The Background & Research Writing is second behind reading as an essential test-taking skill Writing helps students understand and remember content like no other teaching technique “The research is strong that students are far better off when we score their work for only one or two criteria that we have just finished teaching explicitly.” (Mike Schmoker) Students need limited amounts of specific feedback – and they need it quickly. (Robert Marzano) Exemplary schools emphasized student writing and collaborated on scoring . Students had multiple opportunities to succeed on assignments. (Doug Reeves) Approx. 7 min Read research bullets. So writing is pretty important! Activator: We know that ALL teachers do not have students write on a regular basis. If writing is so important, why don’t they? Why do you think this is so? Write 5 lines. 2 minutes Teacher walks around – students get a check if they have 5 lines. Debrief: This was actually a type 1 writing task from Collins! Wasn’t it better to master small steps at a time? Intro to Collins: This is NOT a writing program; this is a way to write and think! It’s not learning to write, it’s writing to learn. We only get to be a better reader by reading…well, we only get to be better writers by WRITING!

Activator We know that teachers struggle to get students write on a regular basis. If writing is so important, why do teachers and students struggle? Write 5 lines. 2 minutes

The 5 Types of Writing Type One: Capture Ideas Type Two: Respond Correctly Type Three: Edit for Focus Correction Areas Type Four: Peer Edit for Focus Correction Areas Type Five: Publish 1-2 min This is the basic Collins framework. There are 5 types of writing. Each type has a different purpose. One does not lead to the other. All teachers will not assign all 5 types in their courses. The goal of Collins is to get students writing more – every day, in fact. Will go into depth about each soon.

The Facts about Collins Writing Is a model for writing in all content areas “Write more-grade less” Goals of the program are to: Improve student performance Actively engage students in content Require students to reflect Refine listening and speaking skills Read writing out loud Listen critically to writing that is being read 1 min What stands out to you? Pick one bullet and discuss with your partner.

What Makes Collins Different? Explicitly states what students must do to be successful Takes away one of the primary obstacles to good writing: FEAR Writing assignments stop being a punishment for teachers Provides a way for teachers to evaluate student work quickly and still make it count. 1 min This makes grading much easier for the students and the teacher. Students will circle, underline, highlight points and that is what you grade.

“But my Students Don’t Like to Write!” Should be the way we do business in ALL classes and subject areas Students should be writing everyday Students will complain but that’s not a good enough reason NOT to do it 1 min ASK: “Do your students write everyday?” Talk to a partner. Flip to page two in your packet. Read the passage about writing climate. Brainstorm a list of 3 things that would enable a student to take risks in their writing. Give teachers a stamp if they have three things. Share. Turn to page three. Highlight, underline, circle the three most important features of a comfortable writing environment from the passage. You walk around and give a + for everyone who circled three.

John Collins Writing 5 types of writing: TYPE 1: Getting ideas on paper – brainstorming. Purpose: to build fluency TYPE 2: Shows that the writer knows something about a topic or has thought about the topic. It is a correct answer to a specific question. There are five types. We are going to focus on type 1 today. Our next session will focus on Type 2.

Format for Type 1 One draft Papers should be organized like this: Audience: the student writer Evaluation: completed the task Use # of lines rather than # of sentences. Type 1 Ami Healy 11/20/2014 X 1 There is a quarterback. X 2 A touchdown = 6 points X Turn to page 4 and tell teachers that they may want to take notes. Requires just one draft. Students must skip lines. (use the master in the back of the book until students have the idea – lower grades may need to use longer). Consider using index cards for Type 1 writing. May want to give a variety of prompts and allow students to choose. Can use Type 1 as class participation credit. You might want to say, “You have 4 minutes to complete the writing, but you can’t begin for 1 minute. (this forces think time) x

Under your name write the date Type 1 Writing On your paper write your name on the top right and ‘Type 1’ on the top left. Under your name write the date Skip lines as you write Turn to page 5. Let’s practice this. Top 10 List on the Top Ten Biggest News Stories of the 20th Century 1. 1945: U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima, Nagasaki: Japan surrenders to end World War II 2. 1969: American astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to walk on the moon 3. 1941: Japan bombs Pearl Harbor: U.S. enters World War II 4. 1903: Wilbur and Orville Wright fly the first powered airplane 5. 1920: Women win the vote 6. 1963: President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas 7. 1945: Horrors of Nazi Holocaust, concentration camps exposed 8. 1914: World War I begins in Europe 9. 1954: Brown v. Board of Education ends "separate but equal" school segregation 10. 1929: U.S. stock market crashes: depression sets in List 5 of the Top 10 News Stories of the 20th Century (5 lines; 2 minutes)

The Type 1 “Thinking on paper” e.g. K-W-L, what do you know about football?, 2 questions you’d ask the President of the US Timed and requires a minimum number of items or lines to be generated. Questions and/or guesses are permitted. Not done at home. Outcomes evaluated with a √ or −, 100 or 0; may also give a √ + to students who really went above and beyond Presenter comments: Spelling and grammar errors do not count Risk free All about getting the words on the page May do a share out – students may pass (teacher decision) Give time limit – good idea to say, you may not write for the first minute (time to think) Could use type one as class participation grade (100 or 0) (check, stamp, paper punch – feedback) Consider using index cards for type 1 Consider choice – give more than one prompt and allow students to choose Differentiation-can modify the number of lines/factors based on IEP, ELL Important that this is number of lines, not sentences. Students with emotional needs see writing as exposing themselves. Writing is personal and its hard for them. We need to build trust so use it Type 1’s ONLY for a long time. Let them know “THIS IS A JUDGEMENT FREE ZONE." We CAN get ALL teachers to provide effective Type 1 prompts – what difference that would make! JC Tip – don’t always post the question/prompt. Students need to learn to listen closely.

Examples of Type 1 Prompts List 3 things you learned from last night’s homework (3 bullets; 2 minutes) In the last 15 min. of class, what do you understand best? What do you understand least? (5 lines; 4 min.) Describe 3 ways you can use this information outside of school. (3 lines; 5 minutes) In 5 lines, describe what might have caused the scene you see in this picture. (5 minutes) List 4 ways to use math at the mall. (4 bullets; 6 minutes)

Type 1 Activating prior knowledge Reflecting about learning Predicting Making connections Creative thinking Type 1s can be used for activating prior knowledge, reflecting on learning, making predictions, making connections, or creative thinking opportunities. Before class, during class, and the end of class. Possible application: Entrance Slips – students must generate an entrance slip which might include keywords, questions, 3 things I don’t know; teacher reads those anonymously at the beginning of class. Done individually, without benefit of class discussion Students can write in a journal or on single sheets Students reluctant to add to discussion get a voice! May choose to do a group share; students can pass Type 1 writings make writing natural and a part of what they do often in school, like reading. Journal with students and let them read yours too! Think of this as free writing

Your turn! TYPE 1 WRITING fits every class! Plan at least 2 type 1 writing prompts that you will use in your class. Turn to page 6. Give teachers time to complete type 1. If time permits: Give One, Get One When they have finished, tell everyone to get up and find a partner (not at their table) Share a prompt (give and get) and add to action plan sheet Find a new partner and repeat Join back at tables and share all prompts with tables. Jot down more that you hear and like. With table group, pick one prompt for each table that you feel is the best one. Share out from tables