Writer's Workshop Chapters 9, 10, 13

In the next three chapters that we read about writer’s workshop is getting more detailed about how to start and finish a lesson. We have to remember that students are learning and should be learning at all times during the writer’s workshop. I liked the 5 ways to think about teaching the writer’s workshop which are: environment, demonstration, direct instruction, inquiry, and potential of the world. The book explains these 5 things in an easy way for someone to understand. I liked how the best way to set up our writer’s workshop is by surrounding the area by things to learn from. This quote made a lot of sense to me. So many times we are thinking about what we need to teach the students. Having things that surround the area that we can learn from is a great idea. We should ask ourselves, “What can I get going in my room that the students can learn from?” When students have plenty of time and are able to write everyday they become better writers and learn to enjoy writing. I agree that the writer’s workshop needs to have routines set early in the school year. This way the students know what to do and when to do it. I like the idea about the group share. I like how it is ongoing and that students can learn from each other. Teachers need to remember to create the daily routine and maintain a supportive classroom environment where students are comfortable in sharing. I like the list of ideas how students can learn and how to display students’ work. The book gives many good examples about the kinds of texts and different genres that are needed in the writer’s workshop. I love the idea about having copies of students’ work around in the writer’s workshop. Once again students can learn from others. Also, you can share quotes about writers, have books on grammar, and have visitors in your classroom that will aid your writer’s workshop. Teachers also need to write about anything that they want. Students need to know that their teacher is writing and is a writer just like they are. Heavy writing should be done in the writer’s workshop; however, students can still have writing homework. I like the section about the desk work and the world work. Most of the time we write about what we know and what we have experienced throughout our lives. Students can go out in the world and try new things and come to school and write about these new things.

            Once again, I think that the book does a great job in giving us 5 steps to use to teach writer’s workshop. These 5 steps are: strategies, techniques, questions, relationships, and conventions. Students need to build a repertoire of understandings, strategies, and techniques to support them in their work as writers. Students will grow more as writers if good teaching is involved. Students can also help to explain and teach new strategies to other students. I agree that good teachers of writing continue to add to their knowledge base about writing curriculum throughout their teaching careers. We must remember that we can’t know it all when we start out. I also think that it is great that the book gives us a list of resources to use for how teachers get smart about writing. These are great tips.

            I finally have a better idea about what a focus lesson is. A single focus lesson is always a part of a series of lessons. I like how students should be brought together during some point of the writer’s workshop. This allows time for intellectual gathering and we need to make sure that we have a gathering place in the room. I liked how the tone is very direct and teaching writing is powerful when the students see the teacher as both a writing mentor and a fellow writer. I agree with talking to your students as writers and not as children. I love the idea about show and tell during the focus lesson. This makes a lot of sense. These are just some of the highlights that made a lot of sense to me and that I defiantly will take with me to my writer’s workshop in the future.