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Writers need:
- a regular chunk of time
- their own topics
- to be given responses
- to learn mechanics from the context
- adult role models
- to be readers
Emphasizing the social and collaborative nature of writing, the workshop is the structure, series of routines, organizing of time, resources, and interaction, encouraging active student-centered writing. Students can make decisions about what is written. It is combined with reading instruction and could be referred to as the Literacy Workshop. The Writing Workshop is based on the writing process model. The teacher starts with a mini-lesson and then circulates the room, meeting with students individually or in small groups, monitoring progress, and giving nudges. Students have the choice, and they work at their own pace, receiving specific and targeted feedback.
- First 25 Days for Grades K-3
- First 25 Days for Grades 4 & 5
- First 25 Days Intermediate Grades
- Organizing, planning, and lesson planning charts on pages 68-71
- Writer’s Workshop PowerPoint to share with staff
- Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers
- Graphic Organizers – Mrs. Judy Araujo, M. Ed., CAGS, Reading Specialist (mrsjudyaraujo.com)
1. Keep writing tools handy. Give your students the tools for success in writer’s workshop by making the resources they need available in a central location. For example, one teacher we talked to has a “writer’s workshop corner” where she stores the students’ works-in-progress in folders, along with sharp pencils, erasers, and reference books.
2. Start with a read-aloud. Excellent writing often starts with reading great literature, inspiring your students to write by reading aloud a favorite short story or poem that acts as a springboard to that day’s mini-lesson.
3. Keep the timer going. Naturally, some kids write more quickly than others. So while one may add the finishing touches to her piece, another will still be brainstorming. Set the expectations that the purpose of the writer’s workshop is to write for a specific amount of time, not until a piece is done. Suppose someone isn’t finished when the timer dings, just set the work aside to finish during another workshop.
4. Have a routine. Set clear expectations about how you expect the writer’s workshop to work—for example, start with a mini-lesson and finish with a peer critique. Keep that routine consistent so kids can focus on what matters: putting pencil to paper.
5. Model the writing process first. Some kids struggle with understanding what it takes to write. One of the best tools you can give your students is to model the writing process by thinking aloud as you compose a piece, from brainstorming to final edits. This modeling process may take some time, but it gives your students an invaluable glimpse into how a writing mind works.
6. Allow for flexibility. A writer’s workshop is an innately flexible activity—capitalize on that by allowing your kids to process their writing in the way that naturally works for them. For example, if one kid outlines first while another skips all of the prewriting steps and immediately starts drafting, don’t worry about stringent rules. Instead, praise the individuality of each child’s process.
7. Have some fun. One teacher told us that her best writer’s workshops undoubtedly happen when she chooses a fun theme. So, for example, try having your students write about their messy rooms, the plight of homework, or what they would do in a zombie attack.
8. Switch up your objectives. For example, have your students write to practice organization one day, and the next, have them write for word choice. That way, kids get specific practice focusing on various writing skills.
9. Never skip peer feedback. Several teachers mentioned the temptation to skip small group feedback or critique to save time. But this is one of the most valuable components of the writer’s workshop process. Always make sure that your students have the opportunity to work in small groups to critique and hone their work.
10. Give teacher feedback, too. Always spend time reading your students’ work and giving them feedback. There’s value in writing, but even more value in learning from the mistakes and accomplishments of the writing process.
11. Keep inspiration handy. Always keep various writing samples available for your kids to read and use for inspiration if they get stuck. Hint: Sharing examples of your OWN writing makes for a great mini-lesson!
12. Write across the curriculum. Try facilitating a writer’s workshop during science or math class and have your students write about their learning or respond to an assignment or concept.
13. Turn the writer’s workshop into a classroom discussion. Writing is an excellent segue into meaningful conversation. One teacher told us that she always plans a thematic writer’s workshop the day before having a classroom discussion on the same topic. That way, the students have already processed and organized their thoughts and are ready to think deeply as the class converses.
14. Always give your students a choice. While a teacher must guide student writing (have you ever tried to tell a classroom of 9-year-olds to “just write something?”), it’s also essential that kids have a choice in their writing. Provide a group of writing prompts that center on a theme and allow your kids to decide which direction to run with their words.
15. Host a “coffee shop” celebration of writing. Allow your aspiring authors to share their work with the entire class if they desire. Pull up a special chair and allow the featured authors to share their writing.
16. Know your standards. Keeping track of the Common Core State Standards can be challenging, especially when doing something as inherently ambiguous as a writer’s workshop. Still, by tying your state’s testing requirements into your writer’s workshop, you teach your kids to write in a way that leads to success. So, if your state’s tests require certain features—quoted sources, multiple perspectives, opinion writing—allow your students to practice those features in a writer’s workshop.
17. Keep working to show growth. Many teachers keep their students’ writing in a journal or a folder. Either way, ensure you keep all work together in one place so your students can measure their writing progress and go back and read old pieces for comments and ideas.
18. Demonstrate your love of writing. Show your kids how much you love writing by choosing to spend the writer’s workshop time journaling or writing for yourself. Be sure to read your work aloud, too!
19. Do regular status checks. One teacher we talked to said she regularly holds up a stop sign in the middle of her writer’s workshop for an impromptu status check. For example, she’ll ask, “What are you struggling with?” and give immediate feedback to students before they continue.
20. Don’t stop at the writer’s workshop. It’s easy to separate the writer’s workshop from the rest of the instruction, but several of our teachers cautioned us that this is a waste of precious instructional resources. One teacher told us that once a semester, she has students pick one piece they started during a writer’s workshop, hone it, perfect it, and turn it in as a significant grade. She says it’s key to explain to students that writing doesn’t end at the writer’s workshop.
Students write longer and more creatively while classical music plays in the background. The following videos are recommended for use during classroom writing time.
(Source: Mrs. Warner – 4th-grade teacher)
Waterford Halfmoon School District, NY
