To Write or not to Write

Problems

• Writing as an act of learning
• Emphasis on teacher-writer model
• Focus of motivation

Research Questions

• What factors, situations, conditions or circumstances impact a middle grades learners’ ability to shift negative attitudes and have a more positive view of writing as a valuable activity?

Research Questions

• To what extent does and in what ways does a teacher as a writer impact student attitudes and motivation towards a more positive view of writing as a valuable activity?

Research Questions

• To what extent does and in what ways does a teacher as a writer impact student attitudes and motivation towards a more positive view of writing as a valuable activity?

Research Site

• North Fort Worth Middle School
• 6th Grade English Language Arts classroom

Sample

• Approximately 70+ in initial participants
• Participants chosen using literacy self evaluation tool

Data Genaration

• Semi-structured interviews
• Follow up focus group interviews
• Blog & Journal activity & samples

Data Genaration

• Semi-structured interviews
• Follow up focus group interviews
• Blog & Journal activity & samples

Data Analysis

• Interview recording & transription
• Coding Processes

Importance

• Participant focus
• Practitioner value

References

• Armstrong Carroll, J., & Wilson, E. E. (2008). Acts of teaching (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Atwell, N. (1987). In the middle: Reading and learning with adolescents. Upper Montclair, NJ: Boynton. Barry, A. M. (2009). Mirror neurons: How we become what we see. Visual Communication Quarterly, 16(2), 79-89. doi:10.1080/15551390902803820 Brooks, G. W. (2007). Teachers as readers and writers and as teachers of reading and writing. The Journal of Educational Research, 100(3), 177-191. doi:10.3200/JOER.100.3.177-191 Bruner, J. (1963). The process of education. New York: Vintage Books. Cain, S., & Laird, M. (2011). The fundamental 5: The formula for quality instruction. North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Kindle Edition. Calkins, L. M. (1994). The art of teaching writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Cremin, T., & Baker, S. (2010). Exploring teacher-writer identities in the classroom: Conceptualising the struggle. English Teaching, 9(3), 8. Grainger, T. (2005). Teachers as writers: Learning together. English in Education, 39(1), 75-87. doi:10.1111/j.1754-8845.2005.tb00611.x Hattie, J., & Yates, G. (2014). Visible learning and the science of how we learn. London: Routledge. Keller I.S.D. English/Language Arts Curriculum Writing Committee. (2015). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhYkrQvou5kejVGNkZxUmRpemM/view Nolen, S. B. (2007). Young children's motivation to read and write: Development in social contexts. Cognition and Instruction, 25(2-3), 219-270. doi:10.1080/07370000701301174 Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2007). The international critical thinking reading and writing test: how to assess close reading and substantive writing. Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical thinking. Restak, R. M. (2003). The new brain. New York: Rodale. Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking. (). New York: Oxford University Press. Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the classroom :Teacher expectation and pupils' intellectual development. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Smith, J., & Wrigley, S. (2012). What has writing ever done for us? the power of teachers’ writing groups. English in Education, 46(1), 70-84. doi:10.1111/j.1754-8845.2011.01116.x Wells, M., & Lyons, D. (2017). Teachers as writers: What, where and when do teachers write? Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 25(2), 32-39. Wood, D. R., & Lieberman, A. (2000). Teachers as authors: The national writing project's approach to professional development. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 3(3), 255-273. doi:10.1080/13603120050083936 Woodward, R. (2015). The dialogic interplay of writing and teaching writing: Teacher-writers' talk and textual practices across contexts. Research in the Teaching of English, 50(1), 35.