Learning to write arguments takes time and practice, which is why teachers who take advantage of C3WP resources engage in at least 4 "cycles of instruction." A cycle of instruction is more than simply teaching one of the resources. Instead, a cycle of instruction includes professional development, formative assessment, and the teaching of argument writing. In a cycle of instruction, both teachers and students learn. The graphic below shows how these cycles work from the teachers' point of view. Each cycle is informed by formative assessment that helps teachers and students see their strengths and how and where to build on them. Students' capacity for sophisticated argument writing is thus built over the course of a year, not in a single argument unit.