A CLOSE LOOK AT ORGANIZING AND PLANNING FOR WORK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE HOSTED BY BERGENFIELD, NJ SCHOOLS PRESENTED BY GINNY LOCKWOOD Creating Rigorous.

A CLOSE LOOK AT ORGANIZING AND PLANNING FOR WORK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

HOSTED BY BERGENFIELD, NJ SCHOOLS

PRESENTED BY GINNY LOCKWOOD

Creating Rigorous and Joyous

Writing Workshops

January 2011

Our Day Together

Reflect on our current practices in writing instruction

Discuss the “basics” of successful writing workshops

Clarify and come to better understand the purpose and importance of each phase of the writing process

Look closely at how national standards translate into monthly, weekly and daily writing instruction

Engage in the writing process ourselves

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There is a striking difference between simply guiding young writers through the writing process and, conversely, helping them to feel the qualities of living the life of a purposeful and effective writer.

That difference lies in a well organized and well structured Writing Workshop.

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In Writing Workshops, writers…

• Become fully invested in their writing work

• Write freely and write A LOT

• Fully understand the purpose of each phase of the writing process

• Come to know the writing styles of others

• Develop comfort in giving and receiving constructive feedback

• Write with authenticity and purpose

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Cambourne’s Conditions of Learning

Immersion

Demonstration

Expectation

Responsibility

Use

Approximation

Response

Must be accompanied by engagement

Probability of engagement increases when these conditions are present

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The Writing Process

Collect Entries

Choose an Idea

Develop the Idea

Draft

Revise

Edit

Publish

Within the writer’s notebook

Outside of the writer’s notebook, on paper kept in a drafting folder

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Questions To Consider: Leaning into Process

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What do I know about this kind of writing?How might a writer of this kind of writing

live in a writer’s notebook?Why might a writer of this kind of writing go

public with what s/he writes?What is the impact of this kind of writing on

the reader?Where are excellent examples of this kind of

writing and how can they help?

Teaching Toward Specific Outcomes8

Kind of Writing: _______________________ How might I quickly define this kind of writing? What is the structure? What is the content? What makes it high quality (craft)? What makes it more easily readable?

Construct Indicators of Understanding

A note from a trusted voice…

 “Value” is at the root of the

word “evaluation” and so what we evaluate needs to come from what we value as a writing community.

-Katie Ray

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Unit of Study: _________________10

Collecting Entries

Choosing Developing

Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Number of Days

Possible Mini-

Lessons

Try-it-Together 1: Collecting11

A Day in Writing Workshop

Mini-LessonIndependent work time

Children work independently adding daily mini-lessons to ongoing repertoire

Teacher confers with individual writers or meets with small groups

Share

Consistency of routine allows for a great variety of content!

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Flexibility Within Boundaries13

Writing workshop is a structured time utilizing consistent daily teaching methods

Within these structures, children benefit from lots of room for exploration and discovery within the parameters of the curriculum

We teach the HOW, not the WHAT

Setting up Writing Environments

Meeting area where students gather for lessons and share sessions

Well organized and well stocked writing center Variety of paper Variety of writing utensils Variety of revision tools

Writing notebooks and drafting folders organized for most efficient access

Mentor texts available to students  

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A note from a trusted voice…

“The writing you get out of your students can only as be as good as the classroom literature that surrounds it.”

 -Ralph Fletcher

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Possible Titles for Charts Early in the Year

What do strong/respectful writers do during Writing Workshop?

Strategies for generating ideas:

Writers are never finished so when we think we are done we can:

Things writers ask themselves when rereading their work:

(Any chart you feel will help to support the work you are doing!)

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Try-it-Together 2: Choosing17

Parts of a Well Structured Lesson

Connection

Teach (I do)DemonstrationExplanation with strong example

Active Engagement (We do)

Link (You do)

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Lessons that Transfer to Independence

Rather than asking who remembers what you did yesterday, tell them what you want them to think about as you start teaching

Demonstrate and name the work

Stay focused…avoid the “teachable moment”

Fewer voices contributing during the “Teach” part

All writers busy during the “Active Engagement” part

And above all…avoid “Highlight and Hope” lessons!

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Variety in “Active Engagement” Part of Lessons

After you teach and before they leave the lesson, writers actively engage in “trying on” the lesson and can:

Try what was taught On a shared piece On children’s own pieces in their notebooks or folders

Comment on what seems hard about itDiscuss how to do it betterNotice and name differences between two

demonstrations (of differing quality)Critique and question the demonstrationAdvise on how to improve a demonstration

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Try-it-Together 3: Developing21

Making the Most of Share Time

Students who have done well with the day’s teaching point

Students who have done well in a different or unexpected way

Students who typically struggle, and who have had a breakthrough

Students who have done the very thing you plan to teach tomorrow

Students who want help from the community

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Understanding the Standards

Children are expected to…

Write in a variety of genre

Revise and edit their work

Publish their work

Use technology

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Sample Curricular Calendars24

Try-it-Together 4: Drafting25

Comprehension Strategies and Reading Units

Comprehension Strategies and Reading Units

Writing Traits andWriting Units

Writing Traits andWriting Units

Strategies are taught in isolation briefly

Strategies are revisited across the year

Strategies support the work of all Units of Study

Traits are taught in isolation

Traits are revisited across the year

Traits support the work of all Units of Study

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Units of Study and Six(+One) Traits

Try-it-Together 5: Revising27

Planning in the Upper Grade Writing Process

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Collecting Entries

Choosing Developing

Drafting Revising Editing Publishing

Number of Days

Possible Mini-

Lessons

Next Steps…

What predictable issues will you face as you take on this work?

What is one way your understanding of Writing Workshop was clarified such that your teaching will be different in the coming year?

What is one area in which you would like more support or knowledge?

Was there anything today that stands out as particularly helpful or transformative to your understanding?

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