Writing Workshop

We are so fortunate to have a partnership with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project this year.  Two staff developers, Valerie and Alissa, visited Coleytown last week to work with teachers and students.  They visited classrooms in kindergarten through fifth grade to model lessons for our teachers.  In addition, they worked with grade levels to discuss current writing practices and analyze student work.  

What did we find as we joined Writing Workshop in all grade levels?  

We are all writers.  Students from kindergarten through fifth grade were engaged in the writing process.  They were generating ideas, drafting and revising their work.  Kindergarten students were orally telling stories and then writing them in their booklets.  Second graders were elaborating their small moments by using strategies seen in a mentor text.  Fifth graders were adding internal thinking and experimenting with word choice as they elaborated their narrative pieces.  Across all grades, students had set their own writing goals such as developing their craft or adding interesting endings.  

The staff developers modeled small group work in each of the classrooms.  They worked with students to support their goals and challenged them to include the new learning into their pieces. Teachers were energized after the visits to integrate this new learning into their instruction.  This week, as I visited classrooms, I saw evidence of the impact of these visits across the grade levels.  

I was thrilled to visit Ms. Buskey’s room today when Mrs. Hawkins’ first graders were in for a writing celebration.  The buddies were reading their pieces to each other and giving compliments on all aspects of the writing.  I spoke to many students who shared how they had revised their own writing. “I was trying to add detail to my story so I used dialogue,” “I wanted to show, not tell, how I was feeling in this part.”   It was exciting to see how proud the first and fourth graders were of their original pieces.

I encourage all parents to talk to their children about Writing Workshop and what they are writing in school.  Some possible prompts for the dinner table:

• What did you write about today in Writing Workshop?
• What is one goal that you have for yourself as a writer?  
• What is a favorite story or book?  What does the author do as a writer that makes you enjoy the book?

Have a great weekend Coleytown!

Ms. Pape and Valerie modeling oral storytelling.

Valerie sharing her writing with a second grade classroom.

Second graders working in a small group.