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Cultivating Student Thinking: Using Daily Writing to Strengthen Argument Skills
with Sarah Woodard, MA | NCTB
Including regular argument writing in an already full curriculum can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. This course offers practical strategies for building a culture of argument through everyday routines that strengthen students’ critical thinking, reading, and writing. You’ll learn how to seamlessly integrate these practices into the meaningful, authentic work you’re already doing with students.
Carving out space for sustained writing practice can feel challenging, especially when instructional minutes are already stretched. Establishing a classroom environment where argument is part of everyday learning helps students build the habits of thoughtful readers, writers, and problem-solvers while enriching work across subject areas.
Throughout this course, you’ll explore practical ways to design recursive, high-impact learning routines that deepen content understanding, expand student perspectives, and strengthen cognitive flexibility. These experiences empower learners to develop their voices, sharpen their analytical skills, and grow as engaged participants in their communities.
Audience: Elementary and secondary teachers (grades 3 – 12+), literacy specialists, ESL/MLL teachers, and instructional coaches.
| The Details | |
| Dates | Starts June 8 |
| Time | Asynchronous |
| Cost | $145 |
| Location | Online |
| Graduate Credits Available | 1 |
Purpose & Outcomes
- Gain an understanding of the value of practices that support teaching argument
- Consider ways to elevate how argument is part of students’ daily lives
- Explore authentic ways to help students notice and respond to arguments in our world
- Learn possibilities for teaching argument in response to sources and considering multiple perspectives to craft arguments
- Synthesize learning to create a working/tentative plan for creating a culture of argument with routine reading, writing, and thinking practices.
Sarah Woodard, MA | NCTB
Facilitator
Sarah Woodard has taught middle and high school English Language Arts in the Denver Metro Area since 1996. She holds a BA in Secondary English Education with a minor in intercultural communication from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa; an MA in Language, Literacy, and Culture: English Education, from University of Colorado Denver; and earned her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2010 which she renewed in 2019. She serves as co-director of development for the Denver Writing Project, is involved with several National Writing Project initiatives, and is a senior instructor with the Responsive Literacy Education Program at the University of Colorado Denver. Sarah loves teaching and learning in digital spaces and has experience designing and facilitating instruction in online and hybrid environments. She practices yoga on a regular basis and enjoys hiking, long walks with her dog, reading, writing, and traveling.