Graduate Research Papers

Availability

Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Keywords

English language--Composition and exercises; English language--Rhetoric;

Abstract

The teaching and learning of reading and math are high priorities in the Waterloo Community School District. The Waterloo Community School District committed many teacher hours and much money to develop curriculum and revise reading and math, provide professional development in best practice for it, and purchase new reading and math materials. Teachers have learned the new strategies, along with the language, and are teaching it to their students. They have worked their way through the new reading and math curriculum for five years now and are starting to become more effective teachers in the areas of math and reading. The next need for the Waterloo Community Schools is to concentrate attention and bring about improvements in the area of student writing.

In the past two years, Waterloo teachers participated in some professional development sessions provided by the district. At these sessions teachers in grades K through 5 looked at two different writing rubrics and discussed two different types of writing programs. Teachers compared these programs with the programs that were currently being used. As they went through this process they discovered how much knowledge and skill is lacking in their ability to offer effective writing instruction. They also realized how little they know about what is expected year to year from students concerning their writing development. Teachers began to realize that writing instruction was not as clearly understood as reading and math instruction is. This is a concern because writing is one of the highest levels of understanding found in literate individuals.

Year of Submission

2010

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Postsecondary Education

First Advisor

Victoria L. Robinson

Comments

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Date Original

2010

Object Description

1 PDF file (25 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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