nwpam10 K-12 Writing Centers: Transforming Students, Schools, and Sites

This sessions presenters were Denise Abercrombie, Connecticut Writing Project - Storrs, Rebecca Damron, Oklahoma State University Writing Project, Cindy Dean, University of Maine Writing Project, Denise Patmon, Boston Writing Project, and Jennifer Wells, Central California Writing Project.

This session ended up being something different than I expected. When an early elementary teacher hears "writing centers," we automatically think literacy centers. This session was not about literacy centers at all, but was instead about writing centers like those at some colleges.

The presenters discussed peer editing. There were three different levels: elementary; high school; and elementary.We were supposed to rotate through each of the presenters, but most people stayed with the presenters that were speaking about their specific grade level.

Rebecca Damron, Oklahoma State University Writing Project and Heather Corbett, 5th grade teacher, Skyline Elementary School, Stillwater, Oklahoma discussed the curriculum they are developing to teach Corbett's 5th graders to become writing coaches. Writing centers empower students to use what they learn. The writers work 1:1 with the peer tutor with the writing that comes to them.

Some things that can be done at my school might be:

• Simplify the forms to train 1st grade students on peer tutoring.
• Create a list of questions for my students to edit their own papers.
• Train 5th/6th students to peer tutor with my 1st grade students.

I need to:

• Read more about Writing Centers
• Get out my 6 traits box and books
• Develop a question page for 1st graders to edit their own writing.