Everyone who writes for Choice Literacy loves teaching writing, because we all write ourselves. We know it is "hard fun," as Donald Murray says - exasperating and exhilarating at the same time. The writing workshops you will read about here and see in our videos are busy, noisy, vibrant places. And most days, we wouldn't want to be anywhere else than in the midst of 'em! To get started learning about our latest discoveries, insights, and occasional bone-headed mistakes in teaching writing, click any link below.

Engaged by the World: Maps, Globes, Reading, and Writing with Young Children Kelly Petrin and Ruth Shagoury The most important work I do in the classroom is unseen, and perhaps unrecognized by most: watching the children and noting their interests. What I want is a classroom where children are busy and happy--though "focused," "absorbed," or "engaged" are probably better words because there is a type of busy-ness that is not as productive, when children seem wild or bored. This work is vital because it is when children are actively engaged that they learn (they gain competence and skills). "Interest" or "interesting" is a tricky concept because it might seem like it lies wholly in the activity itself, but I find that it is actually an interplay between the activity and individuals. So every teacher will find that there are some students who are more difficult to get--or keep--engaged. . . . more New Mentor Texts for Word Choice (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson Choosing words in writing is a key to effectively communicating ideas. It is part of a conversation we have all year long, no matter which grade I teach. Using great language is an important part of effective communication. I have found that the best way to introduce and extend this conversation is through the use of picture books. Picture books allow me to introduce students to an idea about words in a very short time. These mentor texts serves as the conversation starter that we can come back to again and again during the writing process. These are some of the recent books I have added to my collection. . . . more Punctuation Study with 3rd Graders Mandy Robek I have a confession. Punctuation minilessons have never been my favorite thing to teach . . . until now! My students come to third grade aware of punctuation marks, and are able to use many of them correctly. However, the above quote from Carl Anderson and watching my current group of students made me realize there's a lot more to punctuation. As an adult, I use punctuation without putting too much thought into it. I began to wonder if my students really understood when to use punctuation. Did they realize punctuation decisions are part of crafting writing? . . . more Better Conferring (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers improve their conferring skills. . . . more 6th Grade Lesson - Editing for Conventions (VIDEO) In this lesson with her sixth graders, Pam Pogson talks about a goal many students have mentioned during writing conferences - editing for conventions. This brief lesson gives everyone a chance to brainstorm common errors and fixes. . . . more Keeping the M (VIDEO) Melissa Kolb In an age of standardization, when even preschoolers are expected to perform flawlessly on literacy tests such as letter naming and recognition, it is important for early childhood teachers to stand firm in the belief that each child learns uniquely and individually. This is an ideal I strive to live by as I work with youngsters. Our Head Start classroom includes children who range in age from three to five, and who speak a variety of languages. All of our children come from a background of poverty, and many have a range of identified disabilities. To teach them successfully, it is necessary to teach them individually. Sometimes, this means that I have to resist the pressure to push children toward production of perfect outcomes. The leading edge of learning for a child can be the feeling of success they achieve when they are engaged in a literacy process, whether or not the outcome of that process is technically correct. . . . more The Joy of Letter Writing: An Integrated Unit for Intermediate Students Mary Lee Hahn Here's when the fun really started. After a short silent brainstorming session, students shared some of their ideas: a business letter of complaint from a deer to a hunter, and another from a polar bear to all the humans about global warming. A business letter of request from a dog to a cat, requesting cats stay away from dogs so dogs would not be tempted to chase them. A friendly letter to the video game character Mario, and another - a letter of apology - from the cartoon character Jerry to his archenemy Tom. . . . more Case Studies in Professional Learning Communities (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak In this brief video, Literacy Coach Pam Hahlen and Principal Karen Szymusiak meet with two teachers in a professional learning community group to discuss ongoing case studies. The meeting takes place in early April, and the group has met regularly over the same children all year long. Karen explains how the case study groups work, and the value of the collaboration among teachers and specialists. . . . more Sports Writing Group Discussion (VIDEO) As part of our nonfiction writing study, many of the students in the class began to write about sports. Every year that I've taught in any grade, students enjoy writing about sports. It is always difficult to teach this writing style, because students write mostly play-by-play writing of the games they've played or watched. . . . more Learning with Graphica: Conferring with Students (VIDEO) This is the second of a four-part video series on using graphica in a 4th grade classroom. In this installment Sarah Thibault confers with students during writer's workshop as they brainstorm character traits. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and multiple reading and writing activities. . . . more Learning from Graphica: Introducing the Activity (VIDEO) In this lesson from a 4th grade classroom, Sarah Thibault introduces students to a writing activity. Students will be creating their own comic books, after extensive preparation and experience with graphica. . . . more Drawing to Learn: Conferring with Kyle (VIDEO) Ruth Shagoury In this conference with six-year-old Kyle, Ruth Shagoury listens to him explain the stories and meaning behind his drawings during writer's workshop. Kyle's first language is Vietnamese, though English is also spoken in the home. . . . more From Questions to Drafts (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this first of a two-part video series, Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students. Aimee explains how questions are a springboard to interesting writing topics, and models connections she makes to the text. . . . more Overcoming Tears and Fears: Developing Criteria for Flexible Groups Katie DiCesare It was a rainy Friday morning and time to clean up and share after what I thought felt like a productive writing workshop. My students slowly began to tuck away their writing in their folders and place the crayons and markers back in the bins when I heard a little voice call out, "Mrs. DiCesare, Shannon is crying." I quickly made my way over to Shannon to see why she was upset. Shannon is a writer who had come to school loving to write, share stories, and draw. This little writer who had been gaining confidence and taking risks, was for some reason distraught. Another student explained as I made my way over to her that she didn't want to clean up. I wondered why. She hasn't had any problems with clean up this year. Did someone hurt her feelings? Was she not feeling well? . . . more Literacy Builds Community: The Jackdaw Project Mandy Robek To quote a former principal of mine, "School is not summer camp." This phrase kept playing over and over in my mind as I began thinking about the beginning of the school year and one of my favorite learning experiences I use to build community. With formative assessments, state standards, required testing, and NCLB mandates, I began asking myself why the jackdaw project is important to the development of my classroom community. . . . more On Not Fretting Kelly Petrin This morning, I was fretting. Cleaning my desk, I misplaced writing I was going to share with colleagues after school. The day ahead began already to seem scattered and rushed, and I felt like such a dope to not even have in my hand the draft of my thinking. I may have been undone by my lack if it had not been for my "meditation verse" today: Do not fret, it leads only to evil. . . . more Writer's Craft Refresh (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This Choice Literacy Cluster is designed to help teachers think through possibilities for energizing their writing workshop with some new instructional techniques and materials. Topics covered in the cluster include materials and supplies for teaching writer's craft, strategies for focusing on craft during whole class share sessions, suggestions for encouraging students to help each other, and a protocol for sharing innovations with colleagues. . . . more The Pensieve: Organizing a Conferring Notebook (VIDEO) The "pensieve" is the conferring notebook that Joan Moser and Gail Boushey ("The Sisters") have developed for their work with children. In this four-minute video, Joan explains how the notebook is organized, and shares how different sections are used daily in the classroom. . . . more Old Elm Speaks Day 2, Part II: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Writing (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this third part of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, students share what they wrote after reading the book and completing some observations. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more Old Elm Speaks Day 2: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Reading (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this second part of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, students share what they read and wrote after reading the book and completing some observations. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more Old Elm Speaks: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Reading (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this first of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, Aimee introduces the text and guides students as they begin exploring it together. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more Getting the Most Out of New Picture Books Katie DiCesare Most of the books I read aloud to my students are books that I know they will pick up and want to read on their own. I often feel like a book salesperson - finding, marketing and selling books I know will fit their reading needs. The Pigeon books are an easy sell because the author uses about 10 words or less on each page, focuses on repetition and high frequency words, and sprinkles humor throughout. Willems also incorporates various types of punctuation in his books (which is great for fluency practice). These characteristics allow younger readers to have success reading and rereading something other than a guided reading book independently. . . . more Inspiration from Author Visits: Tips and Web Resources Jennifer Jones The fifth and sixth grade students at my school were fortunate to be visited by author Stacy Hillmer. Stacy is the author of five published stories and one book, An Armadillo on My Pillow. What makes this book and Stacy so special is that Stacy is a product of our school district, and she used the talents of students from her elementary school for the illustrations. . . . more Free Rice: Tools for Web-Based Vocabulary Learning Mary Lee Hahn This is not a trick question: When is a multiple choice vocabulary test fun and motivating? The answer: A multiple choice vocabulary test is fun when it is a game on the computer that gives you harder words when you get one right and easier words when you miss one. It is a game that donates rice to the world's hungry every time you get a definition right. It's called Free Rice, and if you haven't played yet, go now and give it a try. We'll talk about classroom applications when you get back. . . . more Coaching in Kindergarten: Conferring (VIDEO) Joan Moser What's in a name? For kindergartner Maria, it's the start of learning how letters and sounds work. In this coaching session, Joan Moser of "The Sisters" helps Daniel understand how to use a child's name as a beginning point for teaching letters and sounds. . . . more 1st Grade Room Tour (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video tour of her 1st grade classroom, Katie DiCesare highlights the many areas of the room used to support literacy, including wall displays. . . . more Getting Started with Sentence Observations Karen Terlecky If you watched the recent video clip posted on Choice Literacy of a sentence observation in my classroom, you may have noted the sophisticated language and discussion strategies of the students. My students did not start the year with nearly that level of complexity in their language and attention to detail Getting to that point has been a year-long work in progress. In this article, I'll chronicle how we reached the point by mid-winter where students are comfortable and adept at analyzing the structure, vocabulary, and writer's craft in model sentences. . . . more Study Groups, Instant Messaging, and Writing Jennifer Allen I am so out of the loop or should I say SITD (Still In The Dark) when it comes to IM (Instant Messaging). As I sit and write, I even have a cheat sheet next to me of the "Top 50 Most Commonly Used Text Terms." This list was slipped into my mailbox by a young teacher after our last study group, when she realized just how clueless I was about the language of IM. . . . more Rethinking a Study of Nonfiction Writing Franki Sibberson I have always done a study of nonfiction as part of our year in writing workshop. This study of nonfiction writing seems critical for students in the upper elementary grades, because we know that they will need good nonfiction writing skills throughout their schooling and lives. In our district, writing literary nonfiction is a focus unit for our fourth graders . . . more 4th Grade Small Group - Writing Paragraphs (VIDEO) In this six-minute video, Aimee Buckner uses a mentor text to demonstrate how writers construct lively nonfiction paragraphs. The small group has been pulled together because the students need more practice in adding details to their writing. . . . more 5th Grade Sentence Observation (VIDEO) Karen Terlecky This past summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about all the components of my writing workshop. I intended to make it a focus of study for myself throughout the school year. One of the areas I specifically wanted to look at was the most effective way to teach the grammar and mechanics I am required to cover by both state standards and district targets. . . . more 4th Grade Room Tour (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video tour of her 4th grade classroom, Aimee Buckner highlights how she arranges books, charts, and other resources to support the reading and writing of her students. . . . more First Grade Guided Writing Group: Targeting Common Spelling Needs (VIDEO) Katie DiCesare In this video of a first-grade guided writing group, Katie DiCesare works with three girls on spelling confusions that have emerged in their writing. By grouping the students together, she is able to use her time well in addressing common needs among students. . . . more Conferring with Emily: Moving from Questions to Content (VIDEO) In this conference with six-year-old Emily, Ruth Shagoury looks for a way into a conversation by using Emily's drawings, previous writing, and interests. Emily's first language is Hmong, and she is experimenting with Chinese characters in her writing. . . . more Assessing Spelling in Writing Workshop Part 3: Embedding Instruction Katie DiCesare I recently came up with a form that would help me record information about my students and how they are spelling high frequency words, sounds and patterns in words. This form has helped me discover patterns I am noticing in individuals, groups of students, and my class as a whole. In this third part of my series on using this new assessment form, I'll explain how I am using the information I have gathered about my students to help me plan for instruction. My goal is to embed spelling instruction and address specific spelling confusions students have within reading and writing workshop routines already in place in my classroom. . . . more Listing Strategy: Conferring (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this second of a two-part video series, Aimee Buckner confers with students after teaching a minilesson on the listing strategy using the book This is the Tree. You'll notice that the students are writing in many different genres as part of writing workshop, and are in different phases of the drafting process as Aimee assists them. . . . more Assessing Spelling in Writing Workshop Part 2: Noticing Patterns in Individuals, Small Groups and the Whole Group Katie DiCesare Regie's insight into assessment has raised questions in my own teaching about spelling and word study. Recently, I created a form that would help me assess spelling within authentic writing. I created this form in response to questions like . . . how can looking at student's authentic writing help me further their learning of words? How can I assess what high frequency words they are using successfully or confusing in their writing? How can I monitor where to go next by looking at word parts and sounds in words? By using this form, I was able to collect specific information about each of the writers in my room. As I looked at the assessments, I began to see patterns in my writers. Here is what I noticed . . . more Mentor Texts and Teacher Modeling: The Listing Strategy (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video from her 4th grade classroom Aimee Buckner teaches the "listing" strategy using the book This is the Tree as a mentor text. Aimee talks about mentor texts, using her own writing as a model, and the needs of intermediate readers and writers during the lesson and interview. . . . more Assessing Spelling in Writing Workshops Part 1: Thinking through the Assessment Katie DiCesare My mind has been circling the issue of spelling and word study this year. Specifically, I wonder how I can look at my students' writing to help me further their learning of words? How can I assess what high frequency words they are spelling correctly? How can I monitor where to go next with looking at word parts and sounds in words? After lugging home 22 bright red and overflowing writing workshop folders with two months' worth of student writing in them over holiday break, the folders just sat in a pile. Instead of diving in their stories, I knew I needed to have some organizational tool that could help me record and look back at individual spelling successes and confusions. . . . more Conferring with Eddie (VIDEO) Eddie is a six-year-old student who speaks Cantonese as his first language. In this conference with Ruth Shagoury, there is little English spoken, and yet there is much communication through gestures and shared history. . . . more Rethinking Writing Centers - Winter Follow-Up Shari Frost During the 2006-2007 school year, I began a conversation with the literacy coaches in our network about classroom writing centers. I had noticed that most students were distracted by all of the "cool tools" in the writing centers and were doing very little, if any, actual writing. After a couple of brainstorming sessions with the coaches, we settled upon a two-pronged approach. . . . more Team Sharing of Writing Curriculum Innovations (TEMPLATE) Ruth Shagoury Literacy coaches know that the most successful staff development provides lots of time for colleagues to share their teaching stories, questions, and ideas. Hearing what is happening in the classrooms down the hall or across town is generative--and prompts creative leaps to enliven our own inquiries and curricula. The January doldrums can be swept aside for fresh ideas. . . . more Rule of 3: Writer's Craft Whole Class Lesson (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner The "Rule of 3" is well-known among writers. From "The Three Little Bears" to sets of three adjectives in descriptions, authors know clusters of three are a powerful tool for creating narrative flow. I always teach my fourth graders about the "Rule of 3" during reading and writing workshops, and almost immediately see improvement in many students' writing. . . . more Helping Aaron Find His Voice as a Writer...and Mine as a Teacher Erin Ocon In my first two months of teaching, Aaron was the student that kept me up at night. He was the face I saw while sipping coffee at a red light on my way to work, or on Sunday afternoon when I drew my lesson planning notebook to my lap with a sigh. He was a part of fifth period, my most rambunctious class period. In fact, Aaron had told me during a class discussion that I shouldn't expect anything out of seventh graders at two o'clock in the afternoon. "It's a scientific fact," he explained to me. "Well, that's the time we're in class," I shot back, not caring anymore if I sounded annoyed. . . . more The Rolling Pin: Looking into Things Shirley McPhillips Julian looks long at the slipper shell, one he has brought to school from his collection. When I kneel next to him at writing time he is turning it over in his hands. He remembers the time he and his friend Peter, walking a Cape Cod beach, found it. It was the last summer they had together. He wishes Peter hadn't had to move, he says, that he might see him again, hear him laugh. I ask Julian to write a few word sketches in his writers notebook, keeping to the present tense, as if what he sees in his mind's eye is happening right now. . . . more Writers' Words, Drops by Dottle: An Excerpt from Spunk and Bite Arthur Plotnik Many a writer has resolved to master the dictionary A to Z, or bulk up the brain with vocabulary-building tomes. But such enterprises tend to fizzle, which for readers may not be a bad thing; an inundation of new words can create a garden of monstrous locutions. Eyedropper enrichment--say, at the rate of about seven new words a week--allows one to savor and test each word, to integrate it into one's style before sounding like Buckley-meets-Pynchon on Miracle-Gro. . . . more Reflecting on the First Six Weeks of Word Study Franki Sibberson Going into word study with a different plan is always a little scary. With the first six weeks of school finished, it feels like it is time to see where we've been and what I've learned. This year, I am working hard to make sure that my word study work makes a difference. Rather than going through the motions of studying patterns, sorting words, etc. I am making sure that every lesson connects in some way to students' reading and writing. And I want them to know that too. . . . more Revision: It's in the Bag Franki Sibberson For years, I have heard the same moans and groans when I have mentioned revision to my students in the midst of a genre study. I usually teach students in grades 3-6, and these students have somehow equated revision with editing. At the point they are ready for an edit, they may be finished thinking about their writing and want to move on to something else. . . . more Literary Nonfiction: Models for Writing Franki Sibberson I have never felt as comfortable with nonfiction writing in my elementary classroom as other genres. The products never have much variety. Somehow, students' nonfiction writing always ends up sounding like "report" writing. . . . more From Compliments to Naming the Craft: 5th Grade Writing Workshop Share Session (VIDEO) Jennifer Allen This whole-class share session in Lesley Fowler's 5th grade classroom is the culmination of a nonfiction writing unit. Over the course of the year, we moved from having students compliment their classmates during these share sessions, to writing down specific aspects of the piece they enjoyed or had questions about during the reading. We found adding this brief writing element to the share sessions has made all the difference in helping students connect their writing and that of their peers to the lessons on craft we present throughout the year. . . . more Helping Classroom Volunteers Become Better Listeners Andie Cunningham In my school, asking students questions when the answer is already known by the questioner was a common practice. Frustrated by these conversations, I decided to see what might happen if I brought some of what I learned as a Courage to Teach facilitator into my classroom. . . . more Rethinking Word Study: The Sentence Study Routine Franki Sibberson As I continue to think about expanding my word study program to include a broader perspective of how we use words--beyond just spelling--I've realized I've never taken it a step further to think about how authors craft sentences or phrases. We have looked at some things closely---ways that metaphors help us understand what the author is trying to convey, or how strong verbs help us visualize what is happening. But, we have not really dug in to see how authors craft these amazing sentences as a daily part of our work as writers. . . . more Rethinking Writing Centers Shari Frost Every classroom has one. The children absolutely love them. The teachers invest considerable thought, effort, and resources into outfitting and organizing them. There was only one problem. No one was actually writing in the writing centers. It was driving me crazy! . . . more Helping Students Find Their Own Mentor Texts Franki Sibberson Recently, I have realized that I have too much control over the mentor texts we study in the classroom. I have built a stack of the best of children's literature, taught my students to read like writers, to analyze great writing and to try new things in their own writing. There is no doubt that quality literature makes a difference in children's writing lives. But, I realize that I usually choose the lessons. I often choose the texts that we will learn from as a class. This coming school year, I am hoping to take the idea of mentor texts one step further. . . . more The Difference Between Conferring and "Touching Base" Debbie Miller Sometimes when I talk with teachers about creating "the luscious feeling of endless time," they look at me like I've lost my mind. They tell me they love the idea, but with all they have to teach and all their kids need to learn, "There's no way," they say. Luscious feeling? Endless time? Come on girlfriend, get real!" . . . more Important Book, Important Notes: Guiding Young Students Through Notetaking Suzy Kaback Since my experiment with Lindsay, I have shared The Important Thing About... data chart with several elementary-grade teachers. They recognized the promise of using this organizer as a notetaking tool for research papers, but they also saw potential for using the chart in more informal ways. One fourth-grade teacher said she would use the chart to help students "hold their thinking" about reading in social studies. She scribbled on the side of her paper a possible beginning entry to prompt students to think more deeply about American history: "The important thing about the Civil War is slavery was not the main reason it was fought." . . . more Teaching About Words, Grammar, and Mechanics Through Children's Literature (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson When I think about my students as word learners, I want them to be more than just good spellers. I think that this year, many of my daily word study lessons will focus on grammar and mechanics. The challenge for me is fitting grammar and mechanics into my fifteen minute word study block. What better way to do this than to look at how authors put words together in their writing? After all, grammar and mechanics are all about how words work together. . . . more Activities Linking Books and Visual Learners for Early in the Year Carol Wilcox I can't wait for the first day of school, but I also dread the first day of school. I dread it because my own sons, Isaiah and Kadeem, are not card-carrying members of the school literacy club. I imagine our conversations that first week of school. I will ask about school. My boys, the same kids who have read books, magazines, the newspaper, catalogues, and articles on the internet, and have chattered excitedly about basketball games and Madden 2007 tournaments and sleep overs all summer, will give me descriptive one word responses like ok, good, and fine. When I ask what they did, they will respond, "Nothing." . . . more Whole Class Interviews: Building Community in Writing Workshop (TEMPLATE) Franki Sibberson At the beginning of the year, I want my students to feel valued as part of our learning community. To do that, I also want them to develop their own identities as writers. I know that if they know themselves as writers - what they like, their strengths, their goals, etc. they will grow in all areas of writing. So, I've developed a writing interview that I plan to administer to my students as part of their first writing conferences during those first few weeks of school. By asking them questions about their lives as writers, I place value on their lives outside of school. . . . more Writing Workshop Teacherisms Jennifer Jones With the beginning of a new school year fast approaching many classroom teachers find themselves reflecting on what worked and didn't work when launching the previous year's writing workshop. Everything I have ever read about writing workshop emphasizes the need to invest the time those first four to six weeks establishing routines and to stick with all of those procedural mini-lessons. I'd like to share with you what I refer to as writing workshop teacherisms to keep tucked in the back of your mind as you launch this year's workshop. These teacherisms will help you establish some common language during your workshop, and by introducing them from the start they can become a natural part of your workshop. . . . more Crafting Characters in Writer's Workshop (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson In this lesson from writer's workshop with grades 3 and 4 students, Franki Sibberson helps students analyze character traits through whole-class and partner work with the lead to The Secret Garden. The text used from The Secret Garden is provided below the video player. . . . more Writer's Workshop: Planning for "Dips" Aimee Buckner I think most teachers have a time during the year where writing workshop seems more difficult than at other times. Maybe it's testing that gets in the way or snow days or unexpected school programs. Whatever the disruption, many teachers skip writing to fit other things in. And so, I'm here to say, on those days don't teach math. I do love the gasp and looks of horror I get from teachers when I say it. . . . more Learning Curves and Dips: Planning and Goal-Setting for Writer's Workshop Aimee Buckner I am learning how to run. It sounds silly, 'learning how to run,' but it's true. At first I just started running a minute, walking a minute. Eventually, I ran more minutes than I walked and then I was on my way. But after two years of "running" and not getting much further than three miles with an occasional 10k, I had gained 20 pounds. That doesn't sound right, does it? "Gained" and "running" together in the same sentence?! It's like "doing writer's workshop" for two years and having nothing to show for it but maybe more ditto sheets. It just doesn't make sense. . . . more Introducing Bull's-Eyes and Waves Written Responses in Synthesis Work (VIDEO with TEMPLATES) Andie Cunningham My students find different ways to communicate their synthesis, but we found we needed a substantial way to hold on to our knowing and in some cases, further unpack and give definition to it. To help all of us create placeholders for what we know, and to offer my students appropriate tools for explaining what connections they are making, we use two tools, the bull's-eye and waves sheets, both created on 18" by 24" manila or white construction paper. . . . more Using Foam Boards in Writer's Workshop (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson Foam boards are a new teaching tool for me this year in writer's workshop. The idea came from my friend Ann Marie Corgill. She shared this idea with me when she was working at the Manhattan New School in New York City. I've always used a lot of wall space for writer's workshop, and have even gone beyond that to cover closet doors and the door going into the classroom with student work, ideas, and resources. There is never enough room to display or post everything we are working on and everything that might help build the writing community. The foam boards are a way to extend the display space flexibly all year long, and what's great about them is that they are so portable - each one becomes a moving, changing bulletin board tied to literacy topics we are studying and discussing together. . . . more Portable Anchor Charts for Literacy Coaches Jennifer Allen I have to admit I have gone a little foam board crazy. I started with a foam board on revision strategies, and now we have moved to boards that include our strategies for alternative leads - leads for narratives, leads for nonfiction animal books, and also leads for biographies. Foam boards are durable, easy to store, and perfect for displaying ideas. . . . more Assessing Student Writing Franki Sibberson The standards and testing movement almost made me lose sight of the "workshop" part of writing workshop. It's been hard to keep the energy, joy, and excitement of a thriving writer's workshop and still do all the things states and districts are asking us to do when it comes to assessment. I decided before this year began to think really hard about third and fourth graders as writers--where they are in their learning at this stage in their lives, what excites them, and how to tap that energy in writer's workshop again. For me, the challenge has been combining the energy of writer's workshop and what we know works for teaching writers with all the standards and skills that are required by any district or state these days. . . . more Writing Strengths Anchor Chart Suzy Kaback As a teacher of students in the intermediate grades, I liked to have kids display their talents as often as possible. While students usually didn't have trouble sharing their social selves, asking them to extol their academic virtues is another story. One way to link the social with the academic self in any student is a strengths chart. On a large piece of chart paper divided into two columns, I write the names of students in the class down the left hand side and the label "My Writing Strength" at the top of the right hand side. Each student is asked to think of a writing strategy they feel comfortable using and offering to others. . . . more Helping Struggling Writers Franki Sibberson I've found there are two kinds of struggling writers in my classroom, even though any struggling writer has some unique personality traits. At the start of the year, some students may not know what to write about. We spend a lot of time at the beginning of the year thinking about how to come up with things to write, and we talk pretty honestly about writer's block. Everyone has days when you don't have anything to write about -- I certainly have those days myself. . . . more Writing Workshop Share: Talking About Revision Tools (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson In this video of a discussion after writing workshop in Franki Sibberson's classroom, intermediate students share the tools they used in revision. The video is approximately five minutes long... . . . more Revision Tools: Providing Options to Students (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson From old favorites like highlighters to new resources like kangaroo bags, this whole class session with Franki Sibberson's students highlights cool tools that will inspire learners to dive in and test out different revision strategies in writer's workshop... . . . more Poetry Friday! Poetry Books That Are Fun to Read Aloud Franki Sibberson Early in my career, I taught at a school that had doughnuts and coffee for teachers each Friday in the teachers' lounge. It was a great way to start our Fridays--chatting with colleagues in a relaxed setting. I learned how important these traditions are when setting the stage for positive interactions. I thought that something like this would be great to do with children. Didn't they deserve a relaxing, talk-filled Friday morning too? . . . more The Read-Around: Raising Writers Linda Christensen The read-around is also the place we share our lives. As students listen to each other's stories they try to feel what it's like to be in someone else's skin. While the read-around provides the writing text and it helps us share crucial stories from our lives, it can also miss some important teachable moments. For this reason, my colleague Bill Bigelow and I developed what we called the "collective text," so we could step back from the writing and figure out what our individual stories said about ourselves and our society. . . . more Fonts: Small Group and Conferring with Intermediate Writers (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson In this follow-up to a whole class lesson and discussion on fonts, Franki Sibberson pulls together a group of third and fourth graders from her class who have asked to be a part of a small group on fonts. She talks about how these small groups fit into her writing workshop plans, and how she assesses the needs of each group as they emerge to determine her role in the group... . . . more Mapping as a Way into Story Rina Moog The mapping exercise asks each student to diagram a place where he/she has spent a lot of time. I encourage them to envision their bedrooms, classrooms, homes, schools, summer camps, parks, sports facilities, churches, theaters, and neighborhoods, and to draw the setting they feel most connected to... . . . more The "All About Us" Board: Linking Literacy and Community Building All Year Long Suzy Kaback One activity that supports our community building and literacy development all year is the "All About Us" bulletin board. In preparation I divide my largest bulletin board into as many sections as there are people in the class using yarn to make the squares. I make sure there is a space for me, and I several empty squares in case a new student is added to our class, or for a student teacher to use. Each child is assigned a square to decorate with objects that will help the class learn more about him or her. I give everyone a week to fill their space, and each day the board grows more colorful and intriguing... . . . more Fonts Lesson: A Revision Strategy for Transitional Writers (VIDEO) Franki Sibberson I recently added a nonfiction reading time at the start of the day, and I've found this time has changed many of the conversations about reading and writing with the third and fourth graders in the classroom. In this lesson, I use the students' interest in nonfiction text features as a springboard into looking at fonts... . . . more Ready for Choice: Katie Wood Ray Interview Part II Katie Wood Ray's new book, Study Driven, already is claiming its place as the definitive guide to designing writing units of study on many teachers' bookshelves. Warm, wise, and witty, the book honors teachers by challenging them to trust their own knowledge and instincts when it comes to writing curriculum design. For all the practical resources Katie has provided to teachers, it could be her uniquely respectful voice that is her greatest gift to our profession... . . . more Word Choice Lesson: A Collaborative Coaching Session with a New Teacher (VIDEO) Jennifer Allen When I work with a new teacher in his or her classroom, it's a collaborative experience. We design and teach together over time, sharing what works and what doesn't. In this video, you'll glimpse a snapshot in time of the collaborative teaching Jessica and I are doing within a revision unit of study. On this day, we are teaching her fourth graders about the importance of word choice... . . . more Reflection Sheets: A Tool for Assessment and Conferring (VIDEO and TEMPLATE) Franki Sibberson I use reflection sheets a few times a month with my third- and fourth-grade students in reading and writing workshops. The students answer a few questions around some issue we are considering related to reading strategies or writer's craft. We then refer to these sheets in individual conferences, talk about the student's growth or needs, and set goals or chat about next steps... . . . more Conferring in the Zone: Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development and Writing Conferences Ruth Shagoury The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is a concept developed by the Russian language researcher Lev Vygotsky nearly a century ago. The theory simply stated is there is a learning "zone" each child is in, with tasks they are capable of completing with assistance from their teacher now. These are tasks they will soon be able to do on their own, without assistance. Vygotsky put it simply, "What the child can do with assistance today, he can do alone tomorrow"... . . . more "Approximation is Everything": An Interview with Katie Wood Ray (Part 1) Warm, wise and provocative - is there any expert on writer's workshop who has burst on the scene with more influence than Katie Wood Ray in the past decade? Katie's new book, Study Driven: A F . . . more Enlisting Students as Observers Brenda Power If you are trying to build more observation into your assessment of students, enlisting students as class observers is a wonderful way to gather more notes daily. The activity has benefits far beyond the task of recording student comments, questions, and behaviors. As each student has a stint as an observer, he or she will have the opportunity to reflect upon what their classmates contribute to the community, and how different behaviors support learning in the group. . . . more Goal Sheets for Conferring (TEMPLATES) The Sisters (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) When we confer with students, we set goals with each child based upon their emerging needs. The forms include a space for us to record instruction we've provided to assist the child in meeting the goal (individually, in a small group, or with the whole class) and what we've observed with the child related to the goal. There is also a space to record what steps the child has said he or she will take to meet the goal... . . . more Up Gross and Personal: Dealing with Dicey Topics in Writing Workshops Brenda Power Teachers have a high tolerance for the disgusting. We scrub down the mysterious puddle on the rug after a literature discussion, we endure the dead mouse passed around during recess, we accept the constant gnawing on shoelaces, hoping that, somehow, expending that restless energy will help the child concentrate on the lesson and develop a few new reading comprehension skills. But even those of us who aren't prone to squeamishness can dread the bloody, violent, and nasty writing topics that come out like clockwork as soon as the first Halloween decorations appear in storefronts... . . . more Spacing Words: A Mini-Lesson with Young Writers (VIDEO) Andie Cunningham In this two-minute video, Andie Cunningham reinforces the concept of spacing words with her kindergartners using her own writing and a brainstorming web. . . . more New Anchor Books for Modeling Writer's Craft in Workshops Franki Sibberson This year, my students came in excited about continuing their writing work with fiction text. When given the choice, it became clear that my new third and fourth graders would use their free choice w . . . more The Five-Minute Solution: Mini-Groups after Mini-Lessons to Maximize Conferring Time Aimee Buckner Writing conferences in the upper elementary grades can be scary. Books and gurus say you have to have "editing conferences" and "revision conferences" and "idea conferences." They say you need to think about the "architecture" of the conference and the "teaching point" within a split second as you confer. To top it off, older students write longer pieces than first graders, and they can be more resistant in conferences... . . . more Writing by Choice: High School English Language Learners Talk about Writing at Home (VIDEO) In this series of interview excerpts, high school English language learners talk with Ruth Shagoury about when they choose to write at home - what inspires them, when and why they choose between English and their native languages, and what the purpose of writing by choice is for them. . . . more Writing about a War-Torn Home: Zerina Talks about Finding Her Writer's Voice In this interview with Ruth Shagoury, Zerina talks about how she has grown and changed as a writer in her high school writer's workshop. She also talks about the experience of capturing in writing the most poignant memories of war in her homeland, Bosnia, and sharing her poetry with classmates. . . . more Tips from the Pros on Starting Your Own Writer's Notebook or Teaching Journal Ready to take the plunge and start keeping a writer's notebook or journal of your own? Here are some tips from the pros for getting into the rhythm and routine of notebooks or journals... . . . more Write from the Start: Conferring with Young English Language Learners [DVD Workshop Kit] Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury How can a teacher confer with a child who speaks a different language? How can teachers confer with many children speaking many different languages, all in the same classroom? . . . more Getting Started with Your Own Writer's Notebook Aimee Buckner I am a great "faker." My mother still doesn't know how often I was faking being sick and when I really was sick. I faked writing. My first two years teaching school, I had a notebook. I probably filled five or six pages and had dribbles of scribbles here and there throughout the notebook. I'd misplace my notebook in the classroom or just lose it all together. . . . more Mix It Up: Helping Young Writers Learn to Confer with Peers and Teachers Ruth Shagoury Many kindergarten, first-, and second-grade teachers struggle with a tension in their writing workshops: How do you introduce the notion of conferencing to young writers, many of whom do not yet "read"? Andie Cunningham and I decide to introduce conferences with her five- and six-year-old authors by modeling with our own writing. . . . more Tracking Young Children's Writing Growth and Development in Writing Workshops Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury It's important to us to be aware of each child's writing growth as they progress through the year. Knowing what a child is attempting, experimenting with, and mastering helps us plan appropriate instruction. Understanding what they are writing helps us build on children's needs and celebrate their strengths. Here are the assessment tools we use regularly... . . . more The Art of Listening in Writing Conferences with English Language Learners Ruth Shagoury and Andie Cunningham Listening to individual children in active writers' workshops is especially challenging, and understanding the words of students who speak a different first language than yours can be downright daunting. Here are some tips for mastering the art of listening in conferences with English language learners... . . . more Writing Conference Principles When we were first learning to confer with students of all ages, we devoured books written by Nancie Atwell, Donald Graves, and Lucy Calkins. Each of these teachers had their own twists on the essential elements for high quality student-teacher conferences. Over time, we integrated and distilled their ideas into a few core principles... . . . more Let's Get Some Attitude Shirley McPhillips When Edna Mae Pruitt got her back up in eighth grade everybody listened. She didn't get riled easily, but when she did everybody sat back for the gusher. One day in English Composition class Carlyle Keely within her hearing, poor boy, made the mistake of telling Franklin Colley that Geraldine would never get a boyfriend because she was too smart. Boys didn't like girls who were known to be smart. They were scary. Whoosh! Old Faithful... . . . more Power Tools Aimee Buckner There are three "power tools" that make writing happen for writers. As teachers, if we can provide these and/or the circumstances for these things to happen, our students will write and write well. . . . more