to Learn- Making

Meaning

Writing to exhibit a new Understanding --

Transfer

Writing the

UbD Way

What leads to Transfer in Writing?

O Acquisition of necessary writing skillsO Acquisition of writing-based concepts /

knowledge of contentO Adequate time to make meaning through

consideration of models, practice drafting, revising, and editing, teacher and peer feedback (coaching / conferencing), and self-evaluation

O Desire to practice—desire to improve

Consider and share:What was the best or worst writing assignment you were ever assigned as a student? What made it the best or the worst?

What was the best or the worst writing assignment you gave this year? What made it the best or the worst?

Effective Writing Assignments:O Content and Scope:

O “[An effective writing assignment] engages students in a series of cognitive processes, such as reflection, analysis, and synthesis, so that they are required to transform the information from the reading material in order to complete the writing assignment.”

O --Nagin, Carl and the National Writing Project. Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in our Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2006. p. 47.

Possible Writing Prompt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onsIdBanynY&feature=player_embedded

Cognitive Process: Synthesis/Analysis

Discuss:

O A recent writing assignment that required reflection, analysis, synthesis, and / or transformation of information.

Effective Writing Assignments:O Organization and Development:

O“An effective assignment gives students a framework for developing ideas and organizational guidelines that help them analyze and synthesize the information with which they are working.”

O -Nagin, Carl and the National Writing Project. Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in our Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2006. p. 47.

Possible Writing Prompt

Handout pages 13-32

In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Jem redefines his views of courage by studying the actions of others. As he does so, he learns that courage is about doing what is right, not worrying about what others think of him.

Using three chapters—his dare, Shooting Tim Johnson, and Mrs. Dubose

Jem learns to stop worrying about what others think and to start doing things for the right reasons. He learns this from Mrs. Dubose and Atticus

How Jem grows up and learns to see others (himself, too) in a different way

What is courage? Can our definition of courage change as we grow?

Courage is doing what is right, without having to be told

Compare the story of the time I jumped off of the rock into the lake to Jem taking Dill’s dare

It may not always feel good, but it always feels right. What is it? Courage.

Use the quote about Atticus saying not to judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes

The dare

Tim Johnson

Dubose

All times when Jem thought about bravery or courage

He changes throughout each experience

He grows up—learns from others

It may be that we need other people to teach us courage—or to be role models for us

Handout pages 13-32

In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Jem redefines his views of courage by studying the actions of others. As he does so, he learns that courage is about doing what is right, not worrying about what others think of him.

Using three chapters—his dare, Shooting Tim Johnson, and Mrs. Dubose

Jem learns to stop worrying about what others think and to start doing things for the right reasons. He learns this from Mrs. Dubose and Atticus

How Jem grows up and learns to see others (himself, too) in a different way

What is courage? Can our definition of courage change as we grow?

Courage is doing what is right, without having to be told

Compare the story of the time I jumped off of the rock into the lake to Jem taking Dill’s dare

It may not always feel good, but it always feels right. What is it? Courage.

Use the quote about Atticus saying not to judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes

The dare

Tim Johnson

Dubose

All times when Jem thought about bravery or courage

He changes throughout each experience

He grows up—learns from others

It may be that we need other people to teach us courage—or to be role models for us

Discuss:

O A recent writing scaffold or structure you provided (or might provide next school year) or created that helped students analyze or synthesize their information.

Effective Writing Assignments:O Audience and Communication:

O“An effective assignment goes beyond the use of a ‘pretend’ audience and offers the student a genuine opportunity [to inform, entertain, or persuade].”

O --Nagin, Carl and the National Writing Project. Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in our Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2006. p. 48.

Relevance and authenticityO The March, 2009 NCTE report, ‘Writing

Between the Lines,’ cites a 2008 study:O 86% of teenagers stated that they believed

writing well was important to success in life, O 73% believe online writing does not relate to

school writing.O While only 17% enjoy school writing ‘a great

deal’ (the highest indicator)—49% enjoy non-school writing ‘a great deal’

Possible Writing Prompt

Authentic Audience: Classmates

www.Lulu.com

Authentic Audience: Classroom Publishing

Discuss:

O A recent authentic audience you provided (or wish to provide next school year) for your students.

Effective Writing Assignments:OEngagement and choice:

O“. . . An effective assignment avoids the pitfalls of offering the student too much choice or none at all. Restricting the range of decisions that the student is asked to make is a way for her to increase engagement in the assignment.”

--Nagin, Carl and the National Writing Project. Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in our Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2006. p. 48.

Possible Writing Prompt

Balance of choice and support

Engagement and Choice: Blogging

Discuss:

O A recent assignment that allowed for choice but also provided appropriate scaffolds for support. (or one you’ve been wanting to design for next school year)

Essential Questions for Writing

O What essential writing skills must a professional in your discipline possess? O What is the purpose or value of the writing skill?

O What must your students know, understand, and be able to do to write well?O What distinguishes an effective writing performance from an

ineffective one in your discipline?

Developing Writing Prompts

Modeling, Coaching, Conferencing to improve Writing Skills

“[W]riting . . . is an art, and should be taught more like art. Think about piano or violin. We expect wrong notes. We expect awkward expression . . .”

O Andrew Pudewa, Director, http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/

“. . .but through a process of modeling, listening, practicing and reviewing specific, graded techniques, anyone can learn to play violin or piano. Writing is similar. Modeling when teaching [an] art is not only effective, but absolutely necessary.”

O Andrew Pudewa, Director, http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/

OA recent report lists “the study of models” as one of eleven elements of writing instruction shown by research to be effective in improving the writing of adolescents.

O Writing Next, Alliance for Excellent Education, 2007

Discuss:

OReflect back to a time when a model was helpful to you and/or a time when you wish you had been given a model.

Ways to modelO Integrate ‘sneezes’ and ‘down/up’ writingO Write with students—compose visibly

O Chunks—i.e.—thesis, introductionO Whole process—timed writes

O Read your writing to themO Analyze papers ‘on the spot’ on overhead,

document cameraO Have students examine exemplars/score O One-on-one conferences / recorded feedback

AssessmentO “Many state writing assessments run the

risk of undercutting good writing by scoring only for focus, organization, style, and mechanics without once asking judges to consider whether the writing is powerful, memorable, provocative, or moving (all impact related criteria, and all at the heart of why people read what others write.)”

O Grant Wiggins, Educative Assessment, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998. p. 67.

Basic Six Trait Writing Rubric

Writing Rubric based on CCSS

Final words from NCTE . . .

Contact information:O Donna Herold O Web Site:http://www.21stcenturyschoolteacher.com/

OEmail:Donnaher@spokaneschools.org

O 2012 ASCD Summer Pre-Conference/Conference Evaluations

http://www.ascd.org/evaluations

Thank you for your comments!