826michigan: Workshops

Students and families who are interested in some dynamite writing workshops should check out the offerings from 826michigan.org. This fantastic group has worked with our students at King in the past, and they were highly regarded.

826michigan's current classes sound pretty interesting and include:
Drop-in Writing Time!
Winter Woof-erland
Poetry off the Page: Turning Objects into Poetry
Choose Your Own Adventure
Writing Funny Short Stories
PJ Day!
AND MORE!!!

For a complete list of current 826michigan workshops, click below:
826michigan: Workshops

PHOTO: Enjoying The Last Session Of After School Creative Writing Workshop (updated)

Thanks to Chairperson Camille Ziolek, EMU professor Carolyn Berge, and the EMU students who helped to run a fantastic after-school creative writing workshop this fall. The final session last night was tremendously enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed all of the post card group and the adventure story group. Great work, kids!

10-Things To Know About Writing

1. All children can and should write. From the time your children can hold a crayon, encourage them to draw, scribble and write. In order to be successful and fluent writers, students need to know they can write--even if it doesn't look perfect!
2. Teachers must help students find real purposes to write. Help your children communicate their hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns. When your children see writing as serving a real purpose, they will be more likely to try it.
3. Students need to take ownership and responsibility. Kid writing should sound like kid writing! When kids believe that their writing is their own, they will become more likely to invest themselves in it.
4. Effective writing programs involve the complete writing process. Our children like all writers, have different ways of approaching writing tasks. Tune in to your children's learning styles and needs as writers. Writing in different styles and genres will take time. Some genres will take just one draft while others will take multiple drafts.
   
5. Teachers can help students get started. Talk with your children about their ideas and encourage them to draw, freewrite, and make lists of verbs in order to get started.
6. Teachers can help students draft and revise. Listen to our children's drafts and ask real questions about content. Heartfelt questions are the best way to encourage kids to keep on writing.
7. Grammar and mechanics are best learned in the context of actual writing. If you notice errors in conventions in your children's writing, pick just one area at a time to work on (such as punctuation, dialogue, or capitalization). You might also refer to real texts (books, newspapers, letters, magazines) to see how published authors tackle issues of punctuation, spelling and more.
8. Students need real audiences and a classroom context of shared learning. Help your children find real audiences (family, friends, neighbors) to communicate with.
9. Writing should extend throughout the curriculum. You can write just about anything at home: letters to family and friends, songs and plays to perform for the family, lists for grocery shopping . . . The list is endless!
10. Effective teachers use evaluation constructively and efficiently. Your job as a parent is to encourage and support any effort your children make in writing. Be lavish in praise and specific and limited in your suggestions for improvement.

Attention 4th and 5th Grade Creative Writers!

Spaces are still available in the Creative Writing Workshop!

Bring your creativity and your great ideas-for adventure stories, poems, graphic novels, plays, or any type of creative writing.  You'll get to work with writers and writing teachers, discover how to take your creative writing to the next level, and have lots of fun, too.

It's on Wednesdays, after school until 5pm, beginning October 21st and ending December 2nd.  Ask at the school office for an extra sign-up sheet, or contact Camille Ziolekacziolek@oaklandcc.edu   

Nice Paragraphs!

Mrs. Gracey's class recently finished writing personal narratives, and they are now hanging in the hallway. If you look closely at the picture you can see the shape of some very nice paragraphs, something they focused on during second grade and during this writing unit.

Keep up the GREAT WORK!

Did you know that Simba the Library Lion loves getting mail?

Going anywhere this summer? Or staying right here, close to home? Either way, here’s a fun, optional idea for families: send Simba a postcard!

Simba is our new, nearly life-sized stuffed lion, a library addition beloved by all the kids. It’d be really fun if you would send him a postcard (or two, or more!) during our summer vacation. All of his mail will be put into a display next fall so that we can all talk about and share our summer adventures.

So whether you send us a card from other continents or from good ol’ Ann Arbor, please address it to:

Simba Lion
King School
3800 Waldenwood
Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Happy summer! Mrs. O’Keefe, Media Specialist

Sign Up For Family Writing Night

Parent Writing Workshop Opportunity from 826michigan.org

MLK Parents--If you haven't been to one of the Parent Writing Workshops previously at MLK, you should considered attending the one below sponsored by 826michigan.org.
Kevin

How to Help Your Child Write: A Workshop for Parents.
Monday, January 19, 2009, 6:30-8pm

Do you need ideas on how to foster your child's creativity? Are you looking for sure-fire ways to support your student writer? If so, this is the workshop you've been waiting for. Join Kim Pavlock & co. from the Eastern Michigan Writing Project for what is sure to be a life-changing evening. (This workshop is for parents only, no children please. We have plenty of workshops for kids, as you well know.)

Space is limited, and YES, it's free, so register for this workshop now by emailing Amy@826michigan.org. Hope to see you there!

10 Myths About Learning To Write

During the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years, the MLK School Improvement Team offered several parent education sessions entitled "Parent Writing Workshop." About 120 MLK families attended the sessions with presenters from the Eastern Michigan Writing Project, who shared helpful information that translate into the "Do's" and "Don'ts" of helping with writing. CLICK HERE if you'd like to review the suggestions from the meetings. If you'd like to attend a similar session on January 19 from 6:30 - 8 PM sponsored by 826michigan.org, CLICK HERE for more information.

Whether you came to the sessions or not, I thought King parents might be interested in the piece below, which I found in an online newsletter I receive. While the enumerated list is interesting, the explanations of each item really struck me as helpful and clarifying. I encourage you to print this, put it on your refrigerator (or somewhere else you will see it as time goes by), and read it from time to time.

10 Myths about Learning to Write
from the National Council of Teachers of English

Do you have fond memories of learning to write? Most people would say “No!" They’d probably add, "Writing was hard—I never got it right!"

Learning to write IS difficult. But sometimes people get discouraged for the wrong reasons. They fall into the trap of believing things about writing that just aren't true.

Members of the National Council of Teachers of English want to set the record straight with this list of myths about learning to write.

1. Kids hate to write.
It's sad but true that some kids come to hate writing through bad experiences. Yet no one is born hating to write. For instance, kids love to tell stories—their own stories—from events at school, other kids, TV, daydreams, and more. When kids begin by writing their own stories, they learn to love to write.

2. Real writers get it right the first time.
Most of us can't even write a grocery list without making some changes. Even famous authors, poets, and journalists have to produce a few rough drafts before arriving at their best work. The important thing is to keep writing until you've said what you mean.

3. Kids have nothing interesting to say.
Are you kidding? Anyone who's spent any time around kids knows they're full of lively and unique ideas about the world around them. And they always seem to find things to tell their friends. If we just give kids chances to write down their ideas, we’ll be amazed with what they come up with.

4. You have to know what you are going to say before you begin writing.
The funny thing about writing is that it actually helps you think. Many writers don’t discover exactly what they’re trying to say until after they’ve written for pages. Writing not only helps kids think deeply, but it helps them find out what they already know—not just in English class but in everything from math to biology to music.

5. If you can’t spell, you can’t write.
Oh, yes you can! Good writers first write all their thoughts and ideas. Then they revise, revise, revise until they’re satisfied they’ve said what they want to say. Then—and only then—is it time to edit for spelling and other rules such as capitalization, punctuation, and word usage.

6. Writing is built one sentence at a time.
Writing is made up of words and sentences but it’s actually written first as chunks of ideas. Kids don’t need to master the sentence before they go on to the paragraph. They just need to start writing any way they can—revising is for later.

7. Only great writers can be creative.
Baloney! Different types of writing—including creative writing like poems and plays—have different challenges, but there's no law that says kids have to learn one type first. What's important is that kids choose the best type of writing for what they want to say—whether a poem, a letter, or a report.

8. Good writers work alone.
There's probably a good writer somewhere who likes to write in a quiet closet. But most writers today are people who work in busy offices or classrooms, and who write with frequent input from their coworkers and peers. Young writers learn even more when they are part of a "community" of others—sharing ideas, asking questions, and revising their writing.

9. You can spot a good writer at a glance.
There is no gene for writing! Good writers don't all look the same, they don’t all learn the same, and they don't all use the same methods. Some writers jot a lot of notes before starting to write; others jump right in; some writers outline; some doodle in the margins while they think; some write best to music; some write best sitting under a tree. The point is that all writers are individuals and need to discover what works best for them.

10. Poor marks make good writers.
A student paper dripping with blood-red marks on every line does not a better writer make. Kids do learn best when they get feedback, but harsh grading isn’t the answer. Writers improve by first learning what parts they wrote well and then focusing on what parts still need work.

Writing Skills Are Life Skills

Over the past two years, over 125 King families participated in parent education workshops that shared ideas on how to write with your child. You might remember these were sponsored by the King School Improvement Team. The text below comes from a National Council of Teachers of English publication and talks about some of the same ideas. The article even quotes one of the King workshop presenters, Cathy Fleishcer. Check it out by clicking the link!

When we encourage our children to do all sorts of writing, they learn to write for life. NCTE members Cathy Fleischer and Dara Mosher are quoted in this OC Family, November 2008 article.

King PTO After School Writing Workshop -Back by Popular Demand!

DEAR WORLD: Writing About Your Environment

Are you in 3rd or 4th grade, love the outdoors and being creative? If the answer is "yes," then this writing workshop is for you! Be prepared to go outdoors, observe nature, and become more aware of your environment. You can choose to write letters, poems, stories, songs, or favorite memories. You can also add drawings, photos, or paintings to your written pieces. Bring your curiosity and love of nature with you on this fun writing adventure!

This PTO-sponsored workshop is free to King 3rd and 4th graders. It runs on Wednesdays after school until 5pm, beginning on October 15th with our final celebration on December 3rd. Space is limited, and we enroll on a first-come-first-served basis. Look for the sign-up sheet in backpack-mail soon!

Questions? Contact Camille Ziolek acziolek@oaklandcc.edu

King PTO After School Writing Workshop -Back by Popular Demand!

DEAR WORLD: Writing About Your Environment

Are you in 3rd or 4th grade, love the outdoors and being creative? If the answer is "yes," then this writing workshop is for you! Be prepared to go outdoors, observe nature, and become more aware of your environment. You can choose to write letters, poems, stories, songs, or favorite memories. You can also add drawings, photos, or paintings to your written pieces. Bring your curiosity and love of nature with you on this fun writing adventure!

This PTO-sponsored workshop is free to King 3rd and 4th graders. It runs on Wednesdays after school until 5pm, beginning on October 15th with our final celebration on December 3rd. Space is limited, and we enroll on a first-come-first-served basis. Look for the sign-up sheet in backpack-mail soon!

Questions? Contact Camille Ziolek acziolek@oaklandcc.edu

Summer Writing for 4th and 5th Graders

The AAPS has set up three prompts for 2007-08 fourth and fifth grade students to respond to with MyAccess this summer. All prompts are active from June 16th through August 22nd and are set up for unlimited submissions for all 4th and 5th grade students who have active MyAccess licenses.

The first two prompts, Top Vacation Place and Sports Teams, are scored intellimetrically. The third prompt, Personal Narrative, is an Ann Arbor Public Schools MyPrompt and will only receive a holistic score.

Here is some information about the prompts:

Top Vacation Place
Choose a favorite place you like to visit or go to on vacation and write an essay that convinces students your age to visit that place. Remember to give reasons why your readers should travel to the place you picked.


Sports Teams
Both boys and girls play sports at school. Some students feel that boys and girls should play on the same team, while other students feel it is better for boys and girls to be on different teams. Do you think it is a good idea to have boys and girls on the same team or do you think that boys and girls should play on different teams?

Write an essay that convinces your school principal that girls and boys should or should not play on the same team.


Personal Narrative
Identify an important moment in your life. Describe the experience for your readers. Your memoir should include a problem in the introduction as a way of introducing tension. You should describe characters and setting. It will also be helpful to include dialogue and inner dialogue. Your personal narrative should try to "show not tell" in one or two important moments. Finally, you should resolve the problem that you set forth in your introduction within the conclusion of your personal narrative. Remember, writing personal narrative, or memoir, is writing about a single moment or event in your life and writing well.

Click here for technical requirements for MyAccess.

826michigan.org: Help Your Children Love to Write!

826michigan is proud to present:

Write On! Summer Activities for the Whole Family
Monday, June 9, from 6:30-8pm at 826michigan

Are you looking for ways to encourage your student writer at home over the summer? Please join us as we explore family activities that promote writing as well as effective ways to respond to children about their writing. Help your child discover joy and meaning in writing!

This workshop, taught by Kim Pavlock and Kim Hetrick, just might change your life. It is, as you might expect, free. Email Amy@826michigan.org to reserve your spot!

Mr. Karr's End of Year Update

June 13, 2008

Dear MLK Families,

It has been a great year at MLK! I continue to appreciate being a part of this very special community and look forward to continuing our hard work together next school year. Wherever the summer months take you, please be safe and take your King PRIDE with you.

In this end of the year update, I am sharing information I think you’ll find interesting J: achievement, writing, good-byes, thanks, information about the front drive, and some dates for next fall!

Achievement Update

At the beginning of the year during Curriculum Night, I shared that writing shows as the most significant academic need at MLK. As of June 2008, it is still the greatest need even though we’ve reformed so much and seen major changes since the 2006-07 school year. The most visible of these changes have been adopting new writing curriculum and hosting several parent writing education evenings at school. Other less visible changes include development of an implementation calendar for writing, new district writing assessment tools, and professional development for teachers.

We measure the results of our writing efforts using both report card (classroom) data and MEAP data. The MEAP data from this school year was recently released, and it shows below. When you look at it, please know that the “Advanced” and “Proficient” columns represent passing MEAP scores while “Partially Proficient” and “Not Proficient” represent MEAP scores that are not passing. The three columns on the right show the overall passing rates for MLK School, the AAPS, and the State of Michigan.

3rd MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.7	30.3	0	0	100	94	86
Writing	0	84.8	15.2	0	84.8 *	76	57
English Language Arts	54.5	45.5	0	0	100	91	81
Math	94.2	5.8	0	0	100	96	90

· 57 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 3^rd \grade 2007 MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 3^rd grade MEAP writing test.

4th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.9	30.1	0	0	100	92	85
Writing	1.4	79.5	19.2	0	80.8 **	62	44
English Language Arts	56.2	42.5	1.4	0	98.6	87	76
Math	85.3	14.7	0	0	100	94	86

** 17 out of roughly elementary 2600 schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test.

5th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	65.3	33.3	0	1.4	98.6	90	82
Writing	2.8	76.4	19.4	1.4	79.2 ***	74	59
English Language Arts	47.2	48.6	4.2	0	95.8	88	78
Math	80.6	18.1	1.4	0	98.6	91	74
Science	67.3	31.9	0	1.4	98.6	90	82

*** 190 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the fourth highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test.

The data above shows King School is doing very well in writing (and even exceptionally well) when compared with other schools. However, I still sometimes think “with all this work, focus, and energy being expended on writing, are we seeing the gains we expect and want?” My quick answer is we are seeing a lot of what we expect, but here are two pieces of context about where we are:

1. We have been using our new curriculum for a short amount of time (instructionally speaking). It will take longer before our kids have experienced the “full program” and the full benefits can be seen. Our teachers will also get better at implementing the curriculum over time, which will have an additional positive impact. This isn’t all that different than what occurred after adopting Everyday Math years ago—we saw gains in achievement more significantly over time than we did at the beginning.


2. We see differences between the writing achievement in classrooms at King and what shows in the MEAP writing scores. I would hope and expect that the two sets of data would be close to the same because the classroom assessments and the MEAP assessment are both based on the same Grade Level Content Expectations. Other schools in Ann Arbor are seeing similar discrepancies. So . . . it begs the question “why does this difference exist if we are all supposed to be measuring the same things?” I’m not completely sure at this point but will be investigating over the summer and into next year. One piece of figuring out what is happening will occur this summer when several King teachers and I will “audit” our MEAP writing. We will read the writing produced by our students, score it using the MEAP assessment guidelines, and compare our scores with what MEAP scorers assigned the same piece of writing. Our score and the MEAP score should be the same. However, if there is a difference, the AAPS may choose to appeal the score. I hope to have more to share at Curriculum Night on September 9.

Writing This Summer

I hope our kids don’t stop writing this summer. Here are a few ideas about including writing in your summer plans. Please feel free to vary them or come up with your own.

1. Write a family journal about your summer. Talk about what happens during the summer, and then each person can write a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page—whatever—about the summer events. Do this regularly and you’ll end up with journals that will be read over and over for years. Even the youngest pre-writers can share verbally what they want written.


2. Get an idea by reading (or rereading) the information shared at one of the parent education evenings over the past two years: http://karrskingblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/report-from-parent-writing-workshop.html


3. Sign up for an 826michigan.org writing program. Check them out on the Web or check the MLK website.


4. If your child was in fourth of fifth grade this year, they can participate in a MyAccess writing prompt from any computer connected to the Internet. Heck—parents could try one too. Students use the same username and password as they did this year at school. If parents choose to try one, they should use their child’s username and password. Check the King website for more information.

Saying Goodbye

We’re saying goodbye to an MLK School legend and a couple who have been with us just a short time at King. Here is the complete goodbye list:

1. First and foremost, Mrs. Cheryl Jones is retiring after dedicating 39 years to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School community. She is an exceptional teacher and person, I’m positive that years from now people will still say “Remember Mrs. Jones from King School? It was amazing when she . . .” For me, she is one of those people you meet in life and feel lucky to have shared some time and space together. Just like the students she has helped, I’ve learned a lot from her too. Hopefully she will come back to visit often.


2. Ms. Caroline Hughes, our media specialist, is moving to Boulder, Colorado after only one year at MLK. She’s done a wonderful job in our media center, but life has led her in a different direction and to a different state. We wish her all the best.


3. Mr. Jeff Taylor, who taught fifth grade this year after coming from Clague Middle School is returning to his middle school roots. I know this year’s fifth graders will enjoy seeing Mr. Taylor at Clague next year. Keep up the good work, Mr. T.

Thanks to Laurie Barnett

It isn’t often we single out a parent volunteer because there are so many great parents who put in long, long hours on behalf of the kids at King. However, we’d also be remiss to not note Laurie Barnett’s selfless contributions to the school. In just the last four school years alone Laurie has served two years as the PTO president, two years as the School Improvement Team co-chair, has worked closely to coordinate the PTO Silent Auction, and contributed significantly with fifth grade efforts to go to Space Camp. In addition, this year she had a major hand in rewriting the PTO bylaws. And I’m sure I’ve probably missed two or three other ways she’s contributed! Most significantly, I’ve seen Laurie represent and support the King community positively each day—and she’s done it in ways that did not necessarily benefit her or her family. All I can say is WOW! Thank you, Laurie! We’ve all benefited from knowing you and watching you contribute to this community.

Front Drive Update

This past week, the representatives on the Building Renovation Team voted to not have the front drive redesign plans put out for bids this summer. Despite widespread recognition of safety issues based on some parent behavior during drop off and pick up, the overwhelming input from the community has been that the “engineered” redesign of the front drive was not necessarily safer.

This being the case, I am excited to announce that our PTO has instituted a Safety Committee for next year. The group has already met with me once to more concretely define procedures around drop off and pick up. As we begin the 2008-09 school year, you will likely see the beginning outcomes of our collaboration in a summer mailing, the first day of school packet, the MLK website, and eNotes. We hope to have information written in several languages to facilitate communication with our newest families who may not be proficient in English. Thanks to Amy Cell, Susan Gechter, and Eve Losman so far for their effort and input.

School Dates Coming Up

Aug. 27: Welcome Night for New Families, 7-8 PM

Sept. 2: First Day for students

Sept. 2: PTO Welcome Coffee –9-9:30 AM, All Parents Welcome - MLK Multipurpose Room

Sept. 5: Spirit Friday at MLK—Wear your blue and yellow or the colors of your favorite colors.

Sept. 9: Curriculum Night at MLK –Parents only please. This is the one evening of the 2008-09 school year where there is no childcare.

o 6pm - Curriculum Night Presentation #1 in classrooms

o 6:45pm - All MLK Community Presentation - MLK multipurpose room

o 7:10pm Curriculum Night Presentation #2 in classrooms

Sept. 12: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 16: PTO meeting, 7pm

Sept. 19: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 26: Picture Day

Check the MLK website for a full calendar for next year: http://king.a2schools.org

Sincerely,

Kevin Karr

Poetry In The Wild Writing - From PTO Workshop

Congratulations to all of the creative 3rd and 4th grade writers that have participated in the Poetry in the Wild workshop over the last month. Led by Eastern Michigan University professor Carolyn Berge and her group of college students, the group has experimented with different forms of nature poetry. Many thanks to Carolyn and her students for making nature come to life on the pages of our kids' poetry journals. Check out some of the writing from the workshop...

http://mlkwriting.blogspot.com/

PTO-Sponsored Writing Workshop for the 3rd and 4th Grades: “Poetry in the Wild”

Get your pencils sharpened…
This 5-week writing workshop is led by Carolyn Berge, a former AAPS teacher and a current professor of writing at EMU, who specializes in “Writing for Elementary Teachers”. Students will examine nature, gather observations, and use their creativity to explore exciting writing projects. At the end of the workshop, the writings will be published in a King community online journal.

The workshop will be held on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm starting on March 12th and ending on April 16th (no workshop on Feb. 27 during break week), at King School. On April 16 we invite parents and friends to a reading of the students' work.

This workshop is PTO sponsored and free of charge to families. The number of participants will be limited to 40 students from the 3rd and 4th grades. We will fill the available slots on a first come-first serve basis. Registration forms will come home the week of March 3rd. Questions – please contact Camille Ziolek acziolek@oaklandcc.edu or Alisha Faciane affenty@umich.edu.

Parent Workshop: Writing at MLK

Come and learn more about the Ann Arbor writing curriculum that your child participates in!

Writing Night
sponsored by the MLK School Improvement Team
Thursday, March 13, 2008
6:30-7:45

Please join us as teachers present aspects of the Lucy Calkins writing program and how it is used to teach Ann Arbor's writing curriculum. Parents interested in attending should print and fill out the information below and send it in to school by March 5. If you have any questions please email me, Colleen McAlinden, at mcalinc@aaps.k12.mi.us.

We look forward to a night of sharing and learning!

_____________________________________________________
Writing Night sponsored by the School Improvement Team
Thursday, March 13
6:30-7:45

Yes, I would like to attend the Lucy Calkins Parent Night

Name(s) of participants: ________________________________________

Child's name and grade level: ____________________________________

Grade level presentations I would like to see:
___ K-2
___ 3-5
___ Both

If you need childcare for your school age child, you will need to sign up ahead of time.

___ I will need child care for ____ children

Please list their names and ages: __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Do you have any specific questions about the Lucy Calkins writing program that you would like addressed in the presentation?

___ No, nothing specific

___Yes, _________________________________________________________________

Student Writing In Highlights Magazine

Congratulation to MLK's own Lily Mohr whose poem will be featured in an upcoming issue of Highlights magazine! Nice job!

Report from Parent Writing Workshop

Good evening! I am writing from the MLK media center on the evening of December 3, 2007 surrounded by parents from 22 families who have assembled for a Parent Writing Workshop for the purpose of understanding writing instruction and how it pertains to their children. This event has been planned and implemented by the MLK School Improvement Team both this school year and last. In fact, I am very happy to announce that with tonight's participation, over 150 families total have participated in the workshop. In the near future, I will announce a second parent opportunity for families to learn about writing, again sponsored by the MLK School Improvement Team. Watch for it!

Back to tonight's blog entry . . . Here are a few pieces of information that were shared at tonight's presentation that would be helpful for all of us to remember:

1. All children can and should write. From the time your children can hold a crayon, encourage them to draw, scribble and write. In order to be successful and fluent writers, students need to know they can write--even if it doesn't look perfect!
2. Teachers must help student find real purposes to write. Help your children communicate their hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns. When your children see writing as serving a real purpose, they will be more likely to try it.
3. Students need to take ownership and responsibility. Kid writing should sound like kid writing! When kids believe that their writing is their own, they will become more likely to invest themselves in it.
4. Effective writing programs involve the complete writing process. Our children like all writers, have different ways of approaching writing tasks. Tune in to your children's learning styles and needs as writers. Writing in different styles and genres will take time. Some genres will take just one draft while others will take multiple drafts.
   
5. Teachers can help students get started. Talk with your children about their ideas and encourage them to draw, freewrite, and make lists of verbs in order to get started.
6. Teachers can help students draft and revise. Listen to our children's drafts and ask real questions about content. Heartfelt questions are the best way to encourage kids to keep on writing.
7. Grammar and mechanics are best learned in the context of actual writing. If you notice errors in conventions in your children's writing, pick just one area at a time to work on (such as punctuation, dialogue, or capitalization). You might also refer to real texts (books, newspapers, letters, magazines) to see how published authors tackle issues of punctuation, spelling and more.
8. Students need real audiences and a classroom context of shared learning. Help your children find real audiences (famliy, friends, neighbors) to communicate with.
9. Writing should extend throughout the curriculum. You can write just about anything at home: letters to family and friends, songs and plays to perform for the family, lists for grocery shopping . . . The list is endless!
10. Effective teachers use evaluation constructively and efficiently. Your job as a parent is to encourage and support any effort your children make in writing. Be lavish in praise and specific and limited in your suggestions for improvement.

I hope that everyone will find the above information useful and helpful, even if you couldn't attend one the parent nights.

Please also join me in thanking the Eastern Michigan Writing Project, Susan Lake, Diane Massell and the MLK School Improvement Team for their work around tonight's workshop and achievement at MLK.