Raising Readers and Writers

It’s finally done and ready to be presented to our staff!  I’ve fretted, gone back over notes,  researched, looked for other writing vision statements (because that’s what Katie Wood Ray would do), and then just sat myself down and started to type.  What has caused all of this angst?  Our school’s writing vision statment.  Our small teacher writing group worked on defining our beliefs last year, got input from the staff, and ended the school year with this project still looming.  It nagged at me all summer, but never loud enough for me to do something about it.  Of course, I waited until I was in full swing of the new school year before I decided to pull all of our information together into an official vision statement (when will I learn to balance things a little better?).  I’ve given it to other members of our committee for suggestions on revisions and it is finally ready to be given to my principal and the rest of the staff.  It feels so good to have that done.  In fact, I had such a feeling of elation, that I finally (I’m using that word a lot tonight!) got the information ready to send out to fourth and fifth grade students for our after school writing club.  I can’t wait to get started with them, but more about that later! So, below you will find our Model Writing School Vision Statement.  We want everyone to know that if you come to our school, you will be a writer.  What do you think?

Writing Vision Statement for Avery Elementary School

Our school vision has three dimensions, learning to write, learning about writing, and writing to learn. We believe that Avery is a community of writers that includes both teachers and students. We have a trusting environment where students and teachers feel safe to take risks. Writing is meaningful and important in all areas of the curriculum. Our teachers are a community of writers themselves, which helps them better understand the process our student writers go through.

Our school fosters an environment where writing is encouraged and honored. Students have access to a variety of writing supplies, charts with student thinking hang in our rooms and hallways, and students are encouraged to publish their writing in a variety of ways including the use of technology. Halls and classrooms are filled with authentic writing in a variety of genres that includes a many types of informational writing.

The teachers at Avery recognize that in order for students to become better writers, they themselves need to write a lot. As a result, our teachers are committed to providing many opportunities for students to write not only in school, but also outside of school. It is here that our students develop the habits of life long writers. They learn to write by using writer’s notebooks, observation journals, and completing inquiry projects where they research, analyze, and interpret information. Students use writing to explore new ideas. They learn about writing by being immersed in quality literature where they read like writers and have conversations with other writers. Our students collaborate throughout the pre-writing, drafting, revision, and editing stages to make decisions about their writing, get a sense of audience, and develop voice.

Our students are given the unique opportunities to write in an after school writing club, publish books in our parent-run publishing shop, and celebrate writing on a regular basis with other classes, parents and community members. Avery teachers collaborate across grade levels to push for excellence for all of our students. As a result, students at Avery Elementary enjoy writing, see it as purposeful, and gain confidence in themselves as writers.