The document outlines a presentation by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks on achieving student progress through reading and writing workshops. It discusses the history and key components of writing workshops, including choice, time, teaching, talk, rituals and norms. It provides examples of mini-lessons and describes the writing workshop process, which includes brainstorming, drafting, selecting pieces, conferencing, independent writing practice, and sharing. It emphasizes that workshops support student feedback and growth through teacher instruction, peer feedback, and self-reflection.

1. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Achieving Student
Progress Through
Reading and Writing
Workshops
Kristin Gordon
Kimberly Hicks
North Texas Visioning Consortium Conference
July 2015

2. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Things to Know
All session handouts and resources are
uploaded to www.slideshare.net/readitandteach
WEB: readitandteach.blogspot.com
CONTACT: readitandteach@gmail.com
Kristin Gordon
@alwaysabsorbing
Kimberly Hicks
@MrsHicksSays

3. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
basic needs resilient
inclusion values
collaboration

4. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
1. Workshop Rating 2. Years in Edu.
3. Twitter Handle 4. Goal for Session
NAME

5. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
History of Writing Instruction

6. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Writing Workshop Musts
Choice
Time
Teaching
Talk
Rituals & Norms

7. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Most important characteristic...
https://youtu.be/7SRjjb7V4rU

8. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15

9. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
“Writers grow with
regular response to
their work and to the
work of other writers.”
~ Penny Kittle, Write
Beside Them

10. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
T
P
S

11. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Workshop: Conferencing Throughout
Support feedback from self by:
○ ensuring the student is always the one
reading the work aloud
○ updating the workshop log
○ asking for perceived strengths and
weaknesses of the piece
Provide feedback by:
○ listening first
○ consistently circling the classroom
○ checking in at multiple stages of the
workshop
○ having students identify where the
mini-lesson skill is present
S
T

12. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Reading
Workshop
Writing
Workshop

13. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
“Reading and writing
float on the sea of
talk.”
~ James Britton

14. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15

15. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Beginning a workshop...
1. Brainstorm/Idea Gathering
Focus own ideas by:
○ providing reflection questions
○ producing and updating topics inventory
Support peer feedback by:
○ providing the opportunity for students to
think aloud
○ question cubes
○ question flood
○ 3-2-1
○ talk it out
Provide teacher feedback by:
○ Post-It story map
P
T
S

16. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
2. Write/Draft
a. Skip lines > easier revisions and edits
Support feedback from self by:
○ writing often.
3. Piece Selection
4. Reading of First Drafts
Support peer feedback by:
○ participation in safe home groups
Provide teacher feedback by creating targeted
small group lessons with:
○ Adjective Grading (secondary)
○ Color Dots Grading (elem.)
S
P
T

17. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15

18. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Workshop: Teach, Write, Share
5. Mini-lesson
“Reteach and revise”
T Support students by:
○ Having flexibility with mini-lesson content
based on needs of student drafts
○ Gradual Release: Model, Shared, Guided,
Independent
○ Encouraging experimentation
○ Sharing technical and stylistic mini-lessons

19. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Sample Mini-Lesson
Dash and Description - Penny Kittle
“I stared at my father’s
photograph - his thin face
stern, lips latched tight, his
eyes peering permanently to
the right.”
- Paul Fleischman, Seedfolks

20. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Sample Mini-Lesson
Dash and Description - Penny Kittle
Luna slept in the wire kennel -
her ears flopped over, paws
curled close, her chest rising
slightly with each breath.
- Mrs. Hicks

21. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Workshop: Teach, Write, Share
6. Independent Practice
Support feedback from self by:
○ maintaining a workshop log
○ ratiocination
Support feedback from peers by:
○ pair and share
Support students by:
○ maintaining a conversation chart
S
T
P

22. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Date What can I
help you
with?
Answered by
writer.
Like/Hear?
Written by
listener
What if
you…?
Written by
listener
What will
you do
next
time?
Answered
by writer.

23. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
“Perfect” Writing Conference
URL: https://goo.gl/qJqyQ4

24. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Workshop: Teach, Write, Share
7. Share
Support feedback from self by:
○ enforcing “no apologies”
○ having students list the perceived
strengths and weaknesses of the piece
○ Fishbowl
○ students choosing the appropriate
format for presenting (live, recorded)
Support feedback from peers by:
○ enforcing the “Thank You For Sharing”
norm
○ Author Encouragement Page (elem.)
○ Author Grab Bag (secondary)
S
P

25. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Workshop Assessment
1. Growth is slow and personalized
2. One writing = one piece of the puzzle
3. Be specific and targeted
4. Only assess concepts you’ve
taught/reviewed

26. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
What’s Next?
● ML that focus on:
○ Revising/Craft
○ Editing
○ Genre Characteristics
○ Voice
○ Clarity
○ A grammar skill
○ Use of quotations
● Rework/Publish/Share/Anthology

27. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Reminders for Administrators
● Difference in classrooms
● Discussion on grading for department,
campus, district
● Encourage teacher modeling
● Go beyond ELA rooms
○ History, Science, Foreign Language
○ Utilize librarians for ML

28. © 2015 by Kristin Gordon and Kimberly Hicks -- www.readitandteach.com -- #ntrccon15
Savings and Loans
What will you take with you today?