WritingProcessIdeas

Have you heard that teaching kids to write is like herding cats? media type="youtube" key="Pk7yqlTMvp8&rel=1" height="355" width="425"


 * What writing often looks like in schools today:**
 * Writing is NOT given ample time in “nontested” grade levels – students are constantly playing “catch-up”
 * Writing is often “first draft” and not taken through the writing process
 * Teachers are rarely conferencing with students on how to improve their writing
 * Students are not engaged in authentic writing experiences


 * What can we do?**
 * Share and discuss student writing at EVERY department/team meeting (looking at student work)
 * Set SMART goals as a team in the area of writing
 * Offer meaningful and purposeful writing experiences
 * Dedicate a large portion of class time to writing
 * Model the writing process
 * Require students to take at least one piece of writing through the ENTIRE writing process every six weeks
 * Conference with students about their writing during each stage of the process
 * Keep data folders on every child to include student work samples, TAKS, and benchmark scores

Writer's Notebook** Student's have a notebook for writing down ideas, experiences, and thoughts. They should have opportunities to write in it daily, in and out of class. It should be a place where students derive inspiration for writing, and can use it to find and extend topics. It is __not__ for daily warm-ups or grades, it is simply a place to collect ideas and find topics for beginning or extending writing. "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot" - Stephen King media type="youtube" key="hqp7A0B7abc&rel=1" height="355" width="425"
 * Components of a Writing Program

What is a Writng Workshop? [|Literary Lessons] -** How to plan for readers/writer's workshop. [|**Teaching that Makes Sense**]**-** Many ideas about how to organize and plan for reading and writing. [|**Readers Workshop**] - site with resources on reading and writing workshops. How to plan and organize! [|**Reaffirming the Writer's Workshop for Early Adolescents**]- Article from the National Council for the Teachers of English
 * Writing Workshop**
 * A time when students write, revise, draft, polish and conference
 * Every student will be at different stages in the writing process and writing on different topics.
 * Short Mini-lesson (should use mentor texts, gradual release model, be based on 6 traits, TEKS, and workshop procedures)
 * Writing and Conferencing
 * Author’s Chair and Publishing (sharing – either in response groups or whole class and publishing outside of the notebook)
 * Helpful Links