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Writing Workshop

Writing Workshop is a writing process, guiding the most common of writers towards becoming an author, putting their life on paper, translating small moments of wonder and pain into narratives of storytelling.

This is what Writer's Workshop has become at NOW Academy--authentic writing at its best. The students, from K-5th grade, explore real moments and ideas from their lives and get it all down on paper. Through a consistent and structured program of mini-lessons, effective strategies, teacher modeling, and mentor texts, students learn first hand what it is like to become a published author.

 

Writer's Workshop Mini-lesson Structure

Direct Instruction occurs on the carpet and is limited to 10-15 minutes. This structure is maintained regardless of the varying stages of the Writing Process. The connection, teaching point, active engagement, and link are how students gain the skills necessary to produce writing samples they are proud to present to others.
  • Connection- (3 minutes) The connection is the motivating hook. The teacher shares an anecdote, personal experience, or an example from the previous day's lesson in order to focus the students on the teaching point that is to come.
  • Teaching Point- (3-4 minutes) This is the objective of the lesson. It may be a given strategy, for example: how to come up with a topic to write about, how to narrow a watermelon seed into a small moment, or how to zoom in on the most important idea of one's story.
  • Active Engagement- (3-4 minutes) This is where students practice what they just learned, be it practicing writing in the air, pair-sharing their thinking, discussing the mentor text read aloud and/or jotting down their thinking.
  • Link- (2 minutes) This is where the teacher explicitly links the day's teaching point to the work to be done at their desks and sends them off to work independently.

 

Writing Process


The Writing Process

Immersion-Collecting-Choosing a Seed or a Thesis, Developing-Drafting- Revision-Edit-Publishing-Celebration

  • Immersion- (2-3 days) Immerse the students in the genre by showing and/or reading examples of the genre (books, commercials, video etc.). This is the teacher's opportunity to get students excited about the Unit of Study they will embark upon.
  • Collecting- (1 day) Students begin collecting their seed ideas by using specific strategies (i.e. thinking of people, places, and things that are special to the writer).
  • Choosing a seed or Thesis- (1 day) Students decide which idea excites him/her the most.
  • Developing- (3-4 days) Students write a first draft, whether it be by writing fast and furiously, on separate cards, in folders, or on a timeline.
  • Drafting- (1-2 days) This is when students are pulling all the pieces together, by cutting and taping, by paragraphing or reading their work to a partner.
  • Revision- (2-3 days) For clarity and focus, the teacher guides mini-lessons regarding revision, and students apply the teaching point to their work. They work in pairs and use check lists in order to clarify, sequence, and focus their work.
  • Edit- (1-2 days) Students re-read for grammar and mechanics independently and/or with partner editors.
  • Publishing- (2-3 days) Typing, rewriting on special paper, or with a special pen, students make their work presentable for an audience.

  • Celebration- (1 day) Students convene and share their work by reading aloud, having a special guest come in to listen, by inviting a published author and/or various classes to share in their celebration, or by inviting the administration to witness their growth.

Published Personal Narrative Writing Pieces

 

 

Independent Writing Time

After the mini-lesson students engage in writing at their desks for a good 30- 40 minutes in order to implement the day's lesson and/or continue with previous strategies they have yet to finish. During this time it is crucial for the teacher to confer with students. The teacher's responsibility, while students are reading, is to approach students, sit beside them, question what they are doing, listen, identify an area of weakness, and assist students in developing stronger strategies. We aim to bridge students' confusion with "Aha" moments. Conferring allows for differentiation, and supports the needs of varying writers. We have developed the following Conferring Sheet to foster accountability and allow for the needs of all students to be met equitably.

 

Other Components

  • Grammar Instruction occurs 2-3 times a week, based upon student needs.
  • Likewise, word study (taught 2-3 times a week), based upon student's phonemic levels, supports the Writing Workshop lessons. 

 

Unit-of-Study Sample

Sample Writer's Workshop Persuasive Unit


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Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521
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