DiigoNotes - The Writing Workshop (Part 1)

Here are my notes from The Writing Workshop by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi.

1. Most kids experience schools as a series of tasks, dittos, assignments, tests—things that are administered to them. Writing workshop turns the table and puts kids in charge…engage in responsive teaching rather than relying on present lesson plans.

2. Writing workshop puts kids on the spot and makes them responsible for their learning.

3. “Flow”: optimal learning condition for human beings according to Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is when an individual enters a “flow zone” in which s/he loses track of time and becomes totally engaged in the task…Create conditions that allow students to occupy the zone when they can work/play with language, and learn as they do it.

4. Students need to have frequent, predictable time set aside for them to write. Minimum of 3 days, 1 hour each. 4-5 days is better.

5. Conditions:

6. Student choice is prevalent.

7. Students decide when a piece of writing is finished.

8. Students set their own agenda and pace.

9. While teachers may determine what gets taught, only the student can decide what will be learned.

10. Components of Writing Workshop:

11. 5-10 minute minilesson

12. 35-45 minutes of writing time

13. 10-20 minutes of share time

14. Time:
    Component #1: MiniLesson - Various categories of a minilesson include the following: Procedural, Writers’ Process, Qualities of good writing, and Editing Skills
    Component #2: Writing Time - Students work on writing projects they have set out for themselves. Rough drafting, planning, re-reading, proofreading, conferring with other students. Teachers confer with students.
    Component #3: Sharing Time
    Share sessions direct students to act in ways that will help them when they are conferring one-on-one with peers.

15. Space: 

16. A Meeting place

17. Place for materials/tools

18. Carefully arranged desks or tables.

19. Short-term goals for writing workshops

20. Getting students to have writing time

21. Establishing a safe environment so that kids can take risks in their writing

22. Setting up a workable management system to handle the flow of paper, folders and so forth.

23. “Choice leads to voice” John Pouton

24. Safe Environment

25. Give specific praise

26. Let primary children draw

27. Read aloud “from the heart” pieces of writing

28. Use a Writer’s Notebook

29. Write with your student

30. Workable Classroom Management

31. Finished Box: acknowledges people finish work at different times, asks teachers to review writing piece.

32. Unfinished writing folder:

33. Color coded by group/table

34. Personalized list of writing ideas

35. Topics to Write about…

36. I’m an expert at…

37. Things I will always Remember

38. Topics I feel deeply about

39. Kinds of Writing i would like to try

More of my favorite writing links at Diigo.

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

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