Implementing a Writer’s Workshop Margaret Adams Malden Public Schools

Agenda What is a writer’s workshop? Mini-Lessons Conferencing Share Types of mini-lessons Parts of a mini-lesson Observe a mini-lesson Sources of mini-lessons Writing a mini-lesson Conferencing Share

Procedural Turn and Talk Sit knee to knee. Quickly choose who will go first. Partner 1 talks. Partner 2 talks. Speaker speaks loudly and clearly. Listener listens with a calm body. Everyone takes responsibility for their own listening. Find a partner. Follow the procedures as stated above. Introduce yourself and share your experiences with Writer’s Workshop. Turn and talk (3 minutes).

Writer’s Workshop With a partner discuss… How did you teach writing least year? What were some of your successes? What were some of your challenges?

Mini-lesson (5-10 minutes) Independent Writing (20-30 minutes) Writing Process Writer’s Workshop Mini-lesson (5-10 minutes) Independent Writing (20-30 minutes) Conferencing (during independent writing) Sharing (5-10 minutes) Total Writing Workshop Time (30 minutes) Rehearse Draft Revise Edit Publish

Students’ Lives are Starting Points “The easiest way to help children love writing is to invite them to write about subjects they care about. When children have the opportunity and responsibility to choose their own subjects, they are not only much more apt to be invested in their writing, they are also much more apt to be knowledgeable about their topics. In addition, they can learn what it means to rediscover subjects through the process of writing about them.” The program is based on the writing workshop model which has students- like authors – find topics from their own lives. Students have choice and ownership over their topics.

Conditions Predictable schedule Risk-free environment Tools available Area to meet as a group Author’s chair Approximations are encouraged Writers take responsibility for their writing Non-supportive conditions = overemphasis on skills, excessive # of assigned topics. Author’s chair often the teacher’s chair Conditions for ELL students: visuals, opportunities to write in own language if needed

The Writing Space Meeting Area Work areas Writing Center Displays Essential elements to build a writing community: 1. place for children to talk, listen, write / a gathering place in front of an easel 2. book display of books that relate to the writing you are doing – mentor tests, how-to, etc. (tiered bookcase that shows the front of most books, labeled plastic tubs, or baskets; displays should be rotated over the course of the year) 3. wall surfaces for word banks, word walls, and charts

Other Organization Issues Writing folders or notebooks Where to put completed drafts

Parts of a Mini-lesson Connection Teaching (I do!) Active Engagement (We do!) Link

What is a mini-lesson? Short focused lesson focused on a specific principle or procedure Teach students something important about writing and demonstrate an aspect of the writing process; however, mini-lessons are not all “telling.” Effective mini-lessons are interactive, with students contributing ideas and examples.

The Architecture of Effective Mini-lessons  Connection  Teaching  Demonstration Explicitly telling & showing an example Guided practice of inquiry  Active Engagement  Link Plan to teach one thing clearly. Prepare the materials needed for teacher and students. Manage the time of the lesson.

Connection (1 min.) Activate prior knowledge and previous teaching Motivate and prepare student for engagement Put your teaching point into the context of the students’ work State explicitly your teaching point

Teaching (4-5 minutes) State explicitly your teaching point Direct, explicit instruction through one of several methods Think aloud Use a piece of children’s literature Use student writing -Guided practice Exaggerated Writing (what it looks like not to use a certain skill or strategy)

Active Engagement (3-4 minutes) Students apply the strategy with support Turn and talk Writing Try-It (Use a prompt) Adds accountability Students know that in every mini-lesson they will be asked to try what is being taught.

Link (1 min.) Restate the teaching point, integrating it into student’s ongoing work Contextualize the teaching point within the larger picture of what students will be doing Transfer the teaching point to independent work

Share Reinforce and /or clarify the teaching point from the mini-lesson that began the workshop Opportunity to highlight student application of strategy taught Builds community Use turn and talk

Sample Mini-lessons While watching this mini-lesson, try to identify the component parts Connection Teaching (I do!) Active Engagement (We do!) Link

Language of a Connection Writers, can I have your eyes and attention? Looking back: Yesterday we worked on…Earlier this year…You remember how Michael…. Looking forward: “Today I want to teach you that (writers/fiction writers/essayists) often do such-and-such. Specifically, we do this by (a specific strategy).” Why specific language & phrasing?

Language of Teaching Pay attention to…. Afterward, I’m going to ask you to…. Watch and notice how I…. Let me show you how I….

Language of Active Engagement So, let’s try… Partner one, write in the air…. Partner two Turn and talk about…. Closure of Active Engagement: “I heard you (repeat the teaching point here). Listen to how (refer to one or two children who did the work well, providing yet more examples of good practice.”

Language of a Link And so I’m hoping today and every day you’ll…. Thumbs up if today you will….

Management or Procedural Strategy Skill Craft Mini-lesson Types Management or Procedural Strategy Skill Craft Management – help students learn the routines & procedures of writing workshop. Strategy/Skill – help students learn how to use the conventional rules for written language accurately & effectively. Craft – show students how writers work, their techniques, style & genre.

Procedural Mini-Lessons How to use the supplies? Where to find supplies? With a partner name several more possible procedural mini-lessons.

Strategy Mini-Lessons How to revise for meaning How to add details How to narrow a topic How to eliminate unnecessary information How to edit for spelling errors and self-correct How to reread How to organize your paper

Skills Mini-Lessons How to use closing punctuation How to use commas in a series How to use pronouns correctly How to use quotation marks

Craft Mini-Lessons How to create a good lead How to use figurative language How to “show not tell” How to create setting How to use strong nouns and verbs 

Anchor Charts Anchor charts are tools for students to use during writers' workshop and aid children in remembering procedures and expectations.  Charts should be made with the children and added to throughout the year.  Teachers may remove when no longer needed. Anchor charts need to be posted in the classroom where they are easily accessible to students.

Sources of Mini-lessons Writing expectations for grade level Reading Street Other Materials

Writing Conferences

What is a conference? Discuss with a partner near you: Why do we conference with writers?  What happens in a writing conference?

Writing Conferences “The point of a conference is to help students become better writers, not to fix up their drafts and make them better pieces.” Carl Anderson, How’s it Going?

Architecture of a Conference Research Decide Teach

Research Key questions: What is the writer doing? What does she or he intend to do next?  Teacher – student questions: What are you working on as a writer? What are you trying to do as you write?

Decide Key questions: What do you compliment? What do you teach? Teacher-student language: I love the way you… (Name what the child has done in a way that makes it transferable to other projects.)

Teach Explicitly name something you believe will help this writer today and in the future. Can I give you one tip that I think will help you not only with this piece but with future pieces? Can I teach you one thing that I think will really, really help you a lot? One thing that I do when I want to ... Provide more detailed help if needed. Name what the student has done and you hope he will do during future writing. (LINK)

Conferencing with Students While watching this writing conference, note what the teacher and student are doing in each of the component parts.

Choreographing Conferences Where should we conference? What tools do we need? What do students need to have with them? At what point in the writing process should we confer with students? Who will initiate conferences? How much time should we devote to each conference? Carl Anderson , 2000

What to Teach in a Writing Conference? Mini-lesson topics  Quantity of writing + expectations for writing  Writing process Strategies to help move students forward

Sharing & Celebrating

Sharing & Celebrating

Sharing & Celebrating

Sharing & Celebrating