Abstract:

From Grad School to Grade School, the Story Workshop method of teaching writing and reading and narrative problem-solving, originated and developed by John Schultz, works from American affluent to poverty areas, from the city of Chicago and its suburbs to Fudan/Shanghai, engaging the participation and advancement of skills for the many voices of students from diverse backgrounds, as well as coaching students to use their different ways of apprehending things--face to face, face to self, face to group, face to teacher, face to computer screen and the internet. These activities can make the Common Core work. They enhance problem solving abilities at the computer and online and anywhere such visualization and expressive abilities are called upon. A college level science teacher, who was thought to be critical of the program, said, "You know, our best students are fiction writing students." Why? "Because essentially an experiment is narrative problem solving."

"Reading became easier, more enjoyable, and writing was given a voice with power. Since reading improved so dramatically, scores in other subjects also soared."--Kathleen Somerville, Chicago elementary school teacher, after a ten-week once-a-week two hour Story Workshop program for the diverse mix of students in her fourth grade class.

The Story Workshop approach is one of the best examples of a high quality curriculum and instructional method that fully integrates four critical areas in literacy: reading, writing, speaking, and listening."--Cynthia Way, Senior Editor, The Education Alliance at Btrown University.

Here are challenges in reading, writing, and problem solving development throughout the world:
- How to engage students of different voices and backgrounds in reading and writing in the common language;
- How to get students who are articulated and animated outside the classroom to join their own voices and thinking with the activities of the classroom.

Keywords:

Addressing the needs of diverse students in reading, writing, and problem solving, grade school, secondary, undergraduate.