Creating & Managing the Writer’s Workshop – Judith Gould

Shapero – Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned

*Ordinary things make interesting writing topics. Write about what you know. It doesn’t have to be about the winning homerun to make a good writing piece. Write about your life: the pumpkin pie you made with Grandma, getting into a fight with your brother. Students should give us a peek into their world.

*WHAT??

  • W – Walking: What walking is allowed in the room? None? Some? For a drink of water?
  • H – Help: What should you do if you need help?
  • Is there a place to sign up for help?
  • What do I do while I’m waiting for help?
  • Is there other writing to be done? Work to catch up on?
  • Message Pad: give to teacher explain how you need help
  • Should do a mini lesson on message pad if you use this.
  • A – Activity: What activity should I be doing?
  • T – Talking: What talking is allowed?
  • None: It’s a silent writing time today.
  • Some: You can share your writing with a friend today.

*Sharing, Debriefing

  • Popcorn: find the one best sentence you wrote today
  • Students standup and share like popcorn popping
  • Saves a lot of time and it’s quick

*Student’s Writing Log

  • | Date | Title/Topic | Actions Taken | What next? |
  • Lunch poem half way thru how to end
  • Teacher can have a log and make same notes to know where each student is in their writing project.

*Don’t spell words for students

  • Try it yourself
  • Guess and Go spelling: (ie: hippopotamus  h______s
  • They can highlight their guess & go words to come back & revise

*Don’t fix the writing – fix the writer!

  • Don’t try to solve every problem on the page
  • Ask the student what they think and help them get started
  • Don’t correct their work – get them to see what’s good and what’s weak

*Don’t try to solve every problem

  • Concentrate on 1 or 2 things – any more can be overwhelming
  • Can be mechanics, concepts, put spaces between your words, anything.

*TIME SAVER: We don’t always have to look at the whole writing piece.

  • What’s the area of concentration? Topic sentence? Endings? – focus on that.
  • It’s okay to skim

*Not every writing piece needs to go to final copy.

  • For evaluating something very specific, such as just topic sentences
  • At times, it’s even okay to assess only a first draft
  • Get a STAMP: Not a final copy
  • Keeps you credible with parents

*Writer’s Conference – IPTN

  • I – Invitation: What are you working on today? How’s it going?
  • P – Probe: Ask them questions about their work or process
  • T – Teach: Make observations about their work. Give suggestions.
  • N – Next: Ask what the writer will do next.

*Fixing / Revising

  • Octopus arms for insertions
  • I prefer *A insertion, but kids might like adding an arm

*Peer Conferences

  • Some years you might not do it – depends on the class
  • LNQ (Link)
  • L – Like: Find something you like about it? Tell writer.
  • N – Notice: Is something missing? Getting in the way?
  • Q – Question: Ask the writer what s/he plans to do next.
  • Model a Peer Conference up front a couple times

*Keep them Writing

  • Give them another project of high interest for that student
  • No instructions from the teacher (can be a center)
  • No grading -or- can give a participation grade

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