S.T.A.A.R. takes over from T.A.K.S. in Texas

Standardized testing for students in Texas is getting a makeover.

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is being replaced by the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR).

Students in the graduating Class of 2015, who are currently in seventh grade, will be the first students who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements, as well as pass their classes, in order to earn a diploma.

The new tests will be significantly more rigorous than previous tests and will measure a child’s performance, as well as academic growth.

Be prepared and get your teaching staff up to speed on the new standards.

Language Arts Teacher Development: Helping students develop story ideas

Completely Developed Ideas

I came up with a little saying to remind students of the importance of developing their ideas sufficiently. It goes like this:  My age or more to get a good score.”   

Too many kids do what I call developing their ideas horizontally.  For example, they may go to the beach, which is fine, but have 5 to 10 different events instead of just one or two.  The problem with that is that most writing assignments have limited quantity of pages and lines, usually one or two at the most.   If they have too many events, odds are they will only be able to spend two or three sentences on each idea/event.  

 Try this visual idea on your students.  Go to an office supply store and purchase either a 12 fine point set of markers or a box of 16 crayons.  Start with any color by underlining an event that is written about…..usually a topic sentence.  Keep using the same color until the student switches to a new event.  Sometimes you will have used the entire box of crayons or markers by the time you finish the paper! 

I use colored trains as graphic organizers for my students, with yellow being assigned to the introduction, blue for the 1^st event or idea, green for the 2^nd event or idea, and red for the conclusion.  If the beginning middle and end are developed enough, all the space available would only have 3 or 4 colors.  I also use colored blocks, monkeys, plastic balls and anything else I can find at Walmart to show the students visually how much they are developing or NOT developing their essays.  That way, it’s not just theory but practical strategies happening right in front of you with your very own students!   

Allow me the opportunity to model development of ideas with YOUR school soon and see your scores skyrocket!  Contact "The Write Prescription" to request a teaching training seminar at your school. 

Low Composition Scores: Not enough writing training

The real reason our students are getting low composition scores each year....not enough writing training in the lower grades!!!

Trying to get our students to get higher than a zero, one, or two on their Writing compositions without the pre-requisites needed in the lower grades would be similar to flipping a pyramid up-side down and trying to make it balance on its point. It is nearly impossible! If we want our students to succeed, we must give Writing training to all grade levels, not just the testing grades. 

The training I offer models visual and auditory strategies at the bottom of the pyramid, then oral skills, next the reading, and finally the writing skills.  I can show teachers in all grade levels how to analyze the pyramid level of their students.  They can then give instruction at that level and move up when the students are ready.

Please allow me the honor of coming to your school and showing your teachers how to make the writing connection.

Earn $100 per day for booking Language Arts teacher training seminars

How would you like a little cash incentive?  Simply arrange for Bill MacDonald, 'The Writing Doctor', to come to your school for a language arts teacher training seminar and you'll receive $100 finders' fee for each day of training! 




Contact us to find out more information about what you can expect from The Writing Doctor's seminars and to obtain a custom quote based on your school's needs.

Look at our products at www.thewriteprescription.com or on TpT under The Write Prescription/Bill MacDonald!