Writing workshop

Students have been working hard in writing workshop. They have created lists to generate topics for their personal narratives, written multiple rough drafts on different topics and have begun setting goals for their writing. They have successfully checked their writing for a few goals:

1. Small moment

2. In the moment

3. Staying within Narrator POV

They are eager to start revising their writing. We will start multiple rehearsals this week after they write their flash drafts. Lessons on finding the heart of their writing, story arc and many more are still to come.

I chose to share the pictures below because the students enjoy sharing their writing and the small celebrations that make workshop so rewarding. More posts to come all year about our writing workshop progress.

Day One: Summer Institute on the Teaching of Writing

Today was day one of a weeklong writing workshop in North Andover presented by the Teacher's College (Columbia University) Reading and Writing Workshop (TCRWP). TCRWP is a research and staff development organization. We are using Lucy Calkins Units of Study.

The presenter, Maggie Beattie Roberts, is dynamic and focused. She tells great stories, but stays on track. Day One was beautifully paced and jam packed with information, modeling and interactive learning.

It was a refreshing surprise to get new information that I had never heard of before. After 21 years of teaching, workshops get frustrating when the same  concepts you learned in college (1980s) are still being taught. 

For instance, I had never heard of Cambourne's Seven Conditions of Learning. Although this is not shocking information, it is always helpful to reflect on these lists. 

1. Immersion: content and context

2. Demonstration: practical, concrete models

3. Expectations: clear

4. Responsibility: accountable learners

5. Approximations: find approximations in student work; determine what they are trying

6. Practice

7. Feedback, support, celebrations: should occur continuously

We went over the principles for Writing Workshop and the bottom lines for Writing Workshop. New to me was the phrase "approximation." It is what we do instinctually as teachers. A student is not exactly on target, but we can see what he was trying and what he got from the lesson. Helps to guide our teaching. I also liked the idea that you are not just teaching the writing, you are teaching the writer. 

We explored classroom environment including finding room for a meeting area for workshop. I am rethinking how my room is set up and I may move my desk to the back of the room to make more space for a meeting area.

Of course, we talked about the writing process and we learned how to start the first writing unit, personal narrative. The afternoon was walking through a workshop session and writing.

The day flew by! We had to read a few pages for homework and write three beginnings for three personal narratives. Looking forward to tomorrow's session.