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instruction—they are not designed to serve as a strict curricular script (Friedrich, et al., 2018). The flexibility teachers have in deciding how to implement C3WP argument writing is evident in the different ways Ingrid and Rebecca approached teaching argument writing with their students. Ingrid found success focusing on teaching mini-units on the concepts of the nuanced claim and providing evidence, and Rebecca established positive classroom writing routines by using the “Writing into the Day” framework. Ingrid integrated argument writing into her existing curriculum while Rebecca focused on a new project—providing an authentic audience by giving students an opportunity to publish their argument writing in the local newspaper. C3WP offers teachers opportunities to enhance their teaching of argument writing in ways that work in their individual classrooms. Having access to the C3WP resources, the opportunity to experience the demonstration lessons, and support from other educators attending the C3WP professional development helped teachers implement new approaches to teaching argument writing. Additionally, the ongoing nature of the C3WP professional development helped to support the teachers throughout the year.
If you are interested in transforming the way you teach argument writing, consider contacting a local Writing Project site to see if they are offering C3WP argument writing professional development.
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Or take a look at the National Writing Project’s C3WP website, where all instructional resources, formative assessment tools, and professional development resources are offered for free. You could start by looking into the resource that most changed Rebecca’s teaching practices, “Writing into the Day,” and you could look into the resource that Ingrid found most helpful in her teaching of argument writing, “What is a claim?” No matter your approach, consider shifting from a pro/con debate style of argument writing to a solution-oriented approach that is based on a nuanced claim and source-based evidence.
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