2012-2103 Specialty Groups

It is crucial that schools develop leadership capacity. As Michael Fullan has written, "It takes capacity to develop capacity." Each of TCRWP's Teacher-Researcher Specialty Groups brings together teacher-leaders and potential teacher-leaders from across approximately a dozen schools. These teacher-leaders study with the TCRWP’s top expert in a specialized area of instruction. The group itself generates yet more knowledge on the subject.

This year, specialty groups will develop new thinking around instructing struggling readers and students with special learning needs, designing state-of-the-art performance assessments, supporting strong readers and writers, note-taking and idea-making in content area literacy, and understanding text complexities at the highest levels, to name a few.

Members of a daytime specialty course convene for five full days across the year in a school that has developed exemplary practices so that the group can research students, implement classroom practices, and reflect together. Members of an after-school specialty group convene for eight three-hour meetings, in either the fall or spring term. During these days together, experienced workshop teachers and Project leaders work shoulder-to-shoulder as researchers to pursue a serious classroom-based inquiry.

Please Note: Specialty Groups are only available in conjunction with our on-site staff development. To discuss your eligibility for future Specialty Groups, please write to Jessica Moskowitz at jessica@readingandwritingproject.com.


Daytime Specialty Group Title Leaders Grades Day
Studying Foundational and Language Standards: Word Study and Spelling in Primary Grades Rachel Rothman K-1 Tuesdays
Using Performance Assessments to Revise Units and Inform Instruction Rebecca Cronin and Celena Larkey K-2 Fridays
Becoming Experts in Small Group Work Methods, Such as Guided Reading, to Accelerate the Achievement of Our Primary Readers Shanna Schwartz K-2 Wednesdays
Closely Reading and Engaging in Accountable Talk in Primary Grades Amanda Hartman K-2 Tuesdays
Moving Primary Readers to Grade-Level Text Complexity: Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Small Group Work and Conferences to Help Kids Shift Their Reading Behaviors, Strategies, and Skills Natalie Louis K-2 Fridays
Creating Toolkits to Move Readers to Grade-Level Text Complexity Across the Curriculum Shana Frazin 3-5 Mondays
Creating a Coherent, Braided Curriculum: Thinking Across Units of Study in Reading, Writing, and Social Studies to Help Students Transfer Skills and Strategies Emily Smith 3-5 Fridays
Using Research-Based Evidence to Inform Instruction: The Connections Between Brain Research and Workshop Teaching Colleen Cruz 3-6 Wednesdays


Term After-School Specialty Group Title Leaders Grades Day
Fall Exploring Webb's Depth of Knowledge: What Does and Could the DOK Look Like in Primary Classrooms? Natalie Louis K-2 Wednesdays
Fall Using Digital Tools and Methods to Engage Our Male Readers and Writers Cornelius Minor 3-8 Tuesdays
Spring Depths of Knowledge and Charts: How Our Room Environments Raise and Demonstrate the Cognitive Level of Demand Placed on Students Marjorie Martinelli and Kristi Mraz K-2 Wednesdays
Spring High Level Expectations and Accountability: Holding Learners Accountable for Past Learning Within and Across Grades Kate Roberts 3-8 Tuesdays