Superintendent’s Superintendent’s Conference DayConference Day

The Writer’s Workshop:The Writer’s Workshop:

Creating Accomplished WritersCreating Accomplished Writers

Please Respond:Please Respond:

• Of all the things I could do to help Of all the things I could do to help my students as writers, learners, my students as writers, learners, and people, what might be the and people, what might be the most important?most important?

FromFrom::

The Art of Teaching Writing The Art of Teaching Writing by: Lucyby: Lucy Calkins (1994)Calkins (1994)

Some Background InformationSome Background Information

2008 Grade 6 ELA Results (295 students)2008 Grade 6 ELA Results (295 students)

Current 7Current 7thth Graders Graders

Level 1Level 1 Level 2Level 2 Level 3Level 3 Level 4Level 4

3 3 (1%)(1%)

54 54 (22%)(22%)

207 207 (70%)(70%)

2121 (7%) (7%)

2008 Grade 5 ELA Results (284 students)2008 Grade 5 ELA Results (284 students)

Current 6Current 6thth Graders Graders

Level 1Level 1 Level 2Level 2 Level 3Level 3 Level 4Level 4

22(.8%)(.8%)

35 35 (11.5%)(11.5%)

232 232 (82.6%)(82.6%)

15 15 (5.1%)(5.1%)

More Background InformationMore Background InformationNumber of tested students and percentage of Number of tested students and percentage of

those students who scored at a level 3 or those students who scored at a level 3 or above (2008 ELA)above (2008 ELA)

Grade 6Grade 6 Grade 7Grade 7 Grade 8Grade 8

BoysBoys 156 (74%)156 (74%) 142 (75%)142 (75%) 130 (60%)130 (60%)

GirlsGirls 139 (81%)139 (81%) 174 (86%)174 (86%) 130 (72%)130 (72%)

TotalTotal 295 (77%)295 (77%) 316 (80%)316 (80%) 260 (66%)260 (66%)

Elements of a Writing WorkshopElements of a Writing Workshop

• Writer’s Talk (optional)Writer’s Talk (optional)

• MinilessonMinilesson

• Independent Writing/ConferringIndependent Writing/Conferring

• Evaluation - Share WritingEvaluation - Share Writing

Writer’s TalkWriter’s Talk

• Gives background Gives background information about an information about an authorauthor

• Focus on author’s Focus on author’s thoughts/ideas about thoughts/ideas about writingwriting

• Read a short excerpt from Read a short excerpt from an author’s workan author’s work

• Give students a quote Give students a quote from the authorfrom the author

MinilessonMinilesson• Focus on Focus on oneone aspect of aspect of

writing instruction writing instruction (guidelines, writer’s (guidelines, writer’s craft, conventions)craft, conventions)

• Lessons are 7-12 Lessons are 7-12 minutes in durationminutes in duration

• Objective should state Objective should state what writers do and what writers do and why they do itwhy they do itExampleExample: Writers _____ in : Writers _____ in order to _________.order to _________.

Independent Work TimeIndependent Work Time

• Students write independently Students write independently based on the day’s minlessonbased on the day’s minlesson

• Students can work on a new Students can work on a new piece of writing piece of writing oror revise a revise a previously written piecepreviously written piece

• Teacher takes time to confer Teacher takes time to confer with student writerswith student writers

Evaluation/ShareEvaluation/Share

• Vital to the success of a writing Vital to the success of a writing workshopworkshop

• Gives students the opportunity to share Gives students the opportunity to share their writing with their peerstheir writing with their peers

• Allows students to hear other ideasAllows students to hear other ideas

• Allows the teacher to assess the level Allows the teacher to assess the level of lesson comprehensionof lesson comprehension

Roles Within the WorkshopRoles Within the Workshop

TeacherTeacher• Writer’s TalkWriter’s Talk• Facilitate minilessonFacilitate minilesson• Share your own Share your own

writing and ideaswriting and ideas• Confer w/ studentsConfer w/ students• Provide materialsProvide materials• Gather print Gather print

resourcesresources

StudentStudent• Explore ideasExplore ideas• Participate in Participate in

minilessonsminilessons• Select TopicsSelect Topics• Confer w/ teacher Confer w/ teacher • Share writingShare writing• Give/Use feedbackGive/Use feedback

What should they write?What should they write?

• Please refer to pg. 76 of your packetPlease refer to pg. 76 of your packet

• Sample “Map of Writing”Sample “Map of Writing”

• With your team, list what genres you With your team, list what genres you believe are believe are essential essential and and appropriateappropriate for for sixth graders to work onsixth graders to work on

-consider what you have done in the-consider what you have done in the past past

-consider what the NYS ELA requires-consider what the NYS ELA requires students to understand students to understand

What should they write?What should they write?

• In cross-team groups, compare your In cross-team groups, compare your genre lists and try to come up with a genre lists and try to come up with a consensus “writing map” of genres consensus “writing map” of genres for sixth grade.for sixth grade.

Where to go from HereWhere to go from Here

In your packetsIn your packets::

• Page 68: Management Lesson IdeasPage 68: Management Lesson Ideas

• Page 70: Conventions Lesson IdeasPage 70: Conventions Lesson Ideas

• Page 72-73: Craft Lesson IdeasPage 72-73: Craft Lesson Ideas

ReflectionReflection

Please respond to the following questionsPlease respond to the following questions::

• What is one thing discussed today that What is one thing discussed today that might affect change in your classroom?might affect change in your classroom?

• What is one thing we talked about today What is one thing we talked about today that you still have questions about? Is that you still have questions about? Is there anything discussed today that you there anything discussed today that you have concerns about? Why?have concerns about? Why?

Thank you for your attention!!Thank you for your attention!!