Syllabus for ENG I: Phoenix Writes

Outcomes

Summary:

Recognizing the individuality of each educator and student, this writing program is designed to provide educators with the pieces key to Phoenix Academy writing instruction, but allows for flexibility in their implementation. Continued colleagial collaboration (both syncronous and asyncronous will be utilized) will create a professional learning community through which pedagogies are shared and refined. Main components of writing instruction will include journaling, FOCUS and The Freedom Writers Diary. Whenever possible, assignments should be geared toward creating authentic, relevant, published works i.e. blogging, letters, proposals, podcasts, commercials, class anthologies, wikis. Recgonizing the best educational practices are reflective, this instructional model is under constant revision and adaptable to the needs of all learners.

I: Goals

• Curriculum will present students with tools to make sure their writing is Focused, Organized, Syntactually Correct and Supported.
• Curriculum will use authentic writing experiences to provide students with differentiated writing practices.
• Curriculum will incorporate strategies to help students read at writers.
• Curriculum will use for formal and informal writing experiences to build students understanding of basic structure and purposes of academic writing.
• Curriculum will use peer, outside and instructor feedback to inform and direct the revision and editing processes.

 II: Standards

• LA.B.1.4.1 Selects and use appropriate prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, and outlines.
• LA.B.1.4.2 Drafts and revises writing that: is focused, purposeful, and reflects insight into the writing situation.
• LA.B.1.4.3 Produces final documents that have been edited.
• LA.B.2.4.3 Writes fluently for occassion, audiance, making appropriate choices regarding style, tone, level of detail, and organization.
• LA.D.2.4.4 Effectively integrates multimedia and technology into presentations. 

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II: Tools/Tactics

A. FOCUS: Formal writing instruction will center around 4 principles or strong writing F-Focus, O-Organization, C-Conventions, U-"You", S-Supports.

Students will receive prelimenary instruction on these concepts through mini lessons that highlights each one individually. Instruction will scaffold understanding of these concepts so that students will be able to utilize all concepts interdependently.

FOCUS: Is the writing on-topic? This can be in reference to a prescribed prompt or a student selected writing topic.

 

 

ORGANIZATION: Does the writing include an introduction, body and conclusion? The length of each of these pieces is at the writer's discretion, but inclusion of each makes for stronger writing. Number and length of body paragraphs is linked to quality and quantity of supports.

 

 

CONVENTIONS: Does the writing include spelling, grammar and punctuation appropriate for the audience, tone and purpose of the writing? Lessons on this concept will range from Standard English grammar instruction to Socratic seminars on the place and function of cyber-text, African American Vernacular English, etc. An important part of 21st-Century literacy education is the understanding that many grammars are correct, but that not all grammars are correct for all purposes. 

 

YO"U": Does the written work incorporate each students' personal style and voice? This is a difficult concept for emerging writers. Many have had limited success in academic writing and would equate writing a paragraph with singing a solo at Carnegie Hall sans rehearsal. At the other end of the spectrum and equally troubling are those students who write what they believe the instructor wants to see rather than what they are naturally inclined to write - standardized writing.

 

 

SUPPORTS: Does the written work include ample, authentic, detailed support for each claim made? This is a concept met with major resistence in emerging writers. Simply put, it means answering the question "Why?" for every claim they make. One key to unlocking supports is another neumatic device (FESSI: For Example, Story, Statistic, If/Then) the inclusion of which provides students with an easy-to-remember plan for incorporating details into their writing

B. Journaling: Student journaling should be daily and governed by the following rules:

1. Keep your pen or pencil moving.
2. Don't stop to re-read, re-write or correct mistakes.
3. Don't think; just write.

Student journals may be kept private or shared with the teacher.

C. The Freedom Writers Diary: To provide relevant examples of student-produced, compelling writing, students will be exposed to and interact with this text and respond to it.

Initially, the book will be used as a read aloud to ignite dicussions of student writing and the importance of each student "writing their truth." Diary entries may also be used as journal prompts. A complete list of prompts correlated to each student entry can be found here: THEMES AND WRITING PROMPTS.PDF.