Date: Sat 25-Apr-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

schools-writing-initiative

Full Text:

K-12 Writing Initiative-

Following A `Coherent Path'

To Writing Excellence

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

The vision in its most essential form pictures a student moving from writing

experience to writing experience, from subject area to subject area, from

grade to grade, from school to school, on a journey of continuous reflection

and improvement - one that is not distracted by different approaches and

standards.

We owe our students a coherent path toward excellence in writing.

Bob Kuklis, Assistant Superintendent

Newtown Public Schools

You could say it's written in stone: To succeed in college and beyond,

students must be able to express themselves clearly in writing.

Not only that, they must be able to read and understand many examples and

styles of writing, and respond to literature with their own essays or answers

demonstrating a minimum of mechanical errors.

One would hope that logical thinking and a mastery of the language ought to

result in good writing, but, unfortunately, that doesn't always happen.

We've all heard the complaint by many US colleges and universities on the

subject of undergraduates' writing skills: no matter how well prepared the

incoming freshmen are in science, math or computer skills, many of them still

can't write.

Simply knowing how to punch the spell check function before handing in a paper

doesn't solve writing problems.

To improve students' writing skills, some colleges require a crash course in

writing proficiency designed to bring the freshmen up to speed. But educators

know that good writing isn't learned overnight. Already, valuable time has

been lost.

K-12 Curriculum

For two years, Newtown educators and administrators have been engaged in a

program aimed at raising the level of students' writing skills.

A districtwide K-12 Writing Initiative group was formed in the spring of 1995,

specifically to boost and enhance the writing curriculum starting in

kindergarten.

Led by Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Kuklis, the Writing Strand

Action Research Team decided to involve all concerned parties in workshops

that would explore the writing process.

Board of education members, building principals, teachers, parents, and, most

of all, students have become "actively engaged," as Dr Kuklis said recently,

in a districtwide movement toward "self-direction." New writing content and

writing performance standards are being set.

The writing team was also spurred by the 1995 receipt of a substantial grant

from the Connecticut School Improvement Initiative, enabling the group to

enlarge its goal.

Several workshops were scheduled, centered on examples of student writing and

different writing forms that the Newtown students were being taught in their

classrooms.

Workshops To Raise

Writing Awareness

As the workshops and self-evaluation process went on, certain districtwide

writing needs became apparent to the Writing Initiative team: there was need

for a common language for talking about writing; there was need to recognize

districtwide standards for excellence in written work; and there was need for

a clear recognition of the importance of variety, student self-reflection, and

use of rubrics in writing assignments.

To answer those needs, the K-12 writing group gathered frequently throughout

1996/97 to consider how to create a coherent K-12 curriculum having certain

content and performance standards and suggesting ways to raise student

performance levels.

Several Newtown teachers, administrators and students attended an area

workshop sponsored by the Connecticut School Improvement Initiative, titled

"Scaling Up: Scoring and Exploring Students' Work - The Conversation

Continues."

The meeting, held March 12, 1997 at the University of Hartford, was attended

by more than 200 people from schools including Pomperaug/District 15, Newtown,

and Reading Public Schools, Mass.

The Newtown contingent included fourth grade teacher Bobby Prewitt, Middle

School language arts teacher and coordinator Nancy Martin, Newtown High School

language arts teacher Jeanetta Miller, and third grade teacher Maura Drabik.

The six Newtown students who attended were Matt Schmitt from the fourth grade;

Katrina Buyers, Sue Kim and Seth Guiterman from Newtown Middle School; and

Sarah Demand and Jessica Schwartz from Newtown High School.

Bob Kuklis was a conference presenter as was Linda Siciliano, principal of

Hawley Elementary School, who spoke on the School Improvement Process and

incorporation of the writing incentive.

"All grade levels were well represented," Dr Kuklis said.

Seventh Graders Respond

As part of Newtown's presentation to the March 12 writing conference

attendees, a collection of reflective essays by Newtown Middle School seventh

graders was handed out to the participants.

After looking through their writing portfolios, the students reflected upon

what they had learned about the writing process. Excerpts of their essays are

included below.

On self-directedness:

By the near closing of the school year I find I can write more smoothly as my

ideas currently flood onto a page of paper, and such problems that taunted me

in the beginning, now seem to have disappeared (or at least have gone into

hiding). (Sue Kim)

This year, I've written more than ever and it has been kind of fun... Most

important of all is that I've realized that I'm a decent writer. My

conclusions are sometimes rushed because I want to finish. (Seth Guiterman)

On the writing process:

In the beginning, I always relied on a thesaurus; now it often comes to me.

(Katrina Buyers)

My first draft is usually just a focus point for me; my second has more body;

and my third is where I develop elaboration. (Sue Kim)

On their ability to understanding content:

I hope to use the poems I write to express the feelings I have on the

Holocaust and racial tensions. I'm glad the door of poetry was opened to me.

(Sue Guiterman)

"Driving Miss Daisy" was a screen play, but the story of Hoke and Daisy was

very touching. The country was in the midst of segregation and, of course,

there was awkwardness because Hoke was an African-American and Daisy was not.

Yet, they were able to look past their many differences and, with time, they

found a dependency and friendship with one another. (Sue Kim)

The most challenging piece of writing for me this year was the resume and

cover letter. I had to think about the things I had to include to be hired for

a "job." Inventing facts about me [for the assignment] was very difficult.

(Katrina Buyers)

Parents Test Their Skills

The Newtown K-12 Writing Initiative group held a Parent Workshop March 26

during the evening to which 175 parents came, in response to an all-school

mailing.

"In order to improve student achievement in writing, we need time to talk

about writing and to write ourselves," was the challenge that Assistant

Superintendent Bob Kuklis held out to the parents, enticing them to attend.

The eight teachers who led the workshop were: Debbie Cowden, Hawley

math/science specialist; elementary teachers Jackie McMann, Bobby Prewitt and

Yvonne Hunt; middle school teachers Nancy Martin and Cathy Cincogrono; and

Newtown High School teachers John Terenzi and Jeanetta Miller.

Other teachers present were Kathy Swift from the high school, Sam Haber from

Sandy Hook and Arline Lathrop from Newtown Middle School.

Several of the same writing exercises were used as were presented to members

of the Newtown Board of Education during a similar writing workshop in

mid-September, 1996.

The parents were asked to dust off their imaginations and try their hand at a

number of different styles of writing, including a persuasive letter, a bumper

sticker, a wish list, a saturation report (writing steadily for five minutes

about everything that you see, hear, feel, smell and taste), and an acrostic

poem.

"The parents got to know what it feels like to be students," Dr Kuklis said,

adding their reactions were extremely positive.

Several parents called the experience "enjoyable." Some admitted they were

"uptight" at first and felt afraid they wouldn't be able to write fluently.

Further examples of the parents' comments follow:

I wasn't sure how you could fill two hours but having been through it, I wish

it had been longer.

I appreciated the chance to write because I rarely do.

I learned that writing is a process; don't criticize [students'] spelling or

grammar; instead, ask "what do you like/not like?"

Tonight's process made me very aware of how easy it was to write on topics

that meant something to me personally, that hit me emotionally. How much more

difficult when asked to write a "report" on something that holds no personal

meaning. Also, knowing the audience to whom you're writing... helps.