Teachers College Reading & Writing Project
Readers and Writers Workshop is the core foundation for the instruction of Literacy in Orinda classrooms. Providing extensive ongoing professional development in both Readers and Writers Workshop is a continuing priority. Each summer, teachers and principals travel to New York to attend the Reading and Writing Project Summer Institutes at Columbia University. During the school year, Teachers College staff developers train and coach with Orinda staff to further advance the skills of teachers and assist in planning next steps for instruction. Beginning in 2011, the study of the Common Core Standards was embedded in the teacher trainings of Readers and Writers Workshop. Our own Literacy Coach supports teachers every day in the classroom.
Teachers, principals, and parents are excited about the positive direction of our reading and writing programs. In our tenth year of implementing Writers Workshop, the improved quality of student writing in Orinda classrooms is evident at each grade level. In Readers Workshop, Orinda students are reading with volume, stamina and engagement.
