Case Studies
from current & former clients
CASE STUDIES ARE COMPILED FROM PRIVATE CLIENT FEEDBACK FORMS.
Rural K-8 school with 1-2 classrooms per grade level.
THE CHALLENGE:Writing tasks often involved responses to reading or daily prompts, with little focus on teaching explicit writing strategies or understanding students as individual writers.
The real challenge was shifting teachers' mindsets and helping them relinquish control over the writing process. Melissa stepped in and provided transformative training that focused on what writing truly is and how students learn to write. She introduced the concept of authentic writing instruction tailored to each student's abilities.
Teachers received hands-on training on independent writing instruction through in-class modeling and co-teaching. This approach allowed teachers to see the true potential of their students' independent writing capabilities, fundamentally changing their expectations and instructional choices.
THE SOLUTION:
With Melissa's ongoing coaching and support, teachers learned to observe, gather data, and analyze student writing pieces effectively. Today, without relying on any specific writing program, the teachers are confidently using Writers’ Workshop. As a result, the students are thriving as independent, capable writers.
“We talk about the need for writing to improve in our county administrative meetings, and what I want everyone to know is that working on writing in this way can help so much with reading instruction.”
Case Study #2
Training 3rd Grade Educators in a large elementary school with implementing a new writing program.
The Units of Study in Narrative, Information and Opinion.
THE CHALLENGE:While some were vaguely familiar with the program, they struggled with key aspects such as focusing on the writer's progress, meeting students where they were, allowing multiple drafts, and encouraging student-led pacing.
Melissa addressed these challenges head-on. She conducted a comprehensive workshop on the foundational principles of what writers need, the Writer’s Workshop model, and how to efficiently utilize the Units of Study. Additionally, she provided personalized one-on-one coaching that included modeling lessons, planning sessions, classroom observations, and co-teaching.
THE SOLUTION:
Teachers gained a much deeper understanding of the program and how to effectively implement and manage Writer’s Workshop. They learned to use baseline writing pieces to set individual goals for each student, guiding their growth and informing instructional decisions. The entire grade-level team felt more confident and skilled in using the writing program, ultimately helping their students to succeed as writers.