Overview / Writing Workshops / Mission, Principles / Teacher Coaches / Results

Powerful Writers is committed to using meaningful assessment tools -- tools that provide helpful feedback as we continue to build and shape our program to best meet student and teacher needs. To this end, we evaluate progress through student reflections and portfolio collections across the year, and we assess our impact on instructional practices through teacher focus groups.

In 2004-2005, student reflections indicated:

• 97% of students in our program identify themselves as writers
• 73% can identify ways in which their writing has improved over the past year
• 85% can identify aspects of their writing that need improvement 

This self-awareness around areas of strength and weakness, coupled with positive writers’ identity, is an important step toward writing proficiency. 

Our teacher focus group in spring 2005, facilitated by Dr. Gary Troia, Professor of Special Education at University of Washington, offered a great deal of positive feedback and evidence of growth around instructional practices. Teachers reported that:

"Without Powerful Writers, I wouldn’t have known where to start! It made it easier for me to teach and model my own writing. Writing became our favorite part of the day!"

"You saw powerful writing happening everywhere."

"There’s a willingness to do the hard work of being a writer. I’ve enjoyed publishing my own pieces. I’ve been finding that my voice is emerging, that I’ve got a sense of humor. They [the students] notice that my writing has improved."

Focus Group interview

Beacon Hill Elementary

May 31, 2005

Read complete Program Assessment from 2003-4 school year.

This program awakens the passion for writing in us.  Passion breeds leadership and commitment. Passion coupled with knowledge equals efficacy. We remember the triumphs and tragedies of our own lives as writers, and vow to make it different for our students. 

-- Helen Finch, Beacon Hill 5th-grade teacher