A study focused on the problems of poor performance in classroom assignments and state-wide writing assessments of middle grade students in the practicum setting. The goals of the practicum plan were: (1) to improve teacher competency in the steps of the writing process; (2) to improve student attitudes about writing; and (3) to improve writing abilities and achievement of students by enhanced teaching practices and encouraging publishing for various audiences. Accomplishment of these goals was pursued through a series of staff development activities for teachers and subsequent implementation of classroom writing using the steps of the writing process and holistic scoring exercises as evaluation. Subjects, 142 students in a rural North Carolina school, completed both pre-implementation and post-implementation surveys; more than the projected 25% improved their attitude toward writing. Results indicated that the process writing approach improved the students' performances in composition. This improvement is expected to be perpetuated in all subjects across the curriculum as well as in annual writing assessments in future years. (Seven tables of data are included; 34 references and 13 appendixes are attached.) (RAE)