The School of Education

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Spring 2022
EDU 1055 – The Art of Writing for Educators
Mondays, 5:00pm – 7:50pm
Location: D'ANGELO CENTER 409

Professor: Dr. Weedens E. Blanchard

Office: Sullivan Hall, 4th Floor (Mailbox)
Office Hours: By Appointment Only
Email: Blanchaw@Stjohns.Edu
CRN#: 13123

Course Description from the SJU Undergraduate Bulletin

This course focuses on improving writing and critical thinking across educational
contexts. Students will experience writing as a recursive process, producing and reproducing
various forms of texts, with specific focus placed on persuasive writing. Students will thereby
understand writing not only as a process, but as a situated practice. Given that genres can shift
across disciplines and literacy, speaking, and reading interact with writing, this course helps
students analyze nuanced conventions and think about writing as a cross-curricular pedagogical
tool. Approaches to writing will include: reading and discussing trends in writing instruction
across the curriculum; practicing techniques for writing with precision, clarity, and rhetorical
effect; revising and editing; writing for different purposes; writing for different content areas;
and writing for the education profession. The course will also promote writing across educational
contexts for native English speakers and students who are English language learners. Course
experiences will provide students with models for teaching writing in their own classrooms.
Appropriate field experiences are provided to integrate educational theory and practice.
Credit: 3 course hours. Fieldwork required (10 hours).

Course Times & Attendance

New York State Education Department regulations require the following time
commitment: for 3 credit courses with 45 contact hours per term (3 hours of lecture each week
for 15 weeks), the amount of supplementary time required outside of class is minimally 90 hours
(supplementary time can include, but is not limited to, fieldwork, readings, preparation for class
discussions, projects, papers, and study time). Please note that there are 10 field hours associated
with this course.
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Readings
There is one required text for this course, which is available at the SJU Bookstore. There
are additional readings on the course page in Canvas. Readings are divided by week and can be
referenced in the course schedule.

Required texts:
Chase, E., Morabito, N. P., & Abrams, S. (2020). Writing in education: The art of writing for
educators. Brill | Sense Publishers.

Academic Integrity
The St. John’s Student Handbook contains the Academic Honor Code, Student Conduct
Code and information on Academic Regulations. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar
with and abide by these guidelines, which are found at:
https://www.stjohns.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-
provost/division-student-affairs/student-handbook.
St. John’s University is committed to academic integrity. Congruent with its core values,
the university expects students to act in accordance with the Academic Honor Pledge. Any
student found in violation of the pledge could receive either an F for the assignment or an F
for the course. Additional action may be taken consistent with the Department's Doctoral
Handbook, which is located on the Canvas course website. Please consult the School of
Education Plagiarism Policy and other resources that guide this course.

Course Management Software Description

We will be using Canvas and Google Drive throughout the semester to support our work
in this course. Please familiarize yourself with the learning management system and explore our
course site on Canvas.

Health Notification Accommodation Statement

Students are responsible for sharing health issues directly with faculty members,
including any potential effects of COVID-19. In addition to contacting Student Health Services,
students are responsible for sharing any health issues with the professor, including the need to
self-isolate or quarantine.

Course Objectives & Standards

The following chart lists the objectives that have been set for the course, as well as their
related standards. For more information on the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support
Consortium (InTASC) standards, please see https://ccsso.org. For more information on the
Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AQQEP) standards, please see
https://aaqep.org/.

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Objective InTASC Standards AQQEP Standards

Develop understandings of the

theoretical underpinnings of
interdisciplinary writing and cross- Standards 4 & 5 Standard 1A
cultural connections that relate
theories to practice.

Recognize writing as a recursive

process and develop strategies to
Standard 4 Standards 1B and 1D
integrate the writing process in K-12
classrooms.

Understand and encourage the

connection between cultural capital Standards 2 & 3 Standards 1C and 2B
and authentic writing.

Understand the structures and

functions of writing across Standards 1, 4 & 5 Standards 1A and 1D
contexts, disciplines, and genres.

Create strategies to facilitate

classroom writing, collaborative Standards 1A and 1B
Standards 3, 7 & 8
review, and critical thinking that
are clear and precise.

Employ various methods, strategies,

and techniques for developing Standards 7 & 9 Standards 1A, 1B and 1C
writing skills.

Exemplify Vincentian values by

engaging in reflective learning,
creating collaborative efforts, and Standards 9 & 10 Standards 1F and 2F
considering solutions to social,
cultural, and classroom issues.

Intellectual Property Statement

As course professor, I may make recorded sessions available to students to meet ADA,
accreditation, or other needs. Under no circumstances should recordings/lectures be sold and/or
otherwise transferred for someone else’s use. Students are prohibited from distributing
recordings or other materials, a situation analogous to prohibit students from recording a course
with their cell phones.

Assessment of Professional Qualities

The following are a list of professional qualities that the Department of Curriculum and
Instruction expects all students to develop and attain. You are expected to demonstrate these
qualities (or growth towards them) in this class throughout the semester.

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Collaboration
The student:
● displays a positive disposition toward working constructively with peers/colleagues
● shares responsibilities on collaborative projects and contributes individual effort
● displays a positive disposition toward working constructively with university faculty,
administrators, and school personnel
● displays a positive attitude regarding working constructively with students and their parents.
Honesty and Integrity
The student:
● demonstrates truthfulness, honesty and trustworthiness
● takes responsibility for his or her own actions
● displays willingness to uphold commitments to self and others
● displays high standards for professional integrity
● submits original work
● seeks support from professor and others where needed
Respect
The student:
● values and demonstrates consideration and regard for oneself and others
● is respectful of cultural differences within the academic and the global community
● is sensitive to diverse life experiences
● has a desire to work across difference and values diverse work ethics and environments
● is open and sensitive to differing opinions and personal beliefs
● negotiates disagreements appropriately and respectfully
● maintains non-judgmental and effective communication skills
Professional Behavior and Responsibility
The student:
● accepts and accommodates constructive criticism
● is conscientious and punctual
● is an effective communicator (written and verbal)
● models social skills, character traits, and dispositions desired in academic settings
● is aware of the importance of professional appearance and demeanor
● maintains professional standards of behavior with peers, professors, and children in
classrooms.
Commitment to Learning
The student:
● models behavior that s/he would expect of her/his own students in completing all class work,
field work, and assignment deadlines as required
● seeks confirmation of ideas through course frameworks and additional readings
● demonstrates dispositions toward lifelong learning
● seeks clarification from professors for assignments and expectations
● demonstrates high level of effort in assigned tasks
● is open and curious about new ideas
● is committed to the field of teaching and learning

Inclusivity Statement
As the professor for this course, I bring to bear my own concerns and considerations for
diversity and inclusion (as well as my biases and blind spots) on the syllabus and our shared
work. I believe that when students are able to see themselves represented in course content and
discussion, it signals to them that their identities (race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual

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orientation, immigration status, and dis/ability, to name only a few) are valued and respected in
the classroom.
It is my intent that students’ backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course,
that students’ learning needs are addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that
students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to
present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age,
socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture (a partial list). Your suggestions are
encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course
for you personally or for other students or student groups.
Along with the expectations for coursework, I have an expectation that we will treat each
other with respect and collegiality, and that we will be open to conversations and ideas that
challenge our perspectives. I have made a conscious effort to diversify the syllabus and course
content with the understanding that diverse perspectives are necessary for a full understanding,
but my efforts can always use improvement. I am continually learning and expanding my
horizons to offer a more diverse and inclusive atmosphere in which my students can learn. If you
have ideas that would help me, and if you are willing to share, I would be grateful for feedback
and suggestions. Additionally, all people have the right to be addressed and referred to in
accordance with their personal identity. In this class, please indicate the name that you prefer to
be called and, if you choose, please identify the pronouns with which you would like to be
addressed.

Copyright Law
The use of Computing Resources in violation of international and federal copyright laws
is strictly prohibited. These federal laws provide to the author of an original work, whether that
work is a video, a sound recording, software, or printed material, the exclusive rights to
reproduce, adapt, publish, perform and display that work. Anyone other than the copyright
holder is required to obtain the express permission of the copyright holder to use the work for
any of these purposes. The University's policy on Copyrighted Material:
https://www.stjohns.edu/computer-and-network-use-policy.

St. John’s University Statement for Students with Disabilities

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability who requires accommodations, please contact the Office of
Disabilities Services (718-990-6867) during the first few days of the semester. If you have a
letter from their office indicating that you have a disability which requires academic
accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations that you
might need in this class.

Use of Technology in Class

Please use discretion and maturity with regard to technology in our virtual and face-to-
face classrooms. All cell phones should be stored away or minimally visible. Students should not
use phones to check email, instant messaging, or social media. Given the nature of our work in a

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virtual setting, I ask all students to maintain course-related work during our time together and
save social interaction for personal time.

Use of Technology in Class

Please use discretion and maturity with regard to technology in the classroom. All cell
phones should be stored away or minimally visible. Students should not use phones to check
email or the internet. If a student prefers to use a laptop in class, it should only be to take notes
and complete course-related work. During class discussions, laptops should be at 45° or closed
when not needed for note-taking.

St. John’s University’s Plagiarism Policy

Any student submitting a plagiarized paper, examination or class assignment will fail the
course, regardless of what percentage of the grade the assignment represents. Plagiarism is using
another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person. When you use someone
else's words, you must put quotation marks around them and give the writer or speaker credit by
revealing the source in a citation. Even if you revise or paraphrase the words of other people or
just use their ideas, you still must give credit. Not giving due credit is stealing. Plagiarism
constitutes theft, fraud and betrayal of values in an academic community devoted to
advancement by merit.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
1) Downloading a free research paper.
2) Buying a paper (in total or partially) from a commercial paper mill or any other
source.
3) Copying an article from the web, an online database, books or journals as well as
friends, or fraternity files.
4) Cutting and pasting to create a paper from several sources.
5) Misrepresenting the extent of a quote.
6) Not putting between quotes in borrowed text, even if the author’s name is indicated at
the end.
7) Faking a citation.
8) Not citing at all.
9) Reusing a paper, or part of a paper, already submitted in a course (including this one),
presented at a conference, or published, without proper acknowledgment and
reference.
In addition to failing the course, any student who plagiarizes will be reported to the University
and further actions will follow.

Online Etiquette
This class is scheduled to meet in person; however, there may be certain weeks that we
will need to meet online. In that event, students are expected to have their webcams on during
class and should be expected to be called on as they could be in a classroom. If you are not
comfortable sharing your background, please use a virtual one. Students should dress and behave
as they would in a face-to-face class. Please refrain from texting during a live class, the same as

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you would during an in-person session. This is fairly obvious on the camera and is quite
distracting to all of us.

Expectations for Submitted Work

All students are expected to submit polished work for final submission of each
assignment. Additionally, all students are expected to submit work on time, as noted by due dates
in the class schedule. If a student submits work after a due date, a late penalty will be applied to
the work. The late penalty for all assignments is a one-point per day deduction from the final
grade of the assignment. (Thus, if a student submits an assignment three days after the due date,
three points will be deducted as a late penalty after the work has been graded.) Absence from
class does not excuse a student from work missed. Students are responsible for consulting with a
classmate or the professor to ensure that all work from the missed class is made up. Students are
responsible for retaining and locating their work.

Revision Policy
Revision is an important part of the writing process, leading to the transformation and
improvement of one’s writing. After each final submission, you will have the opportunity to
revise and resubmit any of your work that was initially submitted on or before the assignment’s
deadline, with the new grade replacing the old. This is your opportunity not only to improve your
grade, but also to improve your writing and clarify your understanding of the material. Although
you may revise as many times as you would like, you will need to adhere to the following
guidelines: (1) When you submit your revision, you will need to use track changes to denote the
changes; and (2) Revisions should address more than just superficial errors, such as punctuation
mistakes (this is your opportunity to clarify your points and reveal your knowledge and growth).

Writing Style
Submitted assignments must be typed and should conform to the style and reference
notation format outlined in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. Additional resources may be found at Purdue’s Online Writing Lab
(OWL). As reflected in the rubric for each written assignment, points will be awarded to papers
for being formatted correctly.
Due to the writing intensive nature of this course, I highly advise you to take advantage
of the services offered by the St. John’s Writing Center:
(http://www.stjohns.edu/about/administrative-offices/provost/institutewriting-studies/university-
writing-center). Additionally, I recommend working with a critical friend throughout the
semester so that you can get frequent, informal feedback on your writing. Finally, I ask that you
take my feedback on your written assignments seriously and that you incorporate my suggestions
in your revisions. This is the only way to make the process of giving feedback useful and
worthwhile.

Course Requirements and Associated Grades:

Participation in the Learning Community (20 points)

This is a course that functions best with engaged participation from the members of the
class community. The bulk of the learning in this class takes place through shared evaluation and

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critique of the central ideas presented in the readings and in our shared writing. Given the setup
of this course, students can only adequately participate in class by:
● Reading all assigned texts with diligence (the minimum expectation is reading and
taking notes on all readings prior to class)
● Offering original commentary on all readings, ideas, and questions in class
● Responding to ideas and questions raised by members of the class; being a thought
partner for all members of the class in evaluating and supporting the various action
research projects
● Arriving to class on time, participating in class without the distraction of technology,
and staying through the end of class each week

Absences: Attendance at all classes is expected. That said, I understand that personal and
professional emergencies come up throughout the semester. A maximum of one absence will be
excused for any personal or professional reason. While it is helpful to know that a student will be
out of class ahead of time, you are not required to provide documentation for this excused
absence. After this one excused absence, there will be a 2-point deduction from the participation
grade for each subsequent absence, regardless of the reason (unless extenuating circumstances
are provided by a doctor and/or Student Health Services).

Lateness: Full attendance (from the beginning to the end of class) at all classes is expected. A
maximum of one late arrival (not exceeding 5:10pm) will be excused. (Any arrival after 5:10pm
will not be excused and will carry a 1-point deduction from the participation grade.) Each
subsequent late arrival to class after 5:00pm will carry a 1-point deduction from the participation
grade.

Special Note: You are required to complete 10 hours of NYS mandated field work for this
course, during which you are expected to observe instruction focused on writing. While
observing, you are asked to generate field notes documenting the forms of writing in which
students are engaged and the manner in which the teacher organizes and facilitates writing
activities and instruction. You will use your field notes in class on announced dates, and you are
required to produce them in class. Additionally, to receive credit towards certification, you are
required to submit the Field Hours Log to document your completion of the required hours.

Assignment 1: Commenting on Teaching and Learning (20 points)

This assignment will help you consider and write about the art of teaching in relation to
lesson objectives, goals, activities and feedback. More specifically, you will analyze a video of
an educator’s practice and provide a written commentary that accomplishes two goals: 1)
identifies the objectives of the lesson and how, if at all, those are being met; and 2) discusses the
teaching strategies used to support and render evidence of students’ progress.

Assignment 2: Teacher Communication Letters (20 points)

This assignment invites you to use your field observations to think about writing
practices in non-ELA classroom settings. Using these field observations for inspiration, you will
create one polished correspondence. In so doing, you will hone your writing skills as you tailor

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the correspondences to the appropriate audience and convey your understanding of culturally
sustaining writing and culturally responsive teaching.

Assignment 3: Final Writing Project (20 points)

The final essays provide you the opportunity to showcase the growth and learning that
you have demonstrated over the course of the semester. In this way, the final project is a
representation of the collection of work you have created through the year. By reflecting on your
own learning, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses in your writing, identify goals for
improvement, and consider the implications and applications to your own teaching and future
classroom.

Reading Responses (10 points)

As noted in the course schedule, certain weeks of the semester will have reading
responses associated with the readings for that class session. Directions will be provided in class
and feedback will be offered on reading responses. Students can earn full credit for this portion
of the course by completing all reading responses by the assigned due dates. Late reading
responses will be subject to a late penalty of ½ point and missing reading responses will be
subject to a penalty of 1 point.

Class Discussion Leadership (10 points)

Each week, a pair or trio of students will lead and facilitate a well-planned and interactive
discussion related to one or more of the readings for that week. You will sign up for a discussion
week at the beginning of the semester. When it is your turn to lead the discussion, you are
responsible for preparing discussion questions and facilitating a group activity/discussion related
to the reading. If you are not teaching, you are responsible for participating in the work your
peers have prepared. How you manage the class time (roughly 20-30 minutes) will be up to you,
but the discussion should be active and participatory. On the week before your discussion
leadership, you will be expected to submit your plans to Dr. Blanchard for review and feedback.
Please see the rubric below for how you will be assessed.

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Assignment Overview

Assignment Points Possible

Participation 20
Commenting on Teaching and Learning 20
Teacher Communication Letters 20
Final Writing Project 20
Reading Responses 10
Class Discussion Leadership 10
Total Points 100

Grading Scale

95 – 100 = A 77 – 79 = C+
90 – 94 = A– 74 – 76 = C
87 – 89 = B+ 70 – 73 = C–
84 – 86 = B 68 – 69 = D+
80 – 83 = B– 65 – 67 = D
Below 65 = F

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Course Schedule

**This course is a work in progress. As such, the course schedule is subject to change. I
will make every effort not to spring changes on you, and I will always work to give you ample
notice about reading and assignment changes. That said, I also expect flexibility and attention to
detail from you regarding weekly readings and assignments. **

Module 1: Commenting on Teaching and Learning

Homework /
Date Topic Reading Due
Assignment Due
● Syllabus
 Introductions
● Gillespie (1985) – Becoming
 Syllabus & Course
Your Own Expert: Teachers
Overview
Jan 24 as Writers N/A
 Situating ● Marshbank (2018) – How
Ourselves as Teachers Benefit from
Writers Writing

 Show, Don’t Tell Write a 1-page reading

 Exploring response. This
Culturally response should
Jan 31 ● N/A
Relevant Teaching include your thoughts
 In Class Work: and reactions to the
Draft of Prompt #1 readings for this week.

Video Observation and Response: Please watch this video of a teacher working with her
elementary-grade students and take notes on your observation (these can be bullet-point notes,
nothing too formal at this stage). Watch the video two times to make sure you capture
important elements and details of her instruction. Record your video observation time on your
Field Hours Log.

Write a 1-page reading

 What is Analysis
response and add it to
and How Do You ● Chase, Morabito & Abrams,
Google Drive.
Write About It? Chapter 1
Feb 7 Additionally, highlight
 Writing about any quotes that are
Culturally meaningful to you
Relevant Teaching from the readings.

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 Demonstrating
Analysis in
● Chase, Morabito & Abrams,
Student Learning
Chapter 2
Feb 14  Looking at the Reading Response
edTPA
 In Class Work:
Draft of Prompt #2

Feb 21 President’s Day University Closed – No Classes

Feb 28 Spring Break University Closed – No Classes

Video Observation and Response: Please watch this Critical Pedagogy Teaching Video (up
through minute 28:30) of a highschool teacher working with her students in English class. You
will use this video to complete your Commenting on Teaching and Learning assignment. You
may also record your viewing time on your Field Hours Log.

 Field Observations Assignment 1 Due:

& Field Notes Commenting on
Mar 7 ● N/A
 Looking at the Teaching and
edTPA Learning

Video Observation and Response: Please watch this video of an elementary-grade ELA
lesson. Take notes, upload them to your Field Notes folder and record your viewing time on
your Field Hours Log. Pay particular attention to moments when you feel that the teacher is
engaging in culturally responsive pedagogy (and moments where she is not).

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Commenting on Teaching and Learning Assignment (20 points)

Overview
In the first module of this course, you will be working with your classmates to examine
and explain educational pedagogy and practice. In the spirit of the edTPA, this assignment
requires you to analyze educational practices and provide written commentaries for it. In so
doing, you will consider how a lesson is guided by its objectives and includes evidence of
student engagement. You will then be asked to communicate this information in a written
commentary in order to help you hone your skills in this writing context.

Directions
1) Watch the video titled Critical Pedagogy: Abiodun Oyewole and Lawson Fusao Inada
provided by Annenberg Media. The classroom clip that you will be watching ends at
about minute 28:30 of the video.
2) Read the prompts and the rubric to familiarize yourself with the assignment.
3) Draft your work and revise it in class. Additionally, consider revising with a critical
friend or taking it to the Writing Center for peer support.
4) Complete a self-evaluation using the rubric. Highlight where you think you performed in
each row and write a narrative (1-3 sentences) describing your performance.
5) Submit your work by 5:00pm on March 7th. Late assignments will carry a 1-point penalty
for each day they are submitted after the deadline (i.e., submitting an assignment 5 days
late will incur a 5-point penalty).

Prompt #1
Explain how the teacher demonstrated a mutual respect for, rapport with, and
responsiveness to students with varied needs and backgrounds. How did the teacher challenge
students to engage in learning? Describe how the instruction linked students’ prior academic
learning and personal, cultural, and community assets with new learning. This prompt requires
meaningful connections to the course content we have been looking at with respect to culturally
relevant pedagogy. In your response, you should articulate how (if at all) the teacher
demonstrated culturally responsive teaching techniques and how (if it all) you would recommend
that the teacher build upon (or enhance) these techniques for future classes.
This response should be no longer than 2 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-
point font, with 1-inch margins. (Refer to examples in the video clips and make meaningful
connections to the course readings in your explanation.)

Prompt #2
Describe the central focus and the essential learning strategy that was taught in this class.
Describe how (if at all) students were challenged in this class to engage in rigorous analysis.
What was the evidence of analysis? How did the instructional practices engage students in
developing essential knowledge and related skills? In your response, you should articulate how
(if at all) the teacher challenged students to go beyond surface-level analysis and meaning, and
how (if at all), you would recommend improving upon these techniques in future instruction.
This response should be no longer than 2 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-
point font, with 1-inch margins. (Refer to examples in the video clips and make meaningful
connections to course content in your explanation.)

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Rubric for Commenting on Teaching and Learning Assignment

Prompt #1

0 – 2 points 3 – 6 points 7 – 8 points

-The commentary includes -The commentary includes accurate -The commentary includes specific,
examples, but the analysis needs and relevant descriptions or accurate, and relevant descriptions
significantly more development to examples, but needs greater and examples from the video.
demonstrate how the teacher linked development. -The commentary makes meaningful
instruction to student assets. -The commentary makes some connections to the course readings
-The commentary does not make connections to the course readings and content.
connections to the course readings and content. -The level of analysis within the
or content. -The level of analysis within the commentary is excellent (the writer
-The level of analysis needs commentary is good (the writer is is showing, not telling).
significant improvement. attempting to show but requires
further development).

Prompt #2

0 – 2 points 3 – 6 points 7 – 8 points

-The commentary includes -The commentary includes accurate -The commentary includes specific,
examples, but the analysis needs and relevant descriptions or accurate, and relevant descriptions
significantly more development to examples, but needs greater and examples from the video.
demonstrate how the teacher development. -The commentary provides an
developed essential knowledge. -The commentary attempts to analysis of student engagement that
-The commentary does not engage provide an analysis of student explores whether or not students
in high-level analysis of student engagement, but there is significant engaged in analytical work and how
work. room for improvement. (if at all) this could be improved.
-The level of analysis needs -The level of analysis within the -The level of analysis within the
significant improvement. commentary is good (the writer is commentary is excellent (the writer
attempting to show but requires is showing, not telling).
further development).

Flow and Coherence of Student Writing

0 – 1 points 2 – 3 points 3 – 4 points

-There are 4+ spelling, grammatical, -There are 1-3 spelling, -There are 1-3 spelling,
and/or punctuation errors that grammatical, and/or punctuation grammatical, and/or punctuation
interfere with the comprehension errors that interfere with the errors that do not interfere with the
and/or flow of the paper. comprehension and/or flow of the comprehension and/or flow of the
-Student only partially abides by the paper. paper.
page and/or spacing parameters for -Student may or may not abide by -Student abides by the page and
the assignment. the page and spacing parameters for spacing parameters for the
-Student’s use of APA formatting the assignment. assignment.
contains 6+ errors. -Student’s use of APA formatting -Student uses proper APA
contains 3-5 errors. formatting for references and
citations with only 1-2 errors.

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Module 2: Teacher Communication Letters

● Guerra (2008) – Cultivating

Professional
Transcultural Citizenship
Mar 14 Communication:
(Canvas) Reading Response
Writing Across
Communities

Field Observations and Response: For this module, you are encouraged to complete your
field hours in-person in a classroom. Please follow all current state and local guidelines for in-
person field observations. Your observations should be in your grade band and should be
focused on writing instruction, if possible. If you are having trouble accessing a school to
complete in-person field hours, you may select video content from either
www.teachingchannel.com OR www.learner.org to continue your field observations remotely.
Please take notes on your observations and your two associated tasks are: 1) take field
observation notes and upload them to your Final Writing Portfolio as directed by the professor
and 2) add your observation time to your Field Hours Log.

● Alvarez (2014) -
Professional
Translanguaging Tareas
Communication:
Mar 21 (Canvas) Reading Response
Writing about CRT
and More

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

● Fox (2014) – Linking Genre

Professional to Standards and Equity
Communication: (Canvas)
Mar 28 Reading Response
Classrooms that
Honor Student Voices ● Chase, Morabito & Abrams,
Chapter 3

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

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Professional
Communication: ● Jones (2004) – Reflections on
Apr 4 Reading Response
Equitable School Race in the Urban Classroom
Spaces (Canvas)

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

● Dean & Warren (2012) –

Inclusive Classrooms: Writing to Create Community Assignment 2 Due:
Writing to Promote (Canvas) Teacher
Apr 11 Equity
Communication
Letters

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

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Teacher Communication Letters Assignment (20 points)

Overview
Using video observations, readings, class discussions, and prior knowledge, you will
create a polished correspondence. This letter will need to convince a school administrator of the
role and value of writing practices that honor diverse voices and diverse modes of representation.
In so doing, you will hone your writing skills and convey your understanding of classroom
writing that promotes culturally sustaining and transcultural practices.

Directions
1) Congratulations! Inspired teaching is happening in your classroom, and you want to call
your principal’s attention to an example of culturally sustaining writing that is supporting
student learning and growth. For this assignment, pretend you are the teacher and
compose a letter that showcases your work and convinces your principal that culturally
sustaining writing practices are noteworthy.
a. When you write your letter, incorporate elements from your video/field
observations OR your prior observations/knowledge to support your argument
(e.g., “When I ____, I saw my students _______.”). You are trying to prove how
the students’ engagement in a specific kind of writing practice helps them develop
their writing skills, honor their authentic selves, and build meaningful community
in your classroom.
2) This letter must meet the following requirements:
a. You must draw directly from two of our course readings. You are required to
reference these sources using APA in-text citations and a separate reference page.
You must fully integrate and analyze your quotes.
b. You must identify at least one Common Core Learning Standard that supports the
learning you are identifying.
c. You must reference a specific activity that you are doing with your students. This
can be something that you have created from imagination, have seen in prior
observations, or have witnessed in your video/field observations. This writing
activity should be culturally sustaining and should directly relate to your content
area.
d. The letter will be a maximum of 4 pages typed, double-spaced, 1-inch margins,
12-point font, Times New Roman.
3) The letter should include the date and a salutation, followed by four required elements:
a. An introductory section that will state the specific writing activity you are
highlighting as a culturally sustaining practice. Here, you need to show (not tell)
the activity (i.e., descriptive language that explains what the activity is and what
the students did). Additionally, this is where you will illustrate the culturally
sustaining nature of the activity.
b. The second element will describe and analyze the research that supports your
claims. You should begin with language that contextualizes the research you
introduce. From there, you will introduce your two (or more) pieces of research
and present the analyses and syntheses. One or two concluding sentences will
close this section.

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c. From there, you will demonstrate how the activity satisfies one (or more)
Common Core Learning Standards. Begin with establishing context. From there,
use a bullet-point format to list the exact Common Core standards, and then move
into a narrative that describes and contextualises these standards. Conclude by
synthesizing the standards and pulling everything together for your reader.
d. The final section will evaluate why the specific writing activity is culturally
sustaining and analyze (in the new language) why this activity is worthy of
students’ time. It also should reflect your willingness to meet with the principal to
discuss your work at greater length. Please be sure to end your letter with a
closing (e.g., Sincerely) and signature.
4) Complete a self-evaluation using the rubric. Highlight where you think you performed in
each row and write a narrative (1-3 sentences) describing your performance.
5) Submit your work by 5:00pm on March 28th. Late assignments will carry a 1-point
penalty for each day they are submitted after the deadline (i.e., submitting an assignment
5 days late will incur a 5-point penalty).

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Rubric for Teacher Communication Letters Assignment

Introductory Section

0 – 2 points 2 – 4 points 4 – 5 points

-The description of the activity AND -Most of the criteria are met. The -There is a thorough description of
the culturally sustaining nature of description of the activity OR the the activity (showing not telling).
the activity are superficial and need culturally sustaining nature of the -The writer illustrates the culturally
development. activity needs greater analysis or sustaining nature of the activity.
clarification. -The writer provides a clear
description of how the activity is
culturally sustaining.

Description and Analysis of Research

0 – 2 points 2 – 4 points 4 – 5 points

-The description of the scholarly -Most of the criteria are met. The -There is a thorough description of
resource(s) AND the summary are description needs greater analysis at least two scholarly resources that
superficial and need development. OR the context / synthesis need support the writer’s claims.
development. -The author provides well-
developed context and analysis.

Description of Standards and Analysis of Activity

0 – 2 points 2 – 4 points 4 – 5 points

-The explanation of how the activity -Most of the criteria are met. The -There is a thorough demonstration
satisfies CCLS AND the description explanation of how the activity of how the activity satisfies one or
of the CCLS are superficial and satisfies CCLS OR the description two CCLS.
need development. of the CCLS needs greater -The writer provides a developed
-The explanation of the activity as a development. synthesis that shows, not tells.
strong practice AND educator of -Most of the criteria are met. The -The final section evaluates why the
willingness to meet are superficial. evaluation of the activity as a strong activity is a strong practice in new
practice needs greater analysis. language and analyzes why this
activity is worthy of classroom time.

Flow and Coherence of Student Writing

0 – 2 points 2 – 4 points 4 – 5 points

-There are 4+ spelling, grammatical, -There are 1-3 spelling, -There are 1-3 spelling,
and/or punctuation errors that grammatical, and/or punctuation grammatical, and/or punctuation
interfere with the comprehension errors that interfere with the errors that do not interfere with the
and/or flow of the paper. comprehension and/or flow of the comprehension and/or flow of the
-Student only partially abides by the paper. paper.
page and/or spacing parameters for -Student may or may not abide by -Student abides by the page and
the assignment. the page and spacing parameters for spacing parameters for the
-Student’s use of APA formatting the assignment. assignment.
contains 6+ errors. -Student’s use of APA formatting -Student uses proper APA
contains 3-5 errors. formatting for references and
citations with only 1-2 errors.

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Module 3: Final Writing Project

April 18 Easter Recess – University Closed – No Classes

 Chase, Morabito & Abrams –

Reflective Writing:
Chapter 4
Apr 20 Looking across Reading Response
Writing

Field Observations and Response: At this point, you should have completed your 10 hours of
field observations. If you have not done so, please make sure to complete in-person observation
hours, add your time to your Field Hours Log, and upload your observation notes to your
Google Portfolio.

Reflective Writing: ● Calkins & Ehrenworth (2016) Reading Response

Apr 25 Peer Feedback and – Growing Extraordinary
Review Writers Draft Writing Due

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

Reflective Writing: Reading Response

● Chase, Morabito & Abrams –
May 2 Equity in Writing and
Chapter 5
Feedback Draft Writing Due

Field Observations and Response: Same as above.

Final Writing Project: Assignment 3 Due:

May 9 No readings
Student Presentations Final Writing Project

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References and Suggested Resources

Alvermann, D. E. (2002). Adolescents and literacies in a digital world. Peter Lang.

Arosteguy, K. O., Bright, A., & Rinard, B. J. (2019). A student’s guide to academic and

professional writing in education. Teachers College Press.

Brozo, W. G. & Simpson, M. L. (1999). Readers, teachers, learners: Expanding literacy across

the content areas. Prentice Hall.

Chase, E., Morabito, N. P., & Abrams, S. (2020). Writing in education: The art of writing for

educators. Brill | Sense Publishers.

Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (2000). Multiliteracies: Literacy, learning, and the design of social

futures. Routledge.

Gee, J. (2001). Reading as situated language: A sociocognitive perspective. Journal of

Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(8), 714-725.

Goldberg, G. L. & Roswell, B. S. (2002). Reading, writing, and gender: Instructional strategies

and classroom activities that work for girls and boys. Eye On Education.

Hammond, Z. (2014). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic

engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin Press.

Hynds, S. (1997). On the brink: Negotiating literature and life with adolescents. Teachers

College Press.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2001). Multicultural education and human relations: Valuing

diversity. Allyn & Bacon.

Kress, G. & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: The modes and media of

contemporary communication. Arnold.

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Leu, D. J., Castek, J., Henry, L. A., Coiro, J., & McMullan, M. (2004). The lessons that

children teach
us: Integrating children’s literature and the new literacies of the Internet.

The Reading Teacher, 57(5), 496-503.

McMillan, S. & Wilhelm, J. (2007). Students’ stories: Adolescents constructing multiple

literacies through nature journaling. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(5), 370-

377.

Mlynarczyk, R. W. (1998). Conversations of the mind: The uses of journal writing for second-

language learners. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Ringo, S. (2008). Teaching for social justice: Experiences and epiphanies. Multicultural

Perspectives, 10(4), 229-233.

Smith, M. W. & Wilhelm, J. D. (2006). Going with the flow. Heinemann.

Stone, J. C. (2007). Popular websites in adolescents’ out-of-school lives: Critical lessons on

literacy. In M. Knobel and C. Lankshear (Eds.), A New Literacies Sampler (pp. 49-66).

Peter Lang.

Related Journals Related Websites

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Education Week: www.edweek.org
Teachers College Record Educational Leadership: www.ASCD.org
The Reading Teacher National Association for Multicultural
The Council Chronicle Education: www.nameorg.org
Multicultural Perspectives National Council of Teachers of English:
International Journal of Multicultural www.ncte.org
Education International Reading Association:
Gender and Education www.reading.org
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education National Writing Project: www.nwp.org
Action in Teacher Education Edutopia: www.edutopia.org
Research in the Teaching of English
Journal of Teaching Writing

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Sample Layout:

Commenting on Teaching and Learning Assignment

Student Name

EDU 1055 – Semester and Year

Dr. Blanchard

Date Submitted

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Prompt #1

Student response begins here.

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Prompt #2

Student response begins here.

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References

All citations should be in APA format.

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