The Nuts and bolts of teaching writing

THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF

TEACHING WRITING

Lucy Calkins

ABOUT THE AUTHORLucy Calkins : founder of the Teachers

College Reading and Writing Project.

one of the original architects of the “workshop” approach to teaching writing to children

author of some 20 books, including the best-selling The Art of Teaching Writing (250,000 sold).

currently the Professor of Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College at Columbia University.

THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF TEACHING WRITING

Chapter 1: An overview

Chapter 2: Pathways for Writers

Chapter 3: Planning Curriculum in a Primary Writing Workshop

Chapter 4: Managing the Writing Workshop

Chapter 5: Teaching Methods: Minilessons that Power Your Curriculum

Chapter 6 Conferring with Young Writers

Chapter 7 Supporting ELLs

Chapter 8: The Literacy Instruction that Surrounds and Supports the Teaching of Writing

Chapter 9 Assessment

NEW & IMPORTANT CONCEPTS Planning curriculum in a primary writing

workshopCurriculum comes from:

Ongoing structuresMinilessons, conferences, writing folders,

worktime…etc Changing units of study NEED TO PROVIDE BOTH-BALANCE

* Collaborate with other teachers, create shared curricular calendars* Consider passions of each teacher as well as information about incoming students

PRINCIPLES FOR PLANNING Plan for children to write a lot Plan for the entire unit, with all its parts Plan what we’ll do for each part of the unit and

what children will do Plan for continuity- in texts, metaphors, and

language Plan to support ongoing writing goals as well as

unit-specific goals Plan to instruct children in the use of a new writing

tool in every unit Plan to end the unit with a celebration Plan to save some of every child’s writing and to

start new pieces or kinds of writing with every unit

MANAGING THE WRITING WORKSHOP

Importance of structure and systems “When we plan our writing instruction,

we must plan not only the words out of our mouths-the minilessons and the conferences that will convey content about good writing-but also the structures and systems that can allow us to manage a crew of young writers”(Calkins,28).

BIG IDEAS OF MANAGING THE WRITING WORKSHOPS Structure of Writing Workshops are

predictable and consistent Attention to:

The environmentManaging each component of the Writing

WorkshopWhen there are management troubles

THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION

Room arrangements (“The Meeting Space”)CarpetsNearby teaching equipment

Easel, chart paper, markers

THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION

Rhythm of children’s movement Gather close around teacher-

explicit instruction Disperse to work areas-teacher

moves throughout space to confer with students or small groups

Issue of space Ex: lowering tables to make

room for more children to gather around

MATERIALS OF THE WRITING WORKSHOP ENVIRONMENT Develop a system for managing papers

ex: writing folders Toolboxes for writing tools (on counters and tables)

Date stamp, scissors, tape, pencils, pens, markers Writing centers System for dispensing paper and utensils is not

crucial: “Children need to be able to independently access their ongoing texts and obtain more paper without a teacher spending time on this”(Calkins,34).

Environmental print Word wall Enlarged list of children’s names

CALKINS’ RECOMMENDATIONS ON WRITING MATERIALS

Does not recommend that young children (prior to third grade) write in spiral notebooks, journals, or diaries.

Prefers inviting children to write all the kinds of writing they see in the world

Encourage children to write on a variety of paper

SCHEDULE “Time is the most precious resource we

have…”(Calkins, 35). Align schedule to state, district, and

school standards as well as to teacher’s values and children’s developmental needs and levels.

Children at lower levels receive more time for dramatic play and blocks

MANAGING THE MINILESSON “The Beginning of Each Day’s Writing

Instruction” Starts with a signal for writers to get

supplies out and gather CONSISTENT attention signal-whether its for

writing or mathExample: “Writers, let’s gather”

Gather on carpet, usually sit in assigned spots

Teach strategy “Turn and talk”

MANAGING WRITING TIME “Heart and soul of the Writing Workshop” Precious time is lost in transitions, teach children

how to get started on their writing Teacher not always available for individual

conferences- use retelling for instruction comprehension during minilesson

Watch all children for a few minutes then address issues- work with all slow starters in a small group

Use tables to encourage conversations among peers- “running commentaries”

Designate signal to monitor noise level- PRACTICE Teacher holds writing conferences

MANAGEMENT THAT MAKES ONE-TO-ONE CONFERENCES POSSIBLE Keep moving so conferences can be short and frequent Teach children to never interrupt when you are conferring Create systems of dealing with daily occurrences that

don’t require your intervention Teach children to solve predictable problems on their own Create a place where children who need a conference can

go to you for help Concentrate on teaching the writing process, not on

making every child’s piece the best it can be Create the expectation of a lot of writing work getting

done each workshop time Use strategy lessons when many children need the same

conference

MANAGING THE SHARE SESSION “Workshop Closure” Class may gather or students share with

partners Teaching point in the share- highlights

aspects that illustrate and extend the minilesson Ex: minilesson on using a carat, share

student work where a student used a carat and crossed out a confusing part of their story

Supports students’ writing and reinforces minilesson strategy

WHEN THERE ARE MANAGEMENT TROUBLES Diagnose the cause

Time to observe, think, and secure help Anticipate that problems will inevitably

occur Plan how to respond Rehearse for teaching to go wrong- ex:

broken pencil interruptions

“Children learn to write from the work they do; therefore, establishing and

managing a productive work environment is a critical aspect of good teaching”(Calkins, 44).

REFERENCES Calkins, Lucy. The Art of Teaching

Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1986. Print.

 Calkins, Lucy. The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Writing. Portsmouth, NH: FirstHand, 2003. Print.