How
to Make Your Writers’ Workshop Work
by
Allison Demas
The first step
to making a writers’ workshop work is setting up procedures
and routines. Your students should know what to expect and what
is expected of them. There shouldn’t be any surprises. Consistency
is the key. Once you have set your procedures and routines you should
adhere to them. There should be a rhythm and pattern to your writers’
workshop.
Next, students must be afforded the opportunity to write on a daily
basis. By writing I am referring to expository writing. This does
not mean copying text, writing short answers to questions or responding
to readings (response to literature). It means writing about a topic
of their choosing to the best of their abilities. Writing experiences
should not be few and far between.
Is it feasible
to say ‘write every day?’ We all know that things happen
and plans change. There are special assemblies, field trips, fire
drills and transit strikes, all of which can derail the best laid
plans and can push writing time off the schedule. But these events
should be few and far between, and a diligent effort to have writing
time once a day should be made.
In addition
to being afforded the opportunity to write every day, students should
be afforded the opportunity to write poorly. They should be given
ample time to practice what they have learned, to fail as they practice,
and to try again as they hone their skills. They should be allowed
to explore the beauty of literary expression and the poetry of thoughts
unspoken, even if they are flawed once spoken. They should not be
expected to complete a perfect piece each time they take pencil
to paper. That is why we have erasers, correction tape, revision
and editing lessons, and editors.
If students
worry about proper grammar every time they write, or how each word
is spelled, then they are worried about the components and not the
meaning. This can stifle creativity and the work can end up choppy,
boring and rote. It is like worrying about each step you take as
you dance instead, of feeling the music. Let them feel the rhythm
of the music and you may well be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Make sure you read Allison's article, How
to Set Up a Writing Center, for advice on the logistics of setting
up a writing center in your classroom.
Questions or comments? E-mail
Allison.
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