1. Avon Grove School District Writing Research Committee 2008-2010
Curriculum Advisory Council
June 17, 2010

2. Writing Research Committee
The committee was formed in the Fall of 2008 following the distribution of an interest survey to all teachers.
The committee consists of representatives from:
All buildings and all levels K-12
Special and regular education teachers
ELL teachers
Administrators
Librarians
Coaches
Reading Specialists
PAWLP Fellows
Instructional Technology Lead Teachers

3. The work of the committee was shaped by the following guiding questions:
What will students know and be able to do as a result of a successful implementation of a writing framework and writing process ?
How will we (all teachers) get them there?

4. The Process Winter and Spring 2009: Surveyed writing teachers
Gathered district data on writing achievement and instruction
Identified strengths and weaknesses
Researched writing philosophies and programs
Drafted the AGSD “Writing Beliefs”
Selected pilot programs for each building/grade cluster
Began mini-pilots (one unit) of Lucy Calkins, Marcia Freeman, Being a Writer, Framing Your Thoughts, and Collins Writing programs

5. The Process Continues:
Fall 2009 and Winter 2010:
Finalized the AGSD “Writing Beliefs”
Continued and expanded pilots—Middle School and High School—Collins; AGIS—Marcia Freeman & “Being a Writer”; Penn London—Lucy Calkins , Marcia Freeman, & “Being a Writer”
Created and aligned the Writing Framework K-12 by genre—clarified expectations, rigor, and genre descriptions at each level

6. The Process Continues:
Spring 2010
Continued pilots
Meet with elementary pilot teachers two times to gather feedback
Finalized the Writing Framework K-12

7. AVON GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Writing Beliefs
The Avon Grove School District is committed to building a strong community of writers who engage in daily purposeful writing in a collaborative environment.
Therefore, we believe...
writing is a recursive process that allows choice and opportunities to
write for a variety of authentic purposes and audiences.
writing instruction is explicit and grounded in best practice
writing is integrated in all content areas.
writing instruction is scaffolded across the grade levels.
writing develops and demonstrates critical thinking.

8. The Writing Framework
The AGSD Writing Framework is a K-12 framework organized around genres:
Personal Narrative
Narrative Fiction
Informational Procedural
Informational Descriptive
Persuasive
Poetry
Research

9. Within the Framework, the expectation and rigor for each genre is described at each grade level through the domain areas:
Focus Content Organization Style

10. AGSD Writing Curriculum
Writing Framework +
Writer’s Workshop
Writing Programs as Resources

11. Elementary Pilot Program
April 8, 2010 Pilot Teacher Evaluation Workshop
Evaluation Results
Program
Section I
Section 2
Section 3
Total
Marcia Freeman
87.5%
87.8%
96%
90.4%
Being A Writer
83.2%
89 %
97%
89.6%
Lucy Calkins
100%
94.5%
May 25, 2010 Pilot Teacher Evaluation Workshop
1st Choice
2nd Choice
3rd Choice
PLE
Lucy Calkins
Being A Writer
Marcia Freeman
AGIS

12. Writing Programs Kindergarten Kid Writing Program – Eileen Feldgus
Grade 1-2 Units of Study - Lucy Calkins
Grades 3-6 CraftPlus Writing Program – Marcia Freeman
Grades 7-12 Collins Writing Program – John Collins

13. Next Steps- Grades 1-6
Continue professional development on Writer’s Workshop
Provide professional development on the writing program
Continue to provide professional development in the craft of writing
Share and utilize the writing framework
On-going professional development

14. Next Steps- Grades 6-12 Continue Collins implementation in grades 6-12
Continue to provide professional development in the craft of writing
Share and utilize the writing framework
Determine FCA’s and provide professional development

15. Thank You