Brought to the District by our own Brody Maloney, a fifth grade teacher, Rondout Valley Junior School is jumping on board with The Writing Revolution! This research-based framework for teaching writing is for students in kindergarten through grade 12. In fact, our district has made The Writing Revolution one of our top initiatives for the 2024-25 school year. As students move through the grades, they will learn to build and expand their sentences. This will allow students to write longer written responses, such as paragraphs and essays, with more ease. Emphasis will be placed on the planning and revising phases of the writing process in order for students to produce the best writing possible. In addition, students will be taught to write grammatically correct sentences and be encouraged to stretch their vocabulary.
As part of The Writing Revolution framework, students will write in every grade in every class. Writing across the curriculum will help students to master the content taught in each subject area. Teachers and students will also use consistent language throughout the grades to help students thrive as they become skilled writers. Instructional coach Colleen Vitti is working with both teachers and students in the Junior High School to help our students grow as writers. You can help at home by asking to see what your child is writing, encouraging them to share out loud what they have written and to offer feedback and help in making improvements.
The 6 principles of The Writing Revolution involve the following:
Students need explicit instruction in writing, beginning in the early grades.
Sentences are the building blocks of all writing.
When embedded in the content of the curriculum, writing instruction is a powerful teaching tool.
The content of the curriculum drives the rigor of the writing activities.
Grammar is best taught in the context of student writing.
The two most important phases of the writing process are planning and revising.
