Creating Rigorous and Joyous Writing Workshops A Close look at organizing and planning for work that makes a difference Hosted By Bergenfield, nJ Schools Presented by Ginny lockwood January 2011

Our Day Together Reflect on our current practices in writing instruction Discuss the “basics” of successful writing workshops Clarify and come to better understand the purpose and importance of each phase of the writing process Look closely at how national standards translate into monthly, weekly and daily writing instruction Engage in the writing process ourselves

There is a striking difference between simply guiding young writers through the writing process and, conversely, helping them to feel the qualities of living the life of a purposeful and effective writer. That difference lies in a well organized and well structured Writing Workshop.

In Writing Workshops, writers… Become fully invested in their writing work Write freely and write A LOT Fully understand the purpose of each phase of the writing process Come to know the writing styles of others Develop comfort in giving and receiving constructive feedback Write with authenticity and purpose

Cambourne’s Conditions of Learning Immersion Demonstration Expectation Responsibility Use Approximation Response Must be accompanied by engagement Probability of engagement increases when these conditions are present These things require TIME and CHOICE

The Writing Process Collect Entries Choose an Idea Develop the Idea Draft Revise Edit Publish Within the writer’s notebook Outside of the writer’s notebook, on paper kept in a drafting folder Read a This I Believe piece. Read Pizza Dude together and talk about what this writer knows about expository writing

Questions To Consider: Leaning into Process What do I know about this kind of writing? How might a writer of this kind of writing live in a writer’s notebook? Why might a writer of this kind of writing go public with what s/he writes? What is the impact of this kind of writing on the reader? Where are excellent examples of this kind of writing and how can they help?

Teaching Toward Specific Outcomes Kind of Writing: _______________________ How might I quickly define this kind of writing? What is the structure? What is the content? What makes it high quality (craft)? What makes it more easily readable? Construct Indicators of Understanding

A note from a trusted voice…   “Value” is at the root of the word “evaluation” and so what we evaluate needs to come from what we value as a writing community. -Katie Ray A note from a trusted voice…

Unit of Study: _________________ Collecting Entries Choosing Developing Drafting Revising Editing Publishing Number of Days Possible Mini-Lessons

Try-it-Together 1: Collecting “List-Jot-Write Long” - Emotions “Time when..” Web Significant Person/Place Timeline Significant Changes/Shifts in Beliefs

A Day in Writing Workshop Mini-Lesson Independent work time Children work independently adding daily mini-lessons to ongoing repertoire Teacher confers with individual writers or meets with small groups Share Consistency of routine allows for a great variety of content!

Flexibility Within Boundaries Writing workshop is a structured time utilizing consistent daily teaching methods Within these structures, children benefit from lots of room for exploration and discovery within the parameters of the curriculum We teach the HOW, not the WHAT

Setting up Writing Environments Meeting area where students gather for lessons and share sessions Well organized and well stocked writing center Variety of paper Variety of writing utensils Variety of revision tools Writing notebooks and drafting folders organized for most efficient access Mentor texts available to students   

A note from a trusted voice… “The writing you get out of your students can only as be as good as the classroom literature that surrounds it.” -Ralph Fletcher A note from a trusted voice…

Possible Titles for Charts Early in the Year What do strong/respectful writers do during Writing Workshop? Strategies for generating ideas: Writers are never finished so when we think we are done we can: Things writers ask themselves when rereading their work: (Any chart you feel will help to support the work you are doing!) Must be authentically co-created!

Try-it-Together 2: Choosing My Choice for a Personal Narrative - 1st Grade Flashback Convey strong emotion Engage readers’ emotions Share something personally significant

Parts of a Well Structured Lesson Connection Teach (I do) Demonstration Explanation with strong example Active Engagement (We do) Link (You do) Do a lesson here. Insert a demo text? Or bring.

Lessons that Transfer to Independence Rather than asking who remembers what you did yesterday, tell them what you want them to think about as you start teaching Demonstrate and name the work Stay focused…avoid the “teachable moment” Fewer voices contributing during the “Teach” part All writers busy during the “Active Engagement” part And above all…avoid “Highlight and Hope” lessons!

Variety in “Active Engagement” Part of Lessons After you teach and before they leave the lesson, writers actively engage in “trying on” the lesson and can: Try what was taught On a shared piece On children’s own pieces in their notebooks or folders Comment on what seems hard about it Discuss how to do it better Notice and name differences between two demonstrations (of differing quality) Critique and question the demonstration Advise on how to improve a demonstration

Try-it-Together 3: Developing Try two different timelines Free-write reflecting on significance Setting or Character elaboration Sift to find significant dialogue Partnerships to stretch our ideas

Making the Most of Share Time Students who have done well with the day’s teaching point Students who have done well in a different or unexpected way Students who typically struggle, and who have had a breakthrough Students who have done the very thing you plan to teach tomorrow Students who want help from the community noon

Understanding the Standards Children are expected to… Write in a variety of genre Revise and edit their work Publish their work Use technology We are still waiting to hear on final approval of Idaho’s adoption of CCSSI

Sample Curricular Calendars Fourth Grade September Launching Writing Workshop October Personal Narrative Raising the Quality of Narrative Writing November Literary Essay December Personal Essay Fiction Jan/Feb Feature Articles Historical Fiction Feb/March Social Action Essay April Poetry Punctuation Study May Memoir June Reflecting-Ind. Projects Stop and talk with your grade groups about what this could mean for your year and your students Jot down some ideas for units you could try with some colleagues and share these out

Try-it-Together 4: Drafting Basic B,M,M,M,E Timeline Zoom in on significant part Better Beginning -Int./Ext. Dialogue -Descriptive Detail -Statement Partner feedback and final decisions Better Ending Choose the one most strongly conveys desired mood We won’t do all of these now but this is an order that can work Works means it flows well and builds in importance

Units of Study and Six(+One) Traits Comprehension Strategies and Reading Units Writing Traits and Writing Units Strategies are taught in isolation briefly Strategies are revisited across the year Strategies support the work of all Units of Study Traits are taught in isolation Traits are revisited across the year Traits support the work of all Units of Study

Try-it-Together 5: Revising Trait Reread piece with possibilities in mind Use partner and/or mentor to support the revision

Planning in the Upper Grade Writing Process Collecting Entries Choosing Developing Drafting Revising Editing Publishing Number of Days Possible Mini-Lessons

Next Steps… What predictable issues will you face as you take on this work? What is one way your understanding of Writing Workshop was clarified such that your teaching will be different in the coming year? What is one area in which you would like more support or knowledge? Was there anything today that stands out as particularly helpful or transformative to your understanding?