Quick CraftPlus Overview and Frequently Asked Questions

CraftPlus is a K-8 writing program that unifies writing instruction across an entire school or district. The integrated learning package consists of a K-8 core writing curriculum based on Target-Skills™ instruction, professional books, grade-level Curriculum Guides, sixteen workshop and classroom demonstration videos or DVDs, and a CD with student samples and other classroom support materials. You will learn how to teach writing by working with the materials in study groups, reading the books, and by practicing in your own classrooms the skills and techniques you learn.

1. What should I do first?
Most teachers like to start small when they make changes in the way they teach. That’s fine. CraftPlus is not an all-or-nothing program. As you work with the CraftPlus components over the next year or two, your approach to writing instruction will change, too. Teaching to Target Skills makes it easy to begin teaching writing craft almost immediately as part of your normal writing schedule and during content-area instruction.

First off, you’ll watch a video or two, read a few pages of the professional books, and get started with your study group. You’ll learn the basic instructional techniques you need to get started. In your classroom, you’ll start by teaching basic, descriptive Target Skills from a list that CraftPlus provides. These skills build a foundation for later work with genres.

2. Is there a grade-level recommendation for viewing the videos?
From a Michigan school using the program: "Do you have a grade level recommendation for viewing the videos? For example, which ones are appropriate for kindergarten? (Kindergarten teachers seem to think the videos just don't apply to them.) So, I said I'd ask you for grade level specific viewing information. I'm talking about Module 1-11.....not the classroom demonstration ones. Thanks, in advance, for your response."

Answer:
The material in the videos applies to EVERY GRADE.

Kindergarten teachers need to watch all the modules except possibly Persuasion and one segment of Composing Skills, which deals with sentence length and variation. Module 11 is specifically for K-1 teachers and deals with how to teach the mechanics of writing, incorporating children's use of phonemic skills. Teachers grades 3-5 need not watch Module 11 (though it should be very enlightening to them).

The other tapes ALL demonstrate what the craft looks like as it starts in kindergarten and moves through the grades. Kindergarten teachers start the curriculum. They will do the precursor work. For example, while they, of course, will not be teaching how to organize multi-paragraphed papers, they will be focusing on listing and sorting, which are the underlying skills that allow writers in later grades to write multi-paragraphed papers. And if kindergarten students write one sentence under a picture and that is deemed sufficient writing, then students in higher grades will never learn to develop ideas.

There may be occasional SEGMENTS of a Module that don't apply such as the one I referred to in Composing Skills. Participants in the study groups may fast-forward to the next segment. The whole idea of the program is to have a CONTINUOUS, PROGRESSIVE CURRICULUM-driven writing program!

3. How do I keep writing samples organized?
One teacher asked: "I do have a question about organization. What have you seen teachers use to keep the writing samples organized? We were looking at the milk crate and sliding folder system, but wanted the students to have some kind of special writing portfolio. We want to make this important for them, so any suggestions on something more imaginative would be helpful to us."

Answer to this multifaceted question:
Where do students keep their writing work, notes, and references?

In grades 2-8, students should have a loose-leaf notebook, as set out in Module 7. A sample of the organization is suggested in a blackline master found in the Visuals section of the resource binder. Kindergarten writers may find a pizza box or legal envelope or a folder in a milk crate more useful.

Where do teachers keep student-writing samples?
Teachers build a Writing Instruction Notebook; a loose-leaf binder being the most practical organizer. Student writing samples on transparencies, used in instruction, are kept with the associated lesson. Teacher's model writing samples belong in the same place.

Portfolios:
Portfolios contain works chosen by the student and the teacher that represent the array of genre papers a student has completed and demonstrate growth and achievement in the use of craft skills. They should be available to the student, in any kind of classroom storage. These written samples are often extracted from the Student Writing Notebook during self-evaluations, practice using rubrics, or on a periodic basis.

4. How does my school introduce the program?
Here's how Jackman Elementary School introduced the program at a professional development day. The introduction took about three hours.

Provide an Overview

• Joke
• Show on overhead the Reading and Writing Map Results to explain need for new program
• Share some true-false thoughts on writing from Marcia Freeman's program. [ Ex: If you can read, you can write. (False). Writing is simply not assign and assess (True)]
• Explain Marcia Freeman's background and writing education philosophy

View Module 1 – Segment 1

Discussion
- Ask staff to share their personal experience with writing

Continue to view Module 1 – Segment 2

Discussion
- Use overhead to explain Freeman's target skills maps

Look at Grade Level Expectations
- See how target skills map correlates with our grade level expectations (benchmarks)

Break out session into grade level groups to view and discuss grade appropriate target skills and year plan
- Take about 10-15 minutes

Break – 15 minutes (after break go to designated areas below)

View Grade Level Lesson Demonstrations in different rooms

• Grade K-1
• Grade 2 -3 1
• Grade 4 -6 1

Divide into grade levels and develop a writing lesson plan for first week of school (develop more lesson plans if time permits)
- Take about 45 minutes

Share lessons

• Take about 15 minutes or remaining time
• Ask staff to bring samples of students' writings from these plans to share at next staff meeting

5. What results can we expect from implementing this program, and when?
Almost immediately, teachers will see students reacting positively and applying newly learned Target Skills in their writing. By the end of the first year, teachers will see a substantial improvement in the quality of student writing and in the students' attitude about writing.

Due to the amount of program content, it will probably take a year to a year-and-a-half for teachers, in their study groups, to work through all the workshop modules and the accompanying follow-up Activities. Two years will generally be required for teachers to complete their individual Writing Instruction Notebooks (which will be a living document that will continue to grow and be modified). During this time they will be building their repertoires of lessons, bibliographies of literature models for each skill, and collecting student writing samples to illustrate how "real kids" write when they apply the various target skills.

Each year, performance on standardized tests will rise as teachers become increasingly adept with the curriculum and methodology. And because the program will have been implemented school-wide, and tested students will have benefited from the continuity of the progressive curriculum, these gains should ultimately be substantial, or even dramatic.

6. Is this program supported by research?
The program has a strong research and theoretical base. Most significantly, it innovatively translates this theory into an effective, practical, and classroom friendly instructional methodology as demonstrated by the universally positive teacher responses and the gains in educational outcomes experienced in large numbers and varieties of classrooms across the nation.

Contact your marketing representative or Maupin House for the paper titled: Research Base of the Marcia S. Freeman School-Wide Writing Program, which explains this further.

7. We already have benchmarks and standards, plus assessment tests and rubrics for writing. Why do we need this program?
Benchmarks and standards provide goals and objectives, but achieving academic outcomes consistent with those goals and objectives, requires a curriculum, an effective teaching methodology for delivering the curriculum in the classroom, and a staff development resource for training teachers in the curriculum content and methodology. These requisite elements are often absent, incomplete, or ineffective in the area of writing. This program delivers them in a complete, comprehensive, and effective form specifically directed at achieving or exceeding performance benchmarks and standards.

Contact your marketing representative or Maupin House for the paper titled: How the Marcia S. Freeman School-Wide Writing Program Closes the Gap Between Benchmarks and Standards and Academic Outcomes.

8. Our teachers already use the writing process. Why do we need this program?
An NCTE research study and a number of others have found that the writing process alone does not lead to significantly improved writing. This is something recognized by every teacher who has tried this approach. In fact, when used alone as "the writing program," the writing process creates many frustrations for both teachers and students. When this occurs, teachers commonly assume the fault lies with them or their students. But it does not: a process is not skills. Improving student writing requires direct instruction in writing-craft skills. In addition, the process must be adapted to match students' developmental stages. The writing process is only a support mechanism for a program of writing instruction.

Contact your marketing representative or Maupin House for the paper titled: How the Marcia S. Freeman School-Wide Writing Program Adapts the Writing Process.

9. The brochure says this is equivalent to having Marcia Freeman on-site "4 days, forever." Why is that the case?
It takes Freeman a minimum of two to three days of on-site workshops to deliver all the information included in the workshop videos, and one to two days to give the classroom demonstrations. In practice, more time than this is often spent. Training of primary teachers and intermediate teachers is usually done in separate visits and some classroom demonstrations often have to be repeated to minimize the cost of substitutes. In addition, for every two hours of on-site workshop there is approximately an hour of participatory exercises and discussion.

It is difficult for teachers to absorb the large amounts of new concepts and new information Freeman presents in two to three intensive workshop days. With the video resource, teachers are able to pace their learning and re-view workshop materials as often as they like. Teachers that miss an on-site workshop are able to avail themselves of the videos to catch up. New teachers can form or join a study group and view videos to get up to speed.

10. What role should school administrators play in implementing this program?
Effective-Schools Research has shown instructional leadership by principals to be an essential factor for achieving strong academic outcomes. This is certainly the case for this program, particularly in its first year. Once the program gets underway, it is largely self-directing and sustained by the positive experiences in the classroom and they manifest educational improvements. For most schools, however, the program represents a major departure from its current practices with regard to writing education. As such, teacher commitment, cooperation, and coordination is vital as they absorb the new information and implement it in their classrooms. This commitment and cooperation is considerably more likely if administrators are actively interested and involved. An excellent first step is enthusiastic and informed participation by the principal and assistant principal in the introductory staff meeting to kick off the program.

11. What kind of follow-up support is available?
The program is designed to be self-sustaining, and most schools are able to successfully complete full implementation without outside assistance. If for whatever reason, however, a school feels that it would like an outside review of its implementation, or would benefit from some expert coaching, Maupin House has available a cadre of professional consultants trained in and experienced with the Marcia Freeman program, all of whom have a classroom-teacher background. Additionally, facilitators may contact Freeman through Maupin House for telephone or e-mail consultation.

12. Is the program facilitator position a full-time job?
The program facilitator is not a full-time job. No more than one to two hours per week should be required once the program is underway.

13. What are the ramifications of this program with regard to in-service credits for teachers?
The content of this staff development resource and the time required to learn and master it are equivalent to that of a 3-credit-hour college course. Teachers who successfully complete the program certainly qualify for in-service credits. The Resource Guide includes information to help school administrators work with the district staff development department to establish the procedures for earning or administering appropriate in-service credits.

14. What grant sources are available to help me purchase this program?
A number of federal educational funding sources may help you to purchase this writing-education staff development resource. They include: Titles 1, 6, and 7; Eisenhower; Reading First; IDEA (Individual Disability Education Act); Bilingual Education; GATE; Demonstration School Program (CSRD); SELPA; Restructuring School grants; and the "Leave No Child Behind" Act.

In addition, this program may qualify for state funds such as Twenty-first Century Community Learning Center Grants available through state departments of education (DOE), and state-specific grants such as the Martha Holden Jennings grants in Ohio.

Finally, local funding may be available from sources such as local improvement funds, educational foundations, parent-teacher organizations, and in-service training funds.

15. How can I find out more about the Marcia Freeman Writing Instruction Program and other schools' experiences with it?

Contact Maupin House Publishing 1-800-524-0634. A number of additional information documents are available, including testimonials from a wide variety of sources.

Subcategory: Target Skills

16. How do you overcome the typical first week challenge of writers who say, “I won’t write…”?

Once students see the success other writers are having, they will usually join in. Until they do you can send them on a clipboard trip (Chapter 3 of Building a Writing Community), suggest they make a list of all the things they hate to write about, and remain friendly and encourage them in other areas. Another good tip is to have the student tell you a personal story while you draw it out orally. They may want to retell the story to their peers and that may be a great place to start dictation if the student is ready. React to their stories and ask them questions to let them know you are interested in what they have to say.

17. How do you keep students from plagiarizing the encyclopedia and CD ROM materials in reports?

Keep in mind that students resort to plagiarism or “copying” when we ask students to write about things they do not know about. First make sure the precursor skills needed in report writing have been well-established (Chapter 11 of Building a Writing Community). Then start with small informational pieces based on a topic the students are already familiar with. And finally, direct all students (grade 3+) to research with easy to read children’s illustrated texts. They should read the texts first without taking any notes to give them an overview of the topic. From there, they can move on to the part of the topic that interests them and use of grade level materials.

18. How do you cope with the loss of edits between the draft and published copy stages with the appearance of new mistakes?

First, realize that this is a common occurrence with young, developing writers. Some strategies for coping with and helping students to understand the carry-over of edits to published pieces are as follows:

• Archive the draft for proof of editing.
• Determine whether the goal of the piece has been met.
• Make corrections for the student only if he or she would like for you too.
• Enlist volunteers to type student work.
• Require editing and revision without publishing so that students know this is an important writing expectation.
• Reduce publishing copy-over-time to small increments
• Have students underline, in color, the edits and revisions they have made on their drafts in order to make them more obvious at copy time.
• Mask mistakes with liquid-eraser or labels and let the author rewrite.

19. How do you deal with the continuous output of low-quality work?

Always celebrate that the writers are engaged in writing, and when at author’s chair, ask the students to share the best parts and uses of target skills they hear. Encourage multiple readings by the same authors, which may lead to them finding the weaknesses in the quality on their own. And finally, give mini-lessons to small groups of students in left-field sentences, dialogue that advances the plot and reveals character, staying focused, and underlining content words. 

20. Is there a certain order by which to teach the letters of the alphabet to young writers?

Answer:  Initially, an emergent writer should know the letter his or her name begins with.  As soon as he knows that name-starting letter he can begin writing in daily workshop.  Name-starting letters of other classmates can be shared and used as well.

• The first consonants to teach, learn, and use are b, d, k, m, p, t, and s.  These are articulated first in speech patterns.
• N, z, r, l, g, j, h, x, f, v, w, q, and y follow in general order of increasing difficulty.
• Letters with hard and soft versions as well as those whose names do not come close to their sounds should come last.  (c and g, c and k, w, h, q, and y)
• Emergent writers can then begin composing with just a few of these beginning consonants.  They will then work to add ending consonants, and finally consonant blends.
• Vowels are tricky due to their long and short sounds.  However, start with “I” early so that writers can use it to write about themselves.
• Teaching the alphabet from A to Z is not the most useful or learner-friendly approach.

21. How can I get students to use and carry over Target Skills in their daily writing after they have been taught and are not necessarily being assessed?

Answer: This can be frustrating concern for many teachers.  There are several ways the teacher can foster carryover of Target Skills in daily writing… even writing in other content areas. Here are some suggestions.

• Establish and display ongoing lists of Target Skills that you’ve already taught. Students can refer to posted charts and incorporate the skills as they write their pieces.
• Allow students to add Target Skills to their notebooks, or mark them off once they have been mastered.

  Assign periodic reviews of already-covered Target Skills in a practice piece.

• When planning genre blocks, select one or two skills that have been previously taught and practiced in the area of composing skills and conventions.

22. How can I get students to use a hook other that the question hook in expository writing?

Answer: The purpose of a hook, a beginning sentence, is to intrigue or raise the curiosity of an audience.  This can be done in the form of a question, exclamation, alliterative phrase, quote, a hyperbole, or onomatopoeia (sound).

Young writers seem most comfortable forming a question hook, but you can encourage them to mimic the pros.  Use articles from Ranger Rick magazines, Sports Illustrated for Kids magazines, and other children’s publications.  Point out the different hooks used by different authors.  Even post them on chart paper for future use and reference.

Model for your students a variety of hooks.  If you are consistently using a question hook, the students will as well.  Have your writers practice different types of hooks as target skills.  Encourage your students start with questions, but also have them try exclamations and onomatopoeias for the primary grades.  Intermediate students can move quickly to the more sophisticated hooks like hyperbole, quotes, and alliterative phrases.

More support for beginning techniques can be found on pp. 107 in Teaching the Youngest Writers, and in CraftPlus® program Module 7, “Beginning and Ending Techniques.”

23. My curriculum says I must teach letter writing.  Should this be its own genre block?

Answer:  Even though letter writing is quickly becoming obsolete, it is still a skill in many state curriculums.  Letter writing, however, is not a genre and therefore does not have to be taught in a whole genre block.  Letters are only a format for writing and can be covered in any genre.  Students could write personal narratives to a relative or pen pal.  They could persuade or give their opinion in letter format to school personnel, etc.

[Subcategory] Assessment of Craft Use

24. How many Target Skills should I assess at once, or in one piece?

Answer:  Students at grades K and 1 should be assessed only on one maybe two skills as long as one is a review skill on a practice piece.  Students in grades 2 and 3 should be able to handle two to three skills with at least one of them being a previously taught and practiced skill on a practice piece.  Students in grades 4 and 5 should be able to handle three skills on a practice piece. 

You will be the best judge of what your students can do successfully.  Remember, the act of embedding craft into writing is meant to be a concrete and doable skill for all students.  When students feel overwhelmed by being assessed on too many Target Skills you may  lose a sense of positive momentum.

Subcategory: Genre-Block Delivery of Target Skills, Grades 2 +

25. How do I choose Target Skills for the block?

Answer:  When planning a genre block it is important to be consistent with how you choose Target Skills, making sure that they apply to the genre being taught.  You will assess that genre piece only for the use of the assigned Target Skills you have taught or reviewed.

Try the following guidelines:

One new skill.  This is usually an organization skill applicable to the genre you are teaching.

One previously taught or reviewed composing or convention skill

One or three new composing and/or convention skills.

(Remember to have a combination of organization, composing, and convention skills with the planning of each genre block, and be careful not to bog students down with the use of too many conventions at once – That is not what craft is all about.)

Note:  When using the CraftPlus® curriculums by grade level in the Teacher’s Guide,  choose the Target Skills from the list according to the following categories:

Organization Target Skill Choices - Organization, Beginnings, and Endings columns

Composing Target Skill Choices- Descriptive Writing, Supporting Details, Sentence Variation, Composting Skills (this column should be thought of as Literary Skills), and Revision columns

Conventions – Editing column

Subcategory: Student Organization

26. How should I help my students keep their writing organized throughout the year?

Answer: Students should be keeping a notebook beginning in grades 2+.  They are generally in loose leaf notebooks with dividers.

This writer’s notebook is a place for them to keep not only finished pieces, but also daily practice pieces.

Students and/or teachers should create tabbed sections in the notebooks to keep materials associated with writing craft skills being taught and learned.  Notebook sections are often made up of ideas, description, narrative, expository, current practice pieces, and finished work.  Additional sections that may be appealing are notes taken during Target Skill lessons, lists of craft examples found in independent reading, and in-progress genre pieces.  These are only suggestions.  There is no specific prescription.

Occasional weeding out is a must.  However, keep in mind that the writing belongs to the student.  Please see that even at the end of the year all writing is returned to the author.  Some special pieces may be used for a portfolio, and the upkeep and organization of these folders may be used as a portion of the student’s writing grade.

Some type of organization to the students’ writing shows that the teacher values the time and energy the students are putting forth in the area of writing.  It sends the message that writing is as important as any other academic area, and allows the students to take pride in the growth they have shown as writers.

More information about Student Notebooks can be found in CraftPlus® video module 7, “Beginning and Ending Techniques,” and in program module 14, “Ending Techniques” classroom demonstration module.

Subcategory: Study Group/Staff Development

27. How often should study groups meet?

Answer:  For collaborative study groups to be as effective as possible, members should meet on a regular basis. Meeting twice a month—once to view the video, and once for follow up after trying out the instructional strategies—works well. If once a month is the only way you can meet however, please do.  The meeting could be extended a little for the follow-up from the previous meeting after viewing and discussing the new material.

28. Is there a suggested order to watching the videos?

Answer:  All study groups should plan on viewing Video 1, “A Writing Curriculum and How to Deliver the Skills,” and Video 2, “How to Teach a Writing Craft Skill” first.  After those, there is no specific order which you must view the videos.   Your group may, however, decide to watch those videos that apply to the genres which you are currently teaching.  Your needs and interests may dictate the order.  Video 7, “Beginnings and Endings,” is an especially valuable video you may consider watching towards the beginning…as well is Video 8, “A Sampling of Composing Skills.”

And remember, you can get even more help beginning the series by referring to the corresponding classroom demonstration videos. For example, Video 7 coordinates with Classroom Demonstration Video 14, “Ending Techniques,” while Video 8 coordinates with Classroom Demonstration Video 15, “”Elaboration: Clues and Inference.”