Ridgefield committee adopts districtwide 'process writing' framework for K–12 instruction

The Ridgefield School District’s Teaching and Learning Committee heard a districtwide overview Tuesday of its K–12 writing approach, which leaders described as a shared instructional method to teach writing across grade levels. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Corey Gillette said the approach breaks writing into manageable stages so teachers can target instruction.

“Process writing is our shared instructional approach, K 12,” Gillette said, outlining the sequence of planning, drafting, revising, editing and publishing that guides classroom instruction. He said the district’s prior K–12 study led to expanded curriculum and resources and that this year’s follow-up study will examine implementation and student work across grades.

District curriculum leaders said the process model is not a single program but an instructional approach combined with selected resources, common rubrics and professional coaching. Linda Johnson, the district’s elementary director, said the curriculum is aligned to the Common Core and developed “by our teachers,” and that teachers use a variety of resources to ensure consistency while adjusting strategies by developmental level.

Committee members praised the emphasis on shared expectations and the plan to post grade-level outcomes and lesson resources on the curriculum website. The presentation closed with teacher leaders from elementary, middle and high school describing classroom examples and how the district will monitor growth through portfolios and common assessments.