WRITING WORKSHOP

What is writing workshop?

Generally, the workshop follows the "I Do, We Do, You Do" model. The teacher acts as a mentor author, modeling writing techniques and conferring with students as they move through the writing process. Direct writing instruction takes place in the form of a mini-lesson at the beginning of each workshop and is followed by independent and active writing time. At the end of each workshop the class comes back together to share work and discuss new ideas.

What You See in a Writing Workshop

• Students write either Narrative, Opinion, or Informational writing pieces depending on the Unit of Study
• Students may write from their own experiences
• Writers are given time, choices, and feedback
• The writing process: Generate, draft, revise, edit, publish, and celebrate
• Teachers write all the time and students learn from teacher's writing
• Writers learn from master authors and use them as mentors
• Anchor charts help support the writing process
• Anchor charts are used to help students retain strategies, techniques, and information
• Teachers confer with students to give compliments & set goals
• Students use checklists to set their own goals for their writing via peer and self-assessment
• Students use a writing notebook for each unit of study that will go back and forth between home and school each day