intro to workshop

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Home : 2004 : September : 25

intro to workshop
By Mary

Well, I'd take it in small minilessons. If you introduce everything at once (how to workshop, how to revise, how to share with a peer, how to edit, how to publish, how to choose a topic, how to narrow a topic), well, you
can see how that is overwhelming both for you and the kids. My first minilessons would involve how to set up writer's notebook, then how to use a writer's notebook, then brainstorm all the genres in which kids can write, and put some fun stuff in there like menus (get examples from local restaurants--this is a great tool for word choice), then how to choose a topic, then I would model

how to write a rough draft (both the writing of it, and the behavior that needs to be displayed--until we're peer revising, we work quietly and independently at our seat--this one is important--enforce it or they will drive you nuts), how to ask a partner for help with our piece, MODEL, MODEL, MODEL how to peer revise (and keep the form they use very simple). What you need to do, most especially with small kids, is take each part of the writing process and break it down into small, manageable minilessons in your planbook. Don't hurry through this, or they will not perform the way you are wanting them to. I personally think that you should build share time into almost every day. They can share with a partner, you can mix the partners up, and you could use an author's chair, in which they can share what they're doing with the whole class. Do not ever make anyone sit in the author's chair; in my opinion, that should be voluntary.