Teachers can build and increase students’ agency by using specific phrases at when conferring, leading small groups, or holding reflection/share sessions at the end of a workshop.
Category: sharing
Five Ways to Maximize Time If Time for Writing Workshop Gets Cut
Time is a precious commodity in elementary schools. Making the time for a daily writing workshop often means that something else has to get short shrift. However, sometimes, the time for writing workshop gets cut by five or ten minutes. Here are several suggestions for what you can do if writing time gets cut.
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Providing Tools for Writing and Sharing Writing Through the Pandemic
Calling all primary writing teachers. Today Janet Ahn shares how she worked with her Kindergarteners to continue thrive in writing workshop through the pandemic. These young scholars continued to draft pieces, engage in conferring, collaborate to mark up mentor texts, and publish their writing through online platforms. Their dedication to continuing the writing workshop virtually was a reflection of how they truly saw themselves as writers.
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Be a Rainbow in Someone Else’s Cloud Right Now
Maya Angelou said, "Prepare yourself, so that you can be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud." I'm working on it. I hope you'll join me.
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Three Keys to Writing Partnership Success
There can be many moving parts in the writing workshop. Partnerships can be a driving force in the growth and goal setting of writers within your classroom. In my experience, there are three areas I work to strengthen within my writers to ensure partnerships foster this growth and development across the year.
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Teaching Shares: Ending Strong
Working within a tightly segmented middle school schedule (or any pre-planned schedule) can sometimes pose a challenge to "fit in" an opportunity for closure. With this special challenge in mind, how can we perhaps be more intentional about this important time in our workshops?
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My Five Favorite Share Sessions by @MermelsteinLeah
Share sessions in the writing workshop can be downright frustrating! Whether it’s the same kids sharing day after day or every kid begging to share every day, many teachers have confided in me that share sessions are often the most neglected part of their writing workshop.Â
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If We Build It, They Will Come: Tales From Inside The Sharing Circle
The most important minutes of your writing workshop require zero hassle and no prep--only precious time. The minimal investment is worth its weight in gold. Welcome to the sharing circle with guest teacher Lori VanHoesen: The bridge builder you didn't know was doing the hardest work all along.
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Give Heart Maps a Rest! Try Writing Territory Maps
The heart map is a great tool for helping students find personally meaningful topics, but used year after year, it might feel a little stale. Writing territory maps is another option!
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The “Share” Time
Long ago, most teachers I knew had a ritual that they held near and dear to their hearts. At the end of every writing workshop, a child sat in the Author's Chair and read a story the the whole class. I used to do this, and I used to love it. I told myself that every… Continue reading The “Share” Time
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ALL students have something to teach their classmates about writing.
There are lots of things to keep top-of-mind when you're leading a writing workshop. Are all students engaged? Are they crafting pieces that hold meaning and value to them? Are kids constantly adding writing strategies to their writing toolboxes? The list could go on and on. There is another question I want teachers I work… Continue reading ALL students have something to teach their classmates about writing.
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An Inspiring Mentor Text, an Interview, and a Giveaway
I love, LOVE, L-O-V-E Ralph Tells A Story (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), which is a story about a boy, Ralph, who has trepidation about writing. (It’s already become a book I suggest to teachers when I speak about mentor texts!) Ralph is that kid in your writing workshop who claims he doesn’t have anything to… Continue reading An Inspiring Mentor Text, an Interview, and a Giveaway
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 