Building Strong, Skillful & Passionate Writers: Teaching Writing Workshop for Grades 3-8
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 8, 9, 10 | Riffa Views International School, Bahrain
Connect & Engage
This foundational course in Writing Workshop is specifically designed to support teachers new to workshop teaching, though teachers wanting to grow their understanding and practice of workshop are welcome as well.
We’ll begin Day One by each considering why we think people write and how students learn to do it—and we’ll use those initial ideas as a springboard to explore the core beliefs and concepts that underpin the workshop approach to teaching writing - such as, "teach the writer, not the writing" and the importance of choice. Then we’ll look at the key structures and components of workshop, from units of study to the writing process and from the architecture of a mini-lesson to writer’s notebooks, celebrations and shares.
Learn
The following day, we’ll take an in-depth look at planning and implementing mini-lessons for different stages of the writing process and the bends of a writing unit. Through the use of demonstrations and videos, participants will see how mini-lessons can be taught through either direct instruction with teacher modeling or through a guided inquiry approach, using mentor texts. And they’ll also be invited to take the stance of student writers, by actually trying on the work of the mini-lessons and experiencing first-hand what it means and feels like to read as a writer.
Reflect & Apply
On our last day together, participants will have the opportunity to see the work in action during a lab-site classroom demonstration. After the demo, time will be carved out to reflect and ask questions. The remainder of the day will be focused on conferring, with teachers learning the typical structure of a writing conference (Research, Compliment, Decide, and Teach), as well as some variations, like research and compliment conferences.
By looking at student work together, everyone will have the chance to develop and practice the crucial skill of formatively assessing student work in a conference to intentionally deciding what to teach and how to teach it.
Please bring a physical notebook along with a writing implement, and a laptop.
Outcomes
Participants will learn the following:
• The rationale behind the workshop approach, including core beliefs and concepts;
• The structure and components of workshop, such as units of study, the time allotment of a workshop, and the architecture of mini-lessons and writing conferences;
• How to plan and implement mini-lessons and targeted small group instruction through direct instruction with teacher modeling or guided inquiries using mentor texts;
• How to formatively assess a student’s writing in a conference in order to decide what to teach;
• How to read like a writer and teach students to do so;
• How to facilitate student shares and plan celebrations;
• How to support and manage a classroom where students may be at different points in the writing process.
