Chapter 4 of Writing Workshop

Chapter 4; Launching the Workshop

Loosening the Soil

Begin writing project by reading to the classes first.  Tell them a story and ask the class if the story gives them any ideas you can write about?  Plant the seed.    They can also tell personal stories about anything in their life.  Taken from an idea from Becky Holder, ask the students “apple peaches, pumpkin pies, is it true or is it a lie?”  This is a good way to get the rest of the students involved in share time.  Extending their fingers if they thought it was a true story and cross their fingers if they thought  some part of it was not true.  This is a way to get all students to want to write.

The Minilesson:

Just introduce writing to the class by first sharing two or three personal stories to the class.  Keep them short.   You should chooses stories with different emotional content. 

When done with story time, ask the students what are you going to write about?  Take a minute to think and tell your neighbor and what you plan to write about.  If you aren’t sure, listen to your partner first.

Get students to write down their stories and tell them writing is the same as chatter on paper.

WRITING TIME; Write with the students.  It’s just as important for the students to see you write as it is for them to write.   Go around and confer with students asking them how’s it going?  As a teacher you have to be inviting and demanding.  Be there as a reader first, not a corrector.

Keep conferences short and to the point. 

Have the list of suggestions already written on the board.

SHARE SESSIONS:  As you confer with students, keep an eye out for writing that should be shared with the rest of the class.  Look for diversity.  Call time when writing time is over.  Tell them  that good writing takes time so they can take their works home to complete. 

Have a share time; Have 2 or 3 students read what they have written, even if they are not done with their story.   When time is up for share time:

Ask the class:  What did you learn from this piece of writing?

What did the writer do well?

What questions do you have?

Keep it all positive.  Encourage a response so they direct their questions to the writer. 

Another way to do share time would be to have each member read aloud one sentence from his writing.  It could be a favorite sentence. 

DAY TWO:  Begin day two the same way with the writing workshop.  Do a mini workshop first by selecting your topic for your story.  After we talk, we are going to go back to writing.  We’ll have share time after our writing time.

Work toward building a ritual; 

Minilesson,

Writing

Share time

Have the next writing lesson already up on the board for their next writing lesson so no one asks what the next lesson will be.

On Day two, ask students, is there anything else I can say or write about my subject?  Have I said all that I have to say in my writing?  Do I need to take time to add more?    You can determine this by rereading your own work.  If you are finished, put it in the finished box.  If you need to work a bit more on it, please do so now.  Those who are done with the first writing may go on to the next assignment.

Have rules written on the board;

Use quiet voices, do not interrupt others and everybody writes.