It seems like we were just welcoming you to a new school year, and now here we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Regardless of grade or subject area, it is important to close the year with reflection and summary activities that encourage students to look back at their growth and celebrate how far they’ve come. In this l ast Exchange of the 2023-2024 school year, we offer some suggestions for prompts that can be used to do just that. Click here for the full list of prompts, or...

This month, we are thrilled to highlight the work of teachers and administrators at Friendship Charter School's Ideal Academy in Washington, DC. In talking with Yvonne Tackie, an instructional specialist and ELA leader, we heard about the changes the school made to support implementing new writing habits; most important were the benefits that the Five Types of Writing brought to her school. Ms. Tackie commended the Collins Writing Program for providing a common language and framework for...

Last month we shared some of the work of Dr. Karen Harris, which reinforces the foundation of our program. In this issue, we are highlighting the work of Steve Graham, who provides us with ideas, tips, and strategies to use with students in the writing classroom. Studying his work reaffirms that our program is firmly rooted in best practices and incorporates the most effective methods for building a community of writers where expectations are clear, instruction is productive, and assessment...