1. Jennifer Evans
Assistant Director ELA
St.Clair County RESA
Evans.jennifer@sccresa.org
http://www.protopage.com/evans.jennifer#Untitled/Home

2. “Assigning writing
is easy. Teaching
writing is really
hard.”
“We need to teach our
students to read like
writers and write like
readers.”
Kelly Gallagher, Author and Teacher
http://www.kellygallagher.org/index.html

3. The most effective strategy to improve writing…
Increase the amount
and quality of writing.

4. Increase writing
proficiency for life
endeavors
Increase test scores
Create a unified
writing program K-12
Coordinate and
refine writing
instruction
Increase use of
research-based
instructional
practices during
writing instruction

5. Mini-Lesson
(10-15 min.)
Sharing
( 5-10 min.)
Independent
Practice with
Conferring
(30-40 min.)

6. How Often
• Everyday
• Everyday
• Everyday
How Long
• KDG – 45
minutes
• 1st Grade –
45 minutes
extending
to 60
minutes
• 2nd – 12th
Grades – 60
minutes
When
Management
Why
• Beginning
the first day
of school
• Same
format used
everyday
• Consistency
• Consistency
• Consistency
• A single
block of
time at the
same time
everyday
• Same rules
and
procedures
used
everyday
• Keep it
simple

7. 



Grades 2-5
K-1 staple small unit booklets for their
notebook
Specific notebooking directions for grades 25 first unit of study in WriteWell
Write everyday on mini-lesson topic or other
notebooking ideas

11. Immerse in the
genre
Identify
distinguishing
features of the
genre
Choose an idea to
write about
Choose a mentor
text to help you
write
Plan your draft
Draft long and fast
Revise
Edit
Publish/Celebrate

12. 30-40 Minutes
Students work independently while the teacher
meets with small groups or individual students
• Conferring Talking Cards
Possible mid-workshop teaching point
• Occur naturally when the teacher notices something that
needs clarification or further explanation to help students as
they write

13. Research
Decide
Compliment
Teach
•Ask “What are
you working on
as a writer?”
•Have the
student read
aloud his/her
work
• Synthesize what
is learned
• Decide what to
compliment:
“What has this
child done that I
can name and
make a fuss
over?”
• Decide what to
teach: “What
does this child use
but misuse? or
“What is nearly
there in his or her
writing that I can
help them with
right now?”
•Point out
writing
strategies the
child used well
•Say “I like how
you…”(give
specific
example)
•Teach only one
thing
•Teach to the
compliment
•Teach to
today’s
teaching point
•Negotiate a
strategy
When choosing your teaching point think: Of all the options I have, what can I teach
that will make the biggest difference for this writer?

14. 5-10 Minutes
 Notice
 Question
 Personal Connection
 Compliment and Suggestion (glow & grow)
Small
Group
Partner
Whole
Group

15. ◦ Teaching Kids About Revising (Writing Workshop
Lesson)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBKqgOv
mJ8w

16. Grammar Units
Pre/Post Tests
Updates – see grade level
representative
Information/Explanatory;
Opinion; ReadWell units
developed last summer
Video Lessons
Rubrics

17. Aligned to CCSS
Weekly concepts
taught
approximately five
minutes a day
Follows Jeff
Anderson’s format
PowerPoint to match
each weekly lesson

19. Same Assessment to
be given at the
beginning of the year
and the end of the year
See Sample
Use to show
growth

21. 
Video Library
◦ All grade levels
◦ Various lessons
Kindergarten
2nd grade
10th grade

23. 
WriteWell©
◦ http://www.sccresa.org/toolsforschools/curriculum
tools/writewell/
◦ Select logo
◦ Enter school log in and password:
Temporary Log in:
Temporary Password:

24. Log In and Select Your Grade
Review the Table of Contents
Skim & Scan the Units