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When Newark Public Schools embraced The Writing Revolution (TWR), it marked a major shift in writing instruction across the district. In partnership with TWR, over 1,500 ELA educators in New Jersey’s largest public school district were trained in the Hochman Method, equipping them with tools to explicitly teach writing skills across grades and subjects.
Central to this transformation is Newark’s first Revolutionary Team—a dedicated group of educators collaboratively embedding the Hochman Method into their ELA curriculum. Among them is Kevin Cataldo, a 5th grade ELA teacher, who has championed the integration of writing into daily lessons, allowing students to think critically and communicate effectively.
Before joining the Revolutionary Team, Kevin approached writing and content as separate subjects. Now, he feels empowered to teach them in tandem, engaging students in ways that foster both knowledge and effective communication. Hear directly from Kevin about his experience as a Revolutionary Team member.
Kevin’s story is a powerful testament to the impact of the Hochman Method. TWR is thrilled to continue supporting Newark’s educators as they revolutionize writing instruction, empowering teachers and transforming student outcomes district-wide.
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Read more inspiring stories and learn about our impact in the full report.
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New note-taking templates!
In October, the Resource Library introduced two new note-taking templates to support students in annotating texts. The first template is a structured note-taking guide, adaptable to any text or lecture, while the second enables teachers to embed selected readings alongside TWR note-taking lines, allowing students to underline and annotate directly on the page. Both templates include reminders of the TWR note-taking symbols to reinforce these skills.
These new templates are highlighted in October’s Watch & Learn video, Exploring TWR Note-taking Templates. October’s content example, Exploring the Season of Fall: A Time of Transformation, also emphasizes note-taking, guiding students through a series of TWR note-taking activities based on a seasonal article. In addition, students have the opportunity to practice sentence-level and SPO (Single Paragraph Outline) skills within this content series.
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New bulletin board bundles!
The Resource Library also features two seasonal bulletin board bundles this month. Teachers can create a lively display with our Fall in Love with New Vocabulary bundle, where students enrich their vocabulary by brainstorming precise words to replace ‘good’ in describing the fall season.
The second bundle, The Journey of a Pumpkin, invites students to explore the life cycle of a pumpkin through an engaging article. After reading, students complete a TWR transition activity and an SPO exercise, then personalize their work with a cut-and-paste pumpkin craft, making it ideal for a fall-themed bulletin board.
We loved seeing this activity come to life! Ms. Kim from Greenburgh school district used this bundle in her classroom and shared photos with TWR—be sure to check out her students’ fantastic work!
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The Resource Library can be accessed by TWR-trained educators and includes a variety of resources to support in implementing the Hochman Method. Check your eligibility.
TWR faculty presented at conferences to raise awareness about the power of the Hochman Method.
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International Dyslexia Association (IDA), Florida Branch Paving the Path to Literacy: Partnering with Parents and Professionals
Christine Teahan, Co-Director of Academics, and April Laing, Senior Faculty, were welcomed at the Paving the Path to Literacy conference. Christine and April presented an overview of the Hochman Method and hosted a table talk for educators and parents to learn more about writing across content areas.
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researchED Delaware
Joined by educators nationally and internationally, Co-Directors of Academics, Alexandria Chalonec and Christine Teahan presented on the need for explicit writing instruction at researchED in Wilmington, Delaware.
TWR was honored to be joined by educators from both new and returning school districts across the country and around the world. Knowing the critical role school and district leaders play in successfully implementing TWR, we were excited to see the many principals, instructional coaches, and curriculum specialists join their teachers in our trainings.
TWR welcomed educators from states and territories throughout Australia to our courses and workshops:
Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia.
Highlighted below are some of the U.S. school districts that participated in October courses and workshops:
