I am enrolled in an online writing professional development course. I had to explain how writing workshop is effective instruction, and my response just happens to be in 5 categories so here goes my 5 for Friday!
Why is writing workshop effective writing instruction?
The end goal of writing instruction is that students become effective writers. Each step in the workshop framework gives students what is necessary to accomplish this goal.
Minilesson:
Tools in the toolbox
Mentor texts and teacher modeling provide examples for students to imitate in order to become an effective writer. Students are then given time to try out the new skill or strategy.
Independent Writing:
Learning to properly use tools
In order to become an effective writer, a person has to spend most of their time writing. Writing about memories and ideas that are meaningful to students leads to more thoughtful writing and gives students a safe place to try out their new tools in a meaningful way.
Conferring:
Real time One-on-One
The beauty of conferring during workshop is that the teacher is able to praise, discuss, and give suggestions to students about their writing as they are writing. This is so much more effective than taking their writing home and writing these things on their paper just to give it back to them the next day. The teachable moment is lost! Students being able to "see" their writing is invaluable.
Conferring also steers minilessons. As I am walking around and glancing at writings and conferring with students, I notice certain things that need to be addressed whole group during minilessons.
Sharing:
Giving them a purpose
Effective writing is written with an audience in mind. You can hear this in the voice of the paper. If students simply put away their writing after they spend all of that time and effort writing, they will stop putting so much time and effort into it because it is meaningless. Sharing gives students a platform and a purpose. They are able to gather ideas, hear what writing sounds like out loud, become a team, and learn to be confident in their abilities.
My Experience:
I am a product of both the traditional and workshop model classroom. When I look back at my traditional elementary writing experiences they are pretty much non-memorable. Writing workshop is more effective than traditional methods of writing instruction because it incorporates authentic writing. When writing is real it has meaning. Students are able to speak deeper and develop who they are as a writer. Stories flow more easily, so skills and strategies become more natural in their writing.
After reflecting on my writing workshop last school year, I created teacher and student binder dividers to help keep my writing workshop organized in one place for myself and my students. You can pick them up here!
I also use writing process clip charts which are available in my store here, here, and here!
I use these to keep track of where each student is in the process, and it gives them reminders of what to do at each step.
I hope this gave you some ideas to use in your own classroom!
Have a great school year:)
Natalie
After reflecting on my writing workshop last school year, I created teacher and student binder dividers to help keep my writing workshop organized in one place for myself and my students. You can pick them up here!
I also use writing process clip charts which are available in my store here, here, and here!
I use these to keep track of where each student is in the process, and it gives them reminders of what to do at each step.
I hope this gave you some ideas to use in your own classroom!
Have a great school year:)
Natalie
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