Envisioning a Desired State of Writing: Moving from Current to the Desired State of Writing

Overview

Once the Committee developed belief statements, they then identified "desired States" from both the teacher perspective and that of the learner. Once those were drafted, they were aligned to the belief statements. Below is a example of how districts and schools can align desired State with belief statements. The research included in the "Sample Framework Aligning Beliefs with Desired States" section is not an exhaustive list, but provides a connection anchoring the Committee's beliefs on writing and the teaching of writing.

How to Align Belief Statements with Your School's Desired State of Writing

To assist school leaders and teams with the process of aligning belief statements with their desired states of writing, the Committee included a sample team planning document created and used by the D-11 school district. The team planning document, which was created during the Committee's June 2021 working session, is divided into four sections:

Key Identifiers. This section asks teams to identify where, who, and why.
- Where: Identify your division, department, and/or school
- Who: Which individuals hold a writing instruction role at your school? Which stakeholders are direct recipients of writing instruction?
- Why: What is the purpose and intended outcome of writing instruction at your school?
Educator Lens. This section asks each team member to review the belief statements (and/or belief contract) created by the team. Then, consider how each statement will be operationalized in their individual role. For example, how will the principal support teachers in effectively teaching writing? (e.g., curricula materials and resources, professional development, schoolwide focus in every content area, etc.). Each member will clearly define the current state, desired state, and action steps needed to move from the current to the desired state.
Student Lens. This section asks each team member to review belief statements from the learner's or student's perspective. Then, consider how each belief statement will be experienced by students connected to the team member's role. Each member will clearly define the current state, desired state, and action steps needed to move from the current to the desired state.
Success Indicators. This section is designed to determine how individual team members will monitor success toward the intended outcomes of writing instruction. It is broken into what, how, and when.
- What: Identify success criteria. What success indicators ensure sustainable implementation of writing instruction?
- How: Do our outcomes align with our goals? How will we monitor and report on writing from an accountability lens? Accountability = fidelity or commitment to writing and writing instruction across content areas.
- When: Are we utilizing the role of "writing" appropriately? When we plan for continuous cycles of improvement and reflection?

**A Sample Framework Aligning Beliefs with Desired States**
Belief Statements	Research Supporting the Belief	Desired State: Teacher Look-Fors	Desired State: Stuent Look-Fors
We believe that writing instruction . . .
approaches writing as a unique and distinct literacy, equally as important as reading.	Framework for Success "Developing Critical Thinking" (page 11)	Teachers deliver predictable, dedicated writing instruction, and allow for writing time in all classrooms.	Students interact with and respond to different modes of communication and texts. In addition to written texts, students consider communication in a variety of "texts". For example, songs, photographs, visual art, dance, multimedia, and infographics.
is foundational to all content.	Colorado Academic Standards (Prepared Graduate #10)	Teachers in all academic disciplines will create authentic writing experiences for students that demonstrate the specific literacy demands and expectations in their content area. Teachers strategically integrate literacy skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) across content areas. (CDE Teacher rubric)	Students engage in writing experiences in all content areas. Students demonstrate proficiency in writing in the discipline for all content areas. Students understand differences in written communication for each academic discipline. Students draw real-world connections to other content area(s). (CDE Teacher rubric)
offers students opportunities to write to think, write to learn, and write to demonstrate learning.	NCTE Statement Principle 3.4 Framework for Success "Developing Critical Thinking" (page 11) Habits of Mind Project Write Now (for young writers) Project Write Now (for teens/adolescents)	Teachers collaboratively use common writing assessments and common standards-based rubrics (i.e., Revision Assistant) to evaluate the effectiveness of writing instruction among groups of students. Teachers assign challenging tasks and opportunities that encourage students to ask questions and construct new meaning.	Students have opportunities to engage in discipline-specific writing in all content areas. Students will have choice for demonstrating learning through writing. Students will engage in critical thinking and inquiry to generate ideas gather information, and communicate their findings. Students confer with peers and instructors that move learning forward.
emphasizes writing formats, structures, and modes that mirror those found in the real world.	NCTE Statement Principle 1.1 NCTE Statement Principle 2.3 Framework for Success "Developing Knowledge of Conventions" (page 9) Colorado Academic Standards (Prepared Graduate Statement #6, 7, and 8)	Teacher teach text structures that are found in different modes of writing: narrative, informational, argument. Teachers include a variety of genre within those modes, including but not limited to: (narrative: personal narrative, memoir, "slice of life," biography, autobiography: informative: lab, report, process paper, nature writing, blog posts; argumentative: editorials, problem-solution essays, proposals, commentary, speeches, critiques). Teachers teach syntax (grammar, syntactic awareness, sentence elaboration, and punctuation).	Students produce texts which resemble real world texts (what they can find in a library or bookstore, as well as all the types of text used in the visual and performing arts). Students understand and can meet specific demands of writing for digital media. Students write in many relevant formats to include professional, journal, blogs, infographics, articles, letters (formal and informal), emails, choreography, theater blocking, diagrams, etc.
empowers students to communicate and connect with the world.	Framework for Success "Developing Rhetorical Knowledge" Project Write Now (for young writers) What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Elementary Students to Write Effectively Project Write Now (for teens/adolescents) What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively	Teachers provide opportunities for students to communicate with individuals from many communities and cultures in a variety of modes of genres. Teachers provide students relevant and responsive writing opportunities that allow for exploration of current cultural events.	Students understand and value of storytelling as a connection point among cultures. Students consider different perspectives that their audience may have based on culture, knowledge based on culture, knowledge base, experience, and other factors.
equips students with the ability to apply and transfer the writing process strategically in new situations.	NCTE Statement Principle 2.4 Framework for Success "Composing in Multiple Environments" (page 10) Project Write Now (for young writers) What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Elementary Students to Write Effectively Project Write Now (for teens/adolescents) What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively	Teachers' text written by professional writers that illustrate the writing process and polished, published pieces. Teachers provide multiple entry points and planning models for students to choose from when engaging in the writing process to make their own. Teachers deliberately embed writing instruction in all content areas and provide a variety of opportunities.	Students graduate from Colorado public schools equipped with the writing skills needed to successfully enter higher education, the military, or the workforce.
is a process, rather than a program.	Framework for Success "Developing Flexible Writing Processes" (page 7) Implementing the Writing Process	Teachers model an approach to writing that is consistent, adaptable, and applicable to both familiar writing tasks and new writing opportunities students might encounter in PK-12 and beyond. Teachers will provide authentic opportunities to develop, strengthen, and publish written work and gain audience feedback with using digital tools. Teachers provide access to authentic mentor texts, mentor authors, anchor charts, rubrics to guide instruction. Teachers will chunk exemplar texts to teach about structures and patterns of writing (not just as formulaic product). Teachers model writing by writing along with students. Teachers uses the gradual release of responsibility model for writing.	Students co-create rubrics and writing goals with teachers. Students internalize their own writing process and have the agency to determine best approaches to a given piece of writing.
fosters students’ growth in the writing process and treats the development of “students as writer” with emphasis given to both the writing process and the written product.	NCTE Statement Principle 3.1 Framework for Success “Developing Flexible Writing Processes” (page 8)	Teachers support students in reflecting on their writing growth. Teachers address individual student needs through differentiated instruction and conferencing. Teachers provide consistent, frequent and focused feedback throughout the process. Teachers model using writing time and assignments as an avenue for self-expression and personal growth.	Students co-create rubrics and writing goals with teachers. Students internalize their own writing process and have the agency to determine best approaches to a given piece of writing.
establishes a classroom community of writers.	What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Elementary Students to Write Effectively Project Write Now (for teens/adolescents) What Works Clearinghouse: Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively	Teachers create an environment that fosters inquiry, intellectual curiosity, and support for each member of the class. Teachers deliver lessons that consider and respect students’ backgrounds and contextual knowledge. Teachers promote ethical behavior of students as individuals and as members of a community.	Students respect the uniqueness of fellow students. Students advocate for multiple aspects of diversity, equity, and social awareness.
supports the development of all students toward becoming effective writers (i.e., by attending to culturally responsive instruction, adapting writing tasks to meet students’ needs, providing multiple opportunities for feedback) with expectations that each child will write well.	NCTE Statement Principle 2.1 NCTE Statement Principle 2.2 NCTE Statement Principle 3.1 NCTE Statement Principle 3.3 Student Centered Classroom Instruction	Teachers differentiate feedback to students throughout the writing process and adjust instruction based on individual needs to move the student forward. Teachers provide guidance through a variety of feedback opportunities: written comments, conferences to foster student growth. Teachers model how to incorporate feedback to improve learning. Teachers provide students opportunities to revise their work based on feedback.	Students discuss their growth in writing and their achievement on individual writing tasks with the teacher, family, and/or significant adults. Students provide feedback to peers. Students monitor and revise their learning goals based on feedback. Students demonstrate growth over time. Student growth is seen from the beginning of a school year until the end AND it is observed, for example, from the beginning of middle school to the end of middle school, or the beginning of high school until graduation.

Again, the aforementioned serves as a model of the work of the June 2021 committee. Schools, like districts, can adopt and make changes. It is important to note, that schools who adopt the above sample will need to build upon the body of research as it is not an exhaustive list. They may also want to build out more supporting documents and examples to help teachers and all other adults responsible for writing instruction effectively implement and sustain implementation efforts through existing systems and structures already in place. Systems and structures may need to be created if none exist that will help the school implement writing instruction across content areas. The Colorado Department of Education can assist school leaders with implementation efforts.

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