As more and more schools discover the beauty of IEW’s methodology for teaching students to write, administrators, department heads, and coaches are faced with the need to onboard new teachers. The best way to do this is to work with the Schools Department Team, who will help you customize the process for your school. These are some general guidelines for onboarding new teachers from my experience as an administrator.
Onboarding teachers who will be teaching IEW methodology can begin as soon as the teacher is hired. First, I ask the new teacher to listen to the Structure and Style® Overview. I have found that understanding the big picture helps overcome doubts and fears when they begin teaching. Additionally, I ask new teachers to listen to or read three of Andrew’s talks or articles that contain critical components of IEW’s philosophy of teaching. The first is Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing: unclear assignments, overcorrecting, withholding help, and overexpectations. Although the talk presents these errors in the context of writing, they can apply to teaching in general. The next is the article “Process versus Product.” This reminds them that writing is a skill developed over time; therefore, the process of learning how to write is more important than the product produced. Most importantly, “students must feel successful in order to continue to practice, but [teacher] overexpectation can easily stifle that sense of success.” Finally, I ask new teachers to read “Marking and Grading.” This expands on the deadly error of overcorrecting and challenges teachers to consider the goal of marking students’ papers and giving a grade. Receiving their work full of red marks can make the student feel defeated. The article presents an alternative that is more beneficial to the students' learning. Once the novice IEW teacher has completed these preliminary steps, we are ready to move on to more intensive teacher training.
Teachers are trained to teach IEW methodology by watching the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (TWSS) seminar. Because watching the entire ten-video seminar can be overwhelming, I advise teachers to watch the video for each unit before they teach it. This is more manageable. Additionally, I ask them to watch the video or webinar that accompanies the course they are teaching. For example, if they are teaching Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level B, they watch Andrew Pudewa teach the lesson in preparation for teaching it on their own. This has the added benefit of observing a master teacher at work! If your school is using one of the Writing Across the Curriculum courses, teachers can watch the monthly support webinar for that curriculum. These webinars are available for many of the Writing Across the Curriculum courses, and new ones are added every year. Finally, I encourage teachers to subscribe to Magnum Opus Magazine, a monthly e-newsletter with examples of student writing. Watching Teaching Writing: Structure and Style as well as lesson-specific videos or unit webinars continues to equip teachers to teach IEW courses.
Since teaching, like writing, is a skill that is continually refined, training in IEW methodology is ongoing. Teachers can return to Teaching Writing: Structure and Style again and again, learning more each time. Once teachers have at least one year of experience teaching IEW, I ask them to complete the accreditation process to become a Trained IEW Instructor. This ensures each teacher has a thorough grasp of the methodology. Another useful resource is the Tips and Tricks with Andrew Pudewa (TTAP) video series, which is one of the benefits of Premium Membership. Listening to the Arts of Language, IEW’s weekly podcast is another great way to continue professional development. Finally, reading the weekly blog posts is yet another way to continue to sharpen the saw.
Onboarding new teachers into IEW methodology is a continual process. There are many more tools and resources available on the IEW website than I could mention here. However, by starting with an overview, watching Teaching Writing: Structure and Style, and continuing to sharpen the saw with IEW resources such as Strengthening Structure: Models for Teaching IEW Structural Units, teachers are well-equipped to train students to become confident and competent communicators and thinkers.
Explore these blogs in the Teacher Training Method Options series.
Video Training through Individual Streaming
Video Training as a Group
Virtual Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Workshop
Live On-Site Professional Development
by Deanne Smith
