Writing and the Writers Workshop

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Writing and the Writers Workshop

• Teaching and Learning the Craft of WritingThe
  Fundamental Belief That All Children Can Write,
  All Children Have the Potential To Be Authors

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Our Programs

• Kid Writing
• Calkins Units of Study, Primary
• Calkins Units of Study, Grades 3-4
• Nancie Atwells Lessons That Change Writers,
  Grades 5-8

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Living a Literate Life

• Writing is a way of communicating, expressing
  what we know. Writing is thinking.
• When we write we sometimes commemorate small
  moments and/or important occasions.

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Writers Workshop

• What is Writers Workshop?
• A program that creates an environment where
  students can acquire skills, along with fluency,
  confidence, and desire to see themselves as
  writers
• Ralph Fletcher

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What exactly is the model?

• What does this model look like?
• Children write about self-selected topics.
• Mini-lessons are designed by the teacher to
  improve organization, craft, and the mechanics
  of the written word.

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What exactly is the model?

• The teacher models his/her own writing and/or
  uses real literature and student writing as
  models (mentor texts).

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Writing Workshop

• The model/the pedagogy
• Students are given sustained periods of time to
  write.
• Children learn to confer about their writing
  with the teacher and their peers.

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Writing Workshop

• Because there is a culture of trust and
  community in a writing workshop classroom,
  students feel comfortable sharing their work
  products they accept and look forward to their
  peers feedback and contributions (the authors
  chair).

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Writing Workshop

• There is always time for group sharing of
  student work.
• The teacher uses rubrics to demonstrate writing
  that is well organized, complete, and explicit.

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Kid Writing

• Imagine a kindergarten or pre-first grade
  student drawing and drafting the following story
• My casin Cristofer staed ovr night at my howse.
  In the morning we tikled him with my blnkt.

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Kid Writing

• During Kid Writing conferences, the teacher
  meets individually with each child to discuss
  his/her drawing and writing.

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Kid Writing

• The teacher underwrites with adult writing/text
  writing the words the child has misspelled. The
  teacher models the accurate reading of text and
  calls attention to the correct spelling.

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Writing WorkshopFourth Grade

• Expert/Master Writing Non-fiction Writing
• Imagine a fourth grade student writing about a
  topic, she knows well
• Do you know who drove a truck, flew a Lockheed
  Vega, navigated with Fred Noonan and made a
  rollercoaster when she was little?

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Expert/Mastery Topic

• It was Amelia Earhart! Amelia Earhart is an
  interesting and adventurous person.

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My Secret Place

• Imagine a ten year old boy writing about his
  secret place
• Where do you go when you want to get away from
  your younger sibling and just relax? A secret
  place? I do. My secret place is under the table
  up against the couch in the basement. Its my
  special, little, spot under the table. My
  sanctuary.

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What Makes This Type of Writing Process Work?

• Its student-centered.
• The writing is authentic topics are
  self-selected by the student (students have
  choice).
• Deep learning is taking place.
• Mini-lessons are customized by the teacher for
  students.
• Feedback from the teacher, and oftentimes from
  peers, assists with writing growth.

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What Makes This Type of Writing Work/Successful?

• Children are writing for real purposes and real
  readers/audiences. Children learn to write like
  readers.
• This model addresses all students needs.
• Students take ownership of their writing,
  internalize strategies, and apply learned skills
  to their writing pieces.

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What Makes This Model Work?

• Teachers serve as mediators, guides, and
  facilitators.
• This pedagogy respects a students pace and
  privileges a students voice.

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Mount Laurel Board of Education Diane
Blair, President Ronald Frey, Vice
President William Crowe Jr. Jane Elliott Michael
Gallagher Margaret Haynes Nancy Jones Helen
Siegel Kathleen Wolfe Dr. Antoinette
Rath Superintendent of Schools