Program teaches children power of the pen

The difference between the two stories is striking.

The first is two nearly bare pages, with two garbled sentences, illustrated by a single pencil drawing. The second, a tale about a little girl's morning routine, has much more detail, the words and pictures filling three full pages. The cheery sketches are carefully labeled: house, flowers, fence, sun.

The author is a Van Asselt second-grader who is learning English as a second language -- and the two stories were written just over two months apart.

"It's so incredible to see the growth," said Dan Coles, the literacy program manager for Seattle Public Schools.

Thanks to the Writer's Workshop program, such rapid progress is becoming more common for Seattle students, he said.

The curriculum, developed by Columbia University Teachers College, has been in place in Seattle middle schools and in various grades at K-8 schools since fall 2006. Four elementary schools are testing out the Writer's Workshop program this year: Coe, Olympic Hills, Madrona and Loyal Heights. District officials hope to eventually expand the program to all the elementary schools.

The basic format is the same at each school: A daily mini-lesson to introduce a new writing technique, followed by about 40 minutes of writing to help students hone their skills.

The program has been adapted for younger children, who are usually still learning how to read and write. They're encouraged to start by drawing pictures to illustrate their stories and gradually progress to labeling their sketches. Soon, they're using "best-guess" spelling to sound out words and choose the letter or letters that match the sound.

It may take them awhile to pick up the basics of writing, such as correct spelling, grammar and sentence structure, "but they're seeing themselves as writers, which is thrilling," Coles said.

At Coe Elementary, second-grade teacher Kate Kristian said her students not only are writing more, but also are demonstrating an understanding of such writing tools as dialogue or using ellipses to add drama.

Like her students, Kristian carries a notebook to jot down observations and stories she writes and shares her work with the children. Lessons are structured so that students can work at their own pace, while Kristian circulates around the room to meet with them one-on-one and assess each student's strengths and weaknesses.

That's the best part about Writer's Workshop, she said: "It's not a one-size-fits-all curriculum."

On a recent school day, Kristian's students were wrapping up their "how-to" books: "How to Make Popcorn," "How to Send an E-mail," "How to Be A Spy."

Ben Reed took a break from working on his latest story, "How to Climb A Ladder," to reflect on his writing skills. "In the beginning of the year, I wasn't very good," he said, thumbing through his portfolio. "I'm not saying I'm good now," he hastened to add. "But it's easier."

Students choose their own writing topics, though they're often encouraged to write about "small moments" -- as literacy coach Kris Barnes explains, "we're not going to tell a watermelon story, we're going to pick out and write about the seed."

Coe Principal David Elliott applied to bring Writer's Workshop to his school this year partly in hopes of boosting students' writing scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. But already, he said, he's noticed other benefits: His students are more confident writers and having their work displayed in the hallways has helped build a sense of community at the school.

He recently toured schools in New York that have used the curriculum for years, and hopes to see similar results here. "It was eye-opening," he said. "It just absolutely transforms a school."

FROM FEW WORDS TO MANY

These two stories, written just two months apart by a second-grader who is learning English as a second language, show how quickly students' writing skills can develop through the Writer's Workshop program.

The program has been in place in Seattle middle schools and K-8s since fall of 2006, and expanded this year to four elementary schools. Students learn new writing techniques and hone their own skills through daily writing exercises.

SEPTEMBER 2007

NOVEMBER 2007