October+1,+2012


 * October 1st, 2012**

**PLG Focus Questions**
 * Leon Gin, Joanna Hopkins, Dave Evans, Ann Bolvin, Paul Deagle, Ryan Smith, Shannon Ryan, Gordon Small, Brad Cyr, Dorothy Small, Bill Laney, Margaux Files**
 * 1) //1.// **How many teachers in the group are teaching at grade level for the majority of their time?** //After polling the group we found a range of totally mixed classes in Art and Foreign Language to teachers with a third of their classes being 10th level to a couple that are mostly 10th level.//


 * 1) **2.** **Brainstorm the types of writing AND the types of assignments we have students do.**

English //Paul shared that he works with all 4 types of writing but usually each piece is a mix of all 4. Ryan stated that he also works with all elements but tends to work with expository with a persuasive element.// //Assignments include; Quick Writes, short answer, and constructive response. There are not a lot of research paper assignments for sophomores.// //When asked what the difference between constructive and short answer is, they shared that “Basically Short answer is more focused.” They do not do formal essays that often but they do quick writes.//

//Expository paper with direct quotes will happen after January with the book Mocking Bird. So the beginnings of research papers start there.//

//Paul works with them on the Common Ap and college essays. He tries to get them to think of ways to make this essay unique. Something that makes the essay stand out.//

//About 20% of writing is formal enough to be word-processed.//

Math //Tessellation assignments have an essay of three to five pages due with the project. Brad shared the concern that VERY few have had experience with this type of writing assignment. This is a formal essay where a reference page is expected.//

//Longer Expository papers in Math happen twice a year, Tessellation and Package Design projects both include and Expository/descriptive. Paper. Nothing is accepted hand written all must be MLA and word-processed. Quick Writes and short answer assignments happen weekly.//

//How important is reading? Since we have gone away from the book there is less reading. Even though the Math text is rated low [|exile level] it is not, it is hard.// Science //Science does not teach the Expository but she expects it to be done. Some Expository and Persuasive writing is expected and the expectation is that students will do this on their own outside of class. Quick writes, short answer, lab reports are expected. Physics is trying to work one really big lab in per quarter. They do not do research papers but lots of paragraphs, short answer quick write. Something is expected everyday from Ann. Very little is word processed because they rarely get the computers in class; work is to be done as homework and in study halls.//

Art //Very little writing is expected; their quick writes are done more visually then in writing. There are too many different levels in one class to expect the Reading/writing. They tend to have to read to the students to be sure they all understand. Teachers are showing movies and discussing vocabulary as part of curriculum, which is less of a hit on materials. Joanna shared they might write once every couple weeks and that she would like to do more but the classes are so mixed with maturity and ability levels it is too hard to expect. With so many levels it is hard to access their potential and support their work. They come in expecting to just ‘do art’ and not read or write. It is more about generating ideas then writing. Joanna, “A lot of what we are doing is unshackling images from words. Trying to deconstruct stereotypic thinking, which really happens in the discussions and is needed more for these kids then writing in the box. For some artists there are no words and for some there are.”//

Foreign Language //Cannot say he teaches any of this writing. Closest to it would be Quick Write. It is more of a review to generate vocabulary and fluency test. It is hard to relate to this as they work with words and how they fit to together. So they are dealing with nouns, verbs, pronouns, etc. Students tend to give short answer every day, Quick Write about once every two weeks on a quick write. They translate more orally then in writing. “How do you say… and he will write it on board.//

Business //They do a lot of quick writes, short answers, and narrative on reflective side. Right now it is more terminology until the build up to the more formal writing like resumes, cover letters, etc. Essays are hand written for now but when they get into portfolios, which will be word-processed.//

History //History does a lot of Quick Writes and short answer they are currently working on the 5-part essay. Students at lower ability levels will be expected to do a 3-part essay. AP Kids are expected to have a 3rd person formal essay with thesis statement, body, reflections etc. It is really about them coming up with a position and using historical evidence to back up their opinions. Bibliography must have three sources. They are expected to show in the essay where that reference comes in to strengthen the answer. Indirect Quote are expected. Outline is expected before the essay. The big questions is what do you do with the curriculum when you have to allow time for writing.//

//The bottom line for Bill is that when he does this writing the journey through the curriculum slows down. Paul shared that in English it can be the same because in a same day the enormous diversity of skills must be addressed.//

Guidance //Guidance does not really have them write. When they are seniors they would do the college essay with English teachers. Nothing they do is graded. Their writing comes through the Career and College Prep class. Students are referred to the English teachers for help. She will read the essay, make notes, etc. but refers out. The process is not formal; they talk about it but work with English.//


 * 1) **3.** **What types of writing skills do you assess on your rubrics or in your grading of these assignments?**

English //Point of view or thesis that exhibits critical thinking// //Organization// //Mechanics// //Teachers look at the process and bring in the stage of writing that is appropriate to the assignment. In a sketch where it is just a free write he does not look at the mechanics, etc. There are appropriate things to look at depending on the stage. He makes sure that what he is checking for in the rubric is appropriate to the stage. He would not grade everything in the pre-write. It is important to get something flowing before you can get ready to take to the final from. When they are writing about something they care about they will write better.//

//Teachers noted that when done at home their writing is not as strong because they are too distracted. But in class they have to focus and the writing improves.//

Science //Science does a lot of [|Cornell notes] // //and summarizing.// //They look for topic sentence structure, capitalization in the right place, correct punctuation, proper use of verbs, etc. They watch out for I statements in the summary.//

Math //In the Tessellation project 15% of grade is based on the writing paper. Mechanics, word choice, sources are all looked at. The rough draft is more of an organizational thing with 4 different questions that are put into the essay.//

Art //Art does not access on the writing skills, they just try to get them to reread and to make sure they write exactly what they want to say. They can talk it out but need to be able to get it own. Joanna stated that learning to draw is learning to write. They need to draw/write, revise etc. The process is there; the same thinking and understanding happen but it is drawing instead of writing. Paul shared if they were to read their written pieces aloud they could see their errors and revise. Reading your work aloud will help improve the piece. Have them send in an audio file before the final file.//

Social Studies //History uses a couple different types of rubrics, but basically proper grammar, structure etc. are expected. They do not weight it that high only about 10% or so and have put very little emphasis on it in past. They are now looking more at the rubric to see how they can double score kids, one for content and one score for written content. They are still in the process of how to do it, how to weigh it, how often, etc. They believe the writing is important and need to demand more of it and more quality. They would like to get beyond the immediate response of “How many words do I have to write?” to being able to just say “tell me what you need to tell me” without worrying about how much work they need to do.//

It was shared that we have a huge amount of kids who are underserved. They could do so well with upper level of classes of just writing. Why can’t we have specific writing classes like other schools? When asked where this type of writing classes went to Paul explained with MLA/Standardized testing took this away.
 * 1) **4.** **What are some conclusions we can draw about the student writing experience at this grade level?**

Would a good focus for this year be to look at the possibility of having Creative and Expository/Research writing classes offered as semester classes?

Where is the Creative Writing in our curriculum? We are noticing it is just not there. Paul gave the example of having Social Studies write about a historical happening in a creative way. “A conversation between two signers of the Constitution.”