Prior to the start of the 2017-2018 school year, the Rutherford Board of Education adopted the Writer’s Workshop Units of Study writing program in grades K-6. The program is part of the Teachers College, Columbia University Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) founded and directed by Lucy Calkins. Ms. Calkins is the Robinson Professor of Children’s Literature at Teachers College.
During the 2017-2018 school year, the staff at Washington School took an ambitious approach to integrating the program into the daily curriculum. The successful initial implementation of the program was a school goal that was achieved last year. The Units of Study writing program remains a school goal this year with a focus on providing classroom teachers the professional development necessary to grow towards mastery.
To meet this objective, Washington School has entered into an agreement to become a TCRWP partner school for 2018-2019. As a partner school, a Senior Staff Developer from TCRWP will be visiting Washington School for five days of on-site, classroom-based professional development over the next four months. The staff developer will be providing demonstration teaching lessons, staff coaching, and overall curricular development and support. Modeled, demonstration lessons will be conducted in classrooms at each grade level.
The staff is excited about the positive impact this professional development will have on student learning and self-expression.
