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Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

The Trait Tote

An Interview with Jan Littlebear, Co-Developer of NWREL's New Trait Totes

The latest vehicle to help teachers deliver consistent and meaningful instruction and assessment using NWREL's 6+1 Trait® Writing Model can more aptly be described as a whole fleet of strategies, mini-lessons, activities, student writing samples, and more. Two new Trait Totes--one for teachers of grades 3-5 and another for grades 6-8--provide everything teachers need to help students become more effective and reflective writers.

Jan Littlebear is one of the Trait Tote's developers and lead trainer of NWREL's 6+1 Trait® Writing workshops. From a perspective that includes 18 years of teaching and tutoring elementary and secondary students as well as mentoring teachers on using the 6+1 Trait model, Littlebear shares with us why this package is worth considering:

Q: What is the purpose of the Trait Tote?

Littlebear: Teachers are always asking us to help them use the Traits in their classrooms, so we designed the Tote to utilize a straightforward process to guide educators as they implement the model, rubrics, and teaching strategies. Although our workshops examine the model in much more depth, this Trait Tote is the next best thing to attending one of our trainings. Since the Tote uses a transparent process to design lessons, it is like taking the trainer home with you--even for those who have attended one or more workshops. Once a teacher returns to the classroom and begins to deliver the model, questions often arise. This Tote can help answer many of those lingering questions. The Tote is basically a guide to teaching the traits. It will provide assistance and support long after the workshop training has ended.

How is the Trait Tote different from the other traits of writing publications currently available?

This is not a curriculum or a textbook; it is a guide that allows for choice throughout the process of teaching writing. Any teacher can pick up this Tote and, using the step-by-step suggestions, begin to use the Trait model of writing instruction. The steps are repeated with each Trait--along with specific activities--to reinforce a proven order and method for teaching writing, yet it leaves choice to the teachers for what Trait to use, what order to deliver the Traits, and what literature or picture books to use. We also have included some authentic grade-level student papers for practice in assessing the traits, as well as a DVD that introduces each Trait, and a few tools to support the model. The Tote will be especially helpful to the teacher joining a trait-strong school as it provides the immediate support and resources needed to become a trait teacher.

What will users gain from the Trait Tote?

Teachers will gain guidance for implementing the traits and confidence for using the trait model. Once teachers gain the confidence, students will gain the knowledge they need to improve their individual writing skills. We like to think of this as a road map for delivering the 6+1 Trait model of writing instruction, which amounts to best practices when it comes to teaching writing. For more than 20 years now, thousands of teachers have used our model, and tell us how excited they are because it works. Teachers will see how the writing process provides the structure for teaching writing, while the Traits organize the content. Student achievement in writing improves when teachers use our 6+1 Trait model of writing instruction.

Who was the Trait Tote developed for?

Any teacher/educator of grades 3-8 wanting to use the 6+1 Trait Writing model of instruction can benefit from one of the totes. As a model of instruction and not a curriculum, I believe that secondary teachers could also gain insight, support, and resources by using the 6-8 grade level Tote.

What do you see as the Trait Tote's greatest strength?

The whole package! Seriously--this Tote was created in response to teacher requests. It is well-designed, thoughtful, and easy to use. The Tote gives teachers what they have been asking for in one package. Our two Trait Totes put into the hands of intermediate teachers everything they need to deliver the 6+1 Trait Writing model of instruction:

  1. The eight proven strategies for teaching the traits are outlined and explained in their own workbook.
  2. A grade-specific workbook provides a road map to develop and implement lesson plans trait by trait.
  3. A parent handbook introduces the traits to students' first and most influential teachers.
  4. A DVD presents each trait in depth.
  5. The Tote includes student writing samples and teacher tools such as mini-posters and grade-converter.

I know once intermediate grade teachers start using our Totes, we are going to be pressured to create similar packages for our youngest and our oldest learners--so we're already in the gathering stage for these products!

Back to the Trait Tote overview...