An Elementary Teacher’s Guide to Using Writer’s Workshop In the Classroom A. Lent 2007

What is Writer’s Workshop Writer’s Workshop is an approach to writing in which students are in charge of their own writing. The teacher facilitates the learning through a mini-lesson at the beginning of writing time. The goal of Writer’s Workshop is to get students to develop the same thought processes as real writers.

Writer’s Workshop is an approach to writing in which students are in charge of their own writing. The teacher facilitates the learning through a mini-lesson at the beginning of writing time. The goal of Writer’s Workshop is to get students to develop the same thought processes as real writers.

Basic Set Up of W.W. 5 Days a Week 60 minutes per day, Kinder- 45 min. Mini-lesson Writing Time Author’s Chair

5 Days a Week

60 minutes per day, Kinder- 45 min.

Mini-lesson

Writing Time

Author’s Chair

Time Management 1 st - 5 th Grade Mini-Lesson 10-15 minutes Author’s Chair 10-15 minutes Student Writing Time 30 minutes

Getting Started

Classroom Setup Have a separate gathering area for Writer’s Workshop. Students sit on the floor Label this area with a significant symbol so that students know where the “Writer’s Workshop” area is. Posters around should indicate that the area is “writing”

Have a separate gathering area for Writer’s Workshop.

Students sit on the floor

Label this area with a significant symbol so that students know where the “Writer’s Workshop” area is.

Posters around should indicate that the area is “writing”

The Writer’s Workshop area needs to be clearly labeled.

Supply Area The supplies need to be in a central location where students have access to them. Individual student folders Kept in a basket, tub, or mailbox Sticky notes To tab necessary revisions Extra pencils Tape Scissors Writing paper

The supplies need to be in a central location where students have access to them.

Individual student folders

Kept in a basket, tub, or mailbox

Sticky notes

To tab necessary revisions

Extra pencils

Tape

Scissors

Writing paper

Individual student composition notebooks Highlighters and extra pencils Colored pens, pencils, and fun pencil toppers (for revising only)

Books Books need to be kept in crates/tubs. Books should be relevant to the genre of study. Memoirs Fantasy Tall tales Etc. Students refer to books for real life writing examples.

Books need to be kept in crates/tubs.

Books should be relevant to the genre of study.

Memoirs

Fantasy

Tall tales

Etc.

Students refer to books for real life writing examples.

Book tubs are clearly labeled with each genre of study.

Ready to Begin (first 15 minutes)

Mini Lessons Mini lessons are conducted during the first 15 minutes of Writer’s Workshop. Mini Lessons are written on chart paper. All chart paper must be displayed throughout the classroom. Students refer to chart paper as needed.

Mini lessons are conducted during the first 15 minutes of Writer’s Workshop.

Mini Lessons are written on chart paper.

All chart paper must be displayed throughout the classroom.

Students refer to chart paper as needed.

Mini Lesson Ideas Gathering area rubric Punctuation rules Great beginnings Great endings Conventions Capitalization rules Response Group Rules Any area that you find your students are having trouble in is a great mini-lesson idea.

Gathering area rubric

Punctuation rules

Great beginnings

Great endings

Conventions

Capitalization rules

Response Group Rules

Any area that you find your students are having trouble in is a great mini-lesson idea.

Example of the chart paper used during a mini lesson about the characteristics of good writing . (2 nd grade)

Store bought posters can be used for students to reference to as well, however, the mini lesson chart paper is the main focus of all information learned in Writer’s Workshop. It’s a good idea to put all of your store bought posters together and hang them on a hanger for student’s to have easy access to them when needed.

Time to Write! (30 minutes)

Silent Writing Time Students remain quiet while writing. Response group may be going on in corner table. Teacher/Student conferences will be going on. Hint: classical/calming music helps students remain quiet. I like to pick the top 5 quietest students and let them sit wherever they would like around the classroom.

Students remain quiet while writing.

Response group may be going on in corner table.

Teacher/Student conferences will be going on.

Hint: classical/calming music helps students remain quiet.

I like to pick the top 5 quietest students and let them sit wherever they would like around the classroom.

Response Group Students join a response group to read each others stories and get suggestions. Only 3 students at a time Students read one at a time. The students listening respond: “ I like the part about…” and “I want to know more about…” The response group is going on while the rest of the class is silently writing at their desks.

Students join a response group to read each others stories and get suggestions.

Only 3 students at a time

Students read one at a time. The students listening respond:

“ I like the part about…” and “I want to know more about…”

The response group is going on while the rest of the class is silently writing at their desks.

To alleviate stress and confusion in my classroom I made this poster. The students know that if they want to join the response group they must take a number and sit at the response group table. They wait until all three people are there then they start their response group.

This is the table where the response group is held.

Conferencing Students have the opportunity to sign up for writing conferences. Students must have a specific question they need answered. Is my beginning great? How is my ending? Are my periods correct? Inappropriate Questions Is my paper good? Can you tell me what is wrong?

Students have the opportunity to sign up for writing conferences.

Students must have a specific question they need answered.

Is my beginning great?

How is my ending?

Are my periods correct?

Inappropriate Questions

Is my paper good?

Can you tell me what is wrong?

Time to Wrap It Up (last 15 minutes)

Author’s Chair The last 15 minutes 2-3 students read in Author’s Chair. The chair must be decorated or stand out from other chairs in the classroom. Teacher chooses students to read that have demonstrated an understanding of the mini-lesson concept for the day. Students do not have to read the entire paper during this time. If it’s a good beginning, students only read the beginning.

The last 15 minutes

2-3 students read in Author’s Chair.

The chair must be decorated or stand out from other chairs in the classroom.

Teacher chooses students to read that have demonstrated an understanding of the mini-lesson concept for the day.

Students do not have to read the entire paper during this time.

If it’s a good beginning, students only read the beginning.

Example of an Author’s Chair

So Why Writer’s Workshop? Writer’s Workshop allows students to become active thinkers in the writing process. It also allows students to write about the topics that are important to the. This ownership instills an excitement and desire to write each day. When students want to write the quality of writing improves and so does the learning.

Writer’s Workshop allows students to become active thinkers in the writing process. It also allows students to write about the topics that are important to the. This ownership instills an excitement and desire to write each day. When students want to write the quality of writing improves and so does the learning.

Final Note… The ideas represented in this slideshow are my representation and beliefs about what Writer’s Workshop is. All ideas are used in my own 2 nd grade classroom. I found this website that has various ideas about Writer’s Workshop. Some may be of interest of help to those of you just getting started. http://reading.indiana.edu/ieo/bibs/writwork.html

The ideas represented in this slideshow are my representation and beliefs about what Writer’s Workshop is. All ideas are used in my own 2 nd grade classroom.

I found this website that has various ideas about Writer’s Workshop. Some may be of interest of help to those of you just getting started.

http://reading.indiana.edu/ieo/bibs/writwork.html