How are you going to use what you’ve learned from CAWP in your classroom?

• By being immersed in the writing project, we learned how to create a community of writers.
• The teaching demonstrations have modeledstrategies and techniques that meet the PA Standards.

• We have learned varied methods—in addition to the standard steps of the writing process—to help students create finished pieces.
• We have become more confident writers and feel better prepared to assist our students, particularly reluctant writers, to gain confidence.
• Our repertoires of revision strategies have quadrupled!

What are some specific lessons you could use with your class?

• We plan to use the lessons on poetry, revision, research, journaling, assessing web resources, summarizing, and creating fiction and non-fiction writing.
• The many kinesthetic methods we explored to teach and motivate writing can be adapted at any level. (EX: Play Doh sculpting of the writing process.)

How will this course impact the PSSA’s?

• This course proved the theory that the more you write, the better you write.
• We discovered ways to make the PSSA scoring guide more meaningful to our students.
• The writing lessons modeled multiple approaches to narrative, informative, and persuasive modes of writing.
• We learned how to integrate critical thinking into our lessons.
• We utilized the resources located in the Pennsylvania Literacy Framework materials.

How does this course address the issue of writing across the curriculum?

• Teachers from various subject areas shared information and learned ways to adapt the materials to their particular discipline.
• Teachers can readily develop prescriptive strategies to use with students of all levels and disciplines.
• The course content addresses critical thinking and reading. For example, we analyzed figurative language and participated in summarizing to enhance reading comprehension

What kind of research can you conduct to show the impact or value of what you have learned about writing?

• Ryan Best, Manheim Central: Will physical movement and manipulating visuals help 10th grade students improve their writing skills and written expression?
• Amy Burke, Cumberland Valley: Will student implementation of physical movement and manipulative visual aids improve writing skills and written expression?
• Lynn Daneberg, Central Dauphin: Will physical movement and manipulation of visuals help 6th grade students improve their writing skills and written expression?
• Deb Foulkrod, Harrisburg: Will use of movement during the Balanced Literacy block improve sixth grade students’ writing?
• Shimana Harris, Central Dauphin: Will understanding Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences impact the teaching of writing to my sixth grade students?
• Joy Hosler, Ephrata: Is there a connection between student handwriting and student Performance?
• Marilyn Pham, Harrisburg: Will there be an increase in English responses when ESL/ELL students are in a cooperative learning environment?
• Mary Richards, Susquehanna: Will the use of movement improve students’ writing abilities in the 7th grade Language Arts classroom?
• Sara Robinson, Graduate Student: Will physical movement and manipulative visuals help 9th grade students improve their writing?
• Amanda Ruane, Boiling Springs: Will understanding my teaching style through journaling help by students learn better?
• Lauren Sisenwain, Manheim Central: Will the incorporation of oral and written communication (working hand-in-hand) impact a students’ retention of information?
• Susan VanZile, Cumberland Valley: Will physical movement help 8th grade students improve their writing?
• Kristen Wirt, Lancaster-Lebanon IU #13: Will my journaling at the end of each day increase my understanding of my teaching?

How can you share what you have learned?

• By using these strategies and techniques in our classrooms, we will share the knowledge we have gained with thousands of students each year.
• To promote increased awareness of the importance of writing, we could share information with district administrators, school boards, and the community at large.
• We could make CAWP materials an integral part of the school’s professional library.
• To encourage networking with other teachers, we could model a mini-lesson or presentation for teachers within and outside of our departments.
• Using the technology we have in our buildings, we could communicate with our colleagues about effective strategies to promote literacy.
• Through CAWP and its network of teacher-consultants, we could offer quality professional development programs to school districts within our service area.