When Writers Drive The Workshop

With increasing school mandates and pressure to perform well on standardized tests, writing instruction has shifted to more accountability, taking the focus away from the writer. In his engaging book, When Writers Drive the Workshop: Honoring Young Voices and Bold Choices , author Brian Kissel asks teachers to go back to the roots of the writing workshop and let the students lead the conference. What happens when students, not tests, determine what they learned through reflection and self-evaluation?In When Writers Drive the Workshop, you'll find practical ideas, guiding beliefs, FAQs, and Digital Diversions to help visualize digital possibilities in the classroom. Written in an engaging, teacher-to-teacher style, this book focuses on four key components of writing workshop: Student-led conferring sessions where the teachers are the listenersThe Author's Chair-, where students set the agenda and gather feedbackStructured reflection time for students to set goals and expectations for themselvesMini lessons that allow for detours based on students' needs, not teacher or curricula goalsAll students have the powerful, shared need to be heard; when they choose their writing topics, they can see their lives unfold on the page. Teachers are educated by the bold choices of these young voices.

In this practical, engaging book, former elementary school teacher and university professor Brian Kissel asks teachers to go back to the roots of writing workshop. What happens when students, not planned teaching points, lead writing conferences? What happens when students, not tests, determine what they learned through reflection and self-evaluation? Writing instruction has shifted in recent years to more accountability, taking the focus away from the writer. This book explores what happens when empowered writers direct the writing workshop. Through stories from real classrooms, Brian reveals that no matter where children come from, they all have the powerful, shared need to be heard. And when children choose their writing topics, their lives unfold onto the page and teachers are educated by the young voices and bold choices of these writers. Written in an engaging, teacher-to-teacher style, this book focuses on four key components of writing workshop, with an eye on what happens when teachers step back and allow students to drive the instruction: Conferring sessions where students lead and teachers listen Author's Chair where students set the agenda and ask for feedback Reflection time and structures for students to set goals and expectations for themselves Mini-lessons that allow for detours based on students' needs, not teacher or curricular goals Each of the chapters includes practical ideas, a section of Guiding Beliefs, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and some Digital Diversions to help teachers see the digital possibilities in their classrooms.

In this practical, engaging book, former elementary school teacher and university professor Brian Kissel asks teachers to go back to the roots of writing workshop. What happens when students, not planned teaching points, lead writing conferences? What happens when students, not tests, determine what they learned through reflection and self-evaluation? Writing instruction has shifted in recent years to more accountability, taking the focus away from the writer. This book explores what happens when empowered writers direct the writing workshop. Through stories from real classrooms, Brian reveals that no matter where children come from, they all have the powerful, shared need to be heard. And when children choose their writing topics, their lives unfold onto the page and teachers are educated by the young voices and bold choices of these writers. Written in an engaging, teacher-to-teacher style, this book focuses on four key components of writing workshop, with an eye on what happens when teachers step back and allow students to drive the instruction: Conferring sessions where students lead and teachers listen; Author's Chair where students set the agenda and ask for feedback; Reflection time and structures for students to set goals and expectations for themselves; and Mini-lessons that allow for detours based on students' needs, not teacher or curricular goals. Each of the chapters includes practical ideas, a section of Guiding Beliefs, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and some Digital Diversions to help teachers see the digital possibilities in their classroom -- Provided by publisher.

The art and practice of writing is complex and multidimensional; students often apply unique writing styles. As such, educators must apply focused teaching methods to nurture these unique forms of writing. Educators must stay up to date with the practices for diverse writing instruction in order to best engage with a diverse classroom. However, resources related to writing typically do not focus on the depth and breadth of writing, and there is a need for a resource that offers a comprehensive look at diverse writing instruction research. The Handbook of Research on Teacher Practices for Diverse Writing Instruction provides a rich discussion of the issues, perspectives, and methods for writing instruction currently in use, with an added lens focusing on diversity and equity. It provides unique coverage on the topic of writing instruction for practical implementation within the classroom setting. Covering topics such as student motivation, curriculum development, and content area instruction, this major reference work is an essential resource for preservice teachers, faculty and administration of K-12 and higher education, academic libraries, government officials, school boards, researchers, and academicians.

Writing Rhetorically: Fostering Responsive Thinkers and Communicators, author Jennifer Fletcher aims to cultivate independent learners through rhetorical thinking. She provides teachers with strategies and frameworks for writing instruction that can be applied across multiple subjects and lesson plans. Students learn to discover their own questions, design their own inquiry process, develop their own positions and purposes, make their own choices about content and form, and contribute to conversations that matter to them. Inside this book, Fletcher helps remove some of the scaffolding and explains how to put in practice some methods which can successfully foster: Inquiry, Invention, and Rhetorical Thinking Writing for Transfer Paraphrasing, Summary, Synthesis, and Citation Skills Research Skills and Processes Evidence-Based Reasoning Rhetorical Decision Making' Rhetorical decision making helps students develop the skills, knowledge, and mindsets needed for transfer of learning: the ability to adapt and apply learning in new settings. The more choices students make as writers, the better prepared they are to analyze and respond to diverse rhetorical situations.' Writing Rhetorically' shows teachers what it looks like to dig into real texts with students and novice writers and how it develops them for lifelong learning.

In No More How Long Does it Have to Be?: Fostering Independent Writers in Grades 3-8, author Jennifer Jacobson provides the inspiration and tools to shift from a teacher-directed writing program to a student-propelled workshop model. Drawing on a wealth of Writer's Workshop experience in upper elementary and middle school classrooms, Jacobson provides strategies to help you engage and support writers as they discover their voices and take charge of their own learning. Jacobson shares tips on how to establish the spaces, routines, and tone to run a highly productive writing time: Building classroom spaces conducive to practicing thoughtful, engaging writing Rolling out a streamlined sequence of varied writing activities Leading creative explorations of mentor texts Integrating the riches of mini-lessons, conferring, sharing, and publishing Building a workshop curriculum that aligns with your goals and rubrics As she clarifies misconceptions about writing and workshops, she serves up an immensely readable blend of activities, anecdotes, and advice that will energize and inspire your students.

Writing is hard work. Teaching it can be even harder. As most teachers know, writer's workshop doesn't always go as planned, and many find there are obstacles that they consistently struggle with. In his role as a literacy coordinator and teacher, Mark Overmeyer has heard the same issues raised again and again by both new and experienced colleagues. When Writing Workshop Isn't Working: Answers to Ten Tough Questions, Grades 2-5 provides practical advice to overcome these common problems and get your writing workshop back on track. Acknowledging the process-based nature of the writing workshop, this book does not offer formulaic, program-based, one-size-fits all answers, but presents multiple suggestions based on what works in real classrooms. The ten key questions this book addresses include: How do I help students who don't know what to write about? How do I help students develop stronger vocabulary and word choice? How do I prepare my students for standardized tests without compromising my writing program? How should I assess student writing? How can I help my students use revision effectively? This book is a handy reference tool for answering specific questions as they pop up during the year. Overmeyer uses student examples throughout to help teachers envision these solutions in their own classes, and he includes an array of classroom-tested ideas for helping primary and intermediate English language learners. There may not be any easy answers to the complexities of writer's workshop, but by identifying and providing advice on the most common stumbling blocks one encounters, When Writing Workshop Isn't Working provides a solid groundwork—freeing up time and creativity for teachers to address the specific needs of their students.

Educators who work with pre-service teachers understand the significant role they play in mentoring the next generation of teachers. Those who have "walked the talk" and been classroom teachers themselves, working with students daily over the course of a school year, can share powerful stories on transformative teaching. To fully prepare tomorrow's teachers, educators need to mix theory about best practice with the reality of teaching in classrooms. Cases on Emotionally Responsive Teaching and Mentoring provides a collection of case studies from former classroom teachers who now work with pre-service teachers to provide an understanding of the expectations and outcomes of teaching through actual K-12 teaching experiences. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as cultural identity, teacher development, and learner diversity, this book is ideally designed for pre-service teachers, mentors, educators, administrators, professors, academicians, and students seeking current research on the diverse nature of schools, children, and learning and applying concepts to best suit the profession.