Hook Your Students on Writing

1. Hook Your Students on Writing Jee Young Kim jykim@apis.seoul.kr & Elaine Lee elainelee@apis.seoul.kr March 11, 2011 Asia Pacific International School

2. Writing Workshop Model • Writing Workshop is about giving students the opportunity to live like real writers. • Students are involved in the writing process through various units of study. • Students have a writer’s notebook where they records ideas, thoughts, and drafts.

3. What does the structure of a writing workshop lesson look like? • Mini-lesson: 10-15minutes • Work Time: 30-40 minutes • Teacher is conferring with students at this time or giving small group instruction. • Share: 5-10 minutes

4. Mini-lesson • Short Instruction on one aspect of writing -craft, process, convention • Explicit Instruction • Students practice the teaching point • Usually in a meeting area (Rug area) • Students sit next to writing partners.

5. Mini-lesson Structure • Connection- Connect the lesson to students, state the teaching Point • Teaching- Explicit teaching • Active Engagement- Students have a chance to practice • Link- Restate the teaching point

6. Work Time • A quiet time of students working on their writing. (Music playing) • Students are using the strategy/lesson learned during the mini-lesson. • Teacher goes around conferring with individual students on their writing or holds a group conference. • Teacher records what was discussed during the conference.

7. Share Time • Develops a community of writers • Provides an audience • Develops communication skills • Teacher directs the share time • Writers share & celebrate their writing

8. Video clip of the Writing Workshop Model in our classrooms.

9. What is the writer’s notebook? • A place where writer’s record ideas, inspiration, thoughts, and drafts. • Includes all genres of writing • Students have choice in what they write about.

10. How does the writer’s notebook fit into the writing process? Adapted from the work of Randy Bomer, A Time For Meaning

11. Launching the Writing Workshop

12. Strategies for Generating Personal Narrative Writing • Think of a person who matters to you, then list clear, small moments you remember with him or her. Choose one to sketch and then write the accompanying story. • Think of a place that matters to you, then list clear, small moments you remember there. Choose one to sketch and then write the accompanying story. • Notice an object, and let that object spark a memory. Write the story of that one time.

13. Qualities of Good Personal Narrative Writing • Write a little seed story; don’t write all about a giant watermelon topic. • Zoom in so you tell the most important parts of the story. • Include true, exact details from the movie you have in your mind.

14. Qualities of Good Personal Narrative Writing • Begin with a strong lead – maybe setting, action, dialogue, or a combination to create mood. • Make a strong ending – maybe use action, dialogue, images, whole-story reminders to make a lasting impression. • Relive the episode as you write it.

15. Looking at Published Personal Narratives • What do you notice about the students’ writing?

16. Writing Conference Clip • What is the structure/sequence of the conference? • What does the teacher do well here? • What did you notice about the writing workshop through this conference?

17. Ideas for Celebrating Published Writing • Toast – Have a toast to celebrate writing • Gallery Walk- Silent reading and responding to students’ writing pieces • Open Mic- One student reads to the class & invited guests at a given time. • Meet & Greet- Students share their writing to small groups of students. • Inside/Outside Circles

18. Ideas for Celebrating Published Writing • Invite parents and teachers. • Read Aloud to Book Buddies • Publish an anthology of short stories/poems from the class. • Students dress up as a character in their story.

19. How can I learn more about the writing workshop model? • 1) Attend the Reading and Writing Project summer conference at Columbia University, this summer! • Dates: Writing Institute- June 27 – July 1st Reading Institute- July 5th- July 9th Cost: $675 per session

20. How can I learn more about the writing workshop model? • Visit and observe teachers using the writing workshop model. • Professional Resources • Internet Resources

21. Internet Resources • The Teacher’s College Reading & Writing Project- http://rwproject.tc.columbia.edu/ • Great Site on Writing Resources- http://www.mrsmcgowan.com/reading/writing_resources.html • A Blog with great resources from 2 experienced teachers using the writing workshop model- http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/ • Lucy Calkin’s Website on The Writing Workshop Units of Study books- • http://www.unitsofstudy.com/home.asp • Beth Newingham’s Site with a variety of teacher resources http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/