Powerful Schools is a nationally recognized non-profit organization based in southeast Seattle,
dedicated to engaging students in learning to promote achievement in reading, writing, and the
arts. Powerful Schools expands what southeast Seattle public elementary schools can do for their
students by collaborating with the school communities. Powerful Schools serves seven elementary
schools including Graham Hill, which participates in the Powerful Writers program.
Powerful Writers supports young children in becoming confident, lifelong writers. This is
accomplished by developing expertise amongst teachers, by supporting daily writing workshops
within classrooms, and by creating a culture of writing across school communities. Powerful
Writers offers the only year round in-class professional development program for writing
instruction in the Puget Sound region. We place experienced teacher coaches alongside teachers
to model writing workshop management and routines, and to demonstrate effective writing
instruction and student conferring. In this way, students and teachers learn side-by-side in the
real-life context of the classroom. Professional development is further supported through weekly
team debriefings , whole school workshops , and guided study sessions.
Powerful Writers 2006-2007 Facts
- Served more than 1,600 students across five southeast Seattle elementary schools.
- Provided year round professional development to 132 teachers and educators
- Hosted monthly open-mic student readings at a local Starbucks, Jan. through June, and a gala
year end reading at Richard Hugo House. - Published student writing monthly in local newsletter.
- Produced four Teaching Writing Forums in collaboration with Richard Hugo House.
Powerful Writers 2006-2007 Results
- Participating schools had increases of 9% to 35% in WASL writing scores.
- After experiencing daily writing workshops , more than 90% of students identified themselves
as writers, and more than 80% of students saw improvement in their writing. - Teachers who worked with Power Writers staff developers felt more confident and
supported in their ability to teach writing. - First annual anthology of student writing published.
Get Involved
You can help Powerful schools serve Seattle Students. Please consider sharing your time, talent or
resources.
- Volunteer: Assist with after-school homework centers or other opportunities.
Contact gro.sloohcslufrewop|ofni#gro.sloohcslufrewop|ofni - Donate: Give directly by mail, phone or online; or designate a gift through your workplace
giving campaign. Contact: gro.sloohcslufrewop|sirod#gro.sloohcslufrewop|sirod - Learn more: http://www.powerfulschools.org or 206.722.5543
More information:
- PowerfulSchoolsInformation.pdf
- Article on Powerful Writers from John Muir which contains an example of one technique that is used and some poetry examples
