Writer's Workshop

In a writer's workshop model, the teacher thoroughly explains a skill that improves the quality of a writing piece in a 10-15 minute mini lesson. Every day the strategies will differ in order for the students to learn how to put together a high quality writing piece that includes all or some of the strategies learned. In the first part of the mini lesson, a connection is made. The teacher makes a connection for the lesson at hand with previous work done. Following the connection, comes what is known as the teaching point . The teacher explains in clear definition to the students what the lesson is going to consist of. At this point, the teacher creates a model for what she expects the students to do during the work period. With this model, the students participate in active engagement by discussing the model that the teacher created and what they must work on independently.

In the last part of the mini lesson, the teacher explains what it is that the students must accomplish during the independent work time, a step referred to as the link . Independent work time can range from 20- 30 minutes. At this time, the students work towards including the strategy they learned in the mini lesson into their writing pieces. The teacher then walks around the room conferring with students about their independent writing. At the conclusion of the workshop, a student voluntarily (or sometimes involuntarily) reads the writing that was completed during the independent period.