Write for Texas
Region 13
Launching A Year of Writing
Authentic writing is messy. It takes time--and lots of it. What's worse, often, it is difficult to see an immediate by-product of the ruminating necessary to produce writing that goes deep and reflects the personality of the writer. In an age of accountability, writing often gets politely nudged to the side or morphs into a series of timed writing prompts reminiscent of state accountability tests. What is a teacher to do? Enter into the Writer's Workshop where quality mentor texts serve as springboards to thinking and writing. Through modeling, show students how to analyze and play with words, phrases, perspective, genre, and more. Then, let them write. Let them explore, borrow, collaborate, and learn about writing in ways that make sense to them.
Whether you are new to Writer's Workshop, or just want to polish it up a bit in your classroom, check out some of the resources below to use with your students or to deepen your own implementation of Writer's Workshop.
The Real Writing Process
Real writers do not always follow a neat pathway from an idea through publication. Often, ideas topple over each other and compete for an opportunity to be voiced. Writers move back and forth in the writing process steps until a complete piece of writing is ready to be shared with a formal audience. Likewise, students should understand the messy process of writing, the roles of each step of the process, and when to evaluate when a piece of writing it ready to move forward or back within the process.
Brainstorming: About Me
In the first week of school, create an About Me Fingerprint - Each kid rubs thumb across heavily darkened pencil shading, stick thumb to tape, then stick tape to paper. Scan thumbprint into computer and enlarge (or enlarge on copy machine), print as lightly as possible, then write "About Me"/Life Story on the lines of thumbprint. These ideas will serve as sparks in other writing or help students find ways a particular expository topic connects to themselves.
Not sure where to begin?
Are you full of more questions than answers? How long should students write? How do students keep up with their writing? How do I manage and grade an entire classroom writing? Click here to see one teacher's approach to setting up Writer's Workshop at the beginning of the year. http://corbettharrison.com/documents/Writing_Workshop.pdf
A different workshop approach can be found at http://www.gtps.k12.nj.us/curric/writing/index.htm
Check them both out, then see if any of the ideas can be used in your own workshop.
Overview of Writer's Notebook (Video Tutorial)
One school, Galloway Township Public School describes their approach to launching Writer's Notebooks in grades 3-8.
Where can I put all this writing?
Look at this link for sample organized notebooks.
http://applesofyoureye.blogspot.com/2012/08/writers-notebook-organization_24.html
And visit one of my favorite writing blogs for even more organizational advice:
https://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/sharpen-your-workshop-routines-setting-up-the-writers-notebook-for-a-year-of-writing/
http://applesofyoureye.blogspot.com/2012/08/writers-notebook-organization_24.html
And visit one of my favorite writing blogs for even more organizational advice:
https://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/sharpen-your-workshop-routines-setting-up-the-writers-notebook-for-a-year-of-writing/
Write for Texas Instructional Coaches, Region 13 ESC
Email: laura.varney@esc13.txed.net
Website: www.writefortexas.org
Location: 5701 Springdale Road, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: (512) 919-5179
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ESC13