student teacher · student teaching · writing workshop

Student Teachers & Writing Workshop

Stacey Shubitz

One of our readers, who has asked to remain anonymous, e-mailed me this morning with regard to the student teacher in their classroom. The person who is student teaching is great, but is ‘slowing down’ Writing Workshop. Therefore, I offered to blog a bit about this topic since I had a steady stream of student teachers in my classroom when I taught in East Harlem. In all, I had five full-time student teachers and several Thursday-only student teachers (who showed up once a week for Literacy Fieldwork). It was hard for me to relinquish teaching Writing Workshop and handing over the reigns, but eventually I did it.

I’ve had amazing, average, and somewhat-decent student teachers. However, through it all, there were a few non-negotiables I had with regard to teaching in my classroom. (I went so far as to create a compact with my student teachers!) Some of the ones that supported Writing Workshop were:

  • Confer with students during Reading and Writing Workshop using either a coaching or “research-decide-teach” model, as per the reading given in Calkins’ Book The Art of Teaching Reading. Keep records of these conferences using the template I have created, which can be found in the Reading/Writing Conferencing Binder. (NOTE: I would now suggest providing a student teacher with some reading from Anderson’s Book How’s It Going? too.)

    • ==> My goal was to have my student teachers as strong as possible with regard to Workshop teaching so that they’d be able to design units of study on their own the following school year.

  • As necessary, lead strategy lessons during Reading or Writing Workshop and/or work with small groups during mathematics.
  • Grade writer’s notebooks using the appropriate rubric.

    • The bottom-line, with the bulleted list above, is that you have to model, model, model. I think it’s about gradual release… as you feel comfortable, you release control, a little bit at a time, so that the student teacher feels successful and so that your students are still learning and growing as writers.

    One thing I always wrote in the compact, which I’ll close with, is:

    Once you’re ready:

  • Participate or teach lessons in Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, Read Aloud, Mathematics, Health or Morning Enrichment.
  • There will be days when you’re doing most of the teaching. At first I’ll supervise, but eventually I’ll sit at my desk and hang back leaving the pacing of the lesson up to you. However, if things need to be explained in an alternate way, I reserve the right to jump-in at any time.

    • I will try to give you as much freedom to teach as possible since you are here to improve your practice.

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    Published by Stacey Shubitz

    Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her forthcoming book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.

    One thought on “Student Teachers & Writing Workshop”

    1. I’ve had a student teacher since day one of this school year. I wish you had posted this early, but I appreciate it now. It has been hard, my student-teacher has struggled and it is hard to teach writing when so little time is spent on this area in undergraduate work. This is so important…thanks for sharing.

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