M11: The Writing Process and Writers' Workshop

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“Rather than thinking of writing instruction as a form of triage, inoculation, or clinical diagnostic generated to protect the middle class from the ravages of illiteracy, we benefit from thinking of writing instruction as a means of helping students improve their abilities to engage in public discourse in all its varied forms. What writing teachers have known for generations is that writing is not an end in itself - it is a method of invention that gives shape to our view of the world and empowers us to engage in discourse with our fellow humans.” Jacob Babb

Thinking about the contentious situation in which our society functions currently, isn't it wonderful to think that as teachers we can help future adults develop the skills to "engage in discourse with [their] fellow humans"? Imagine the conflicts that can be avoided if all adults were able to actively communicate with one another in a civil manner. That's a future that excites me!

The term Writer's Workshop and Writing Workshop (Writing Process) are sometimes used interchangeably. But they are different...

Writer: A person who informs, entertains, persuades, remembers, reminds, and expresses using a combination of words.

Workshop: A physical place where a craftsperson creates something.

Writing Process: A focus on the steps to write a particular piece of writing.

The Writing Process Workshop classroom generally adheres to the following tenets:

Writing is an ongoing process.
Students follow a given set of procedures for planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing their writing.
Collaboration with peers and teacher is inherent.
Process writing focuses primarily on what children want to communicate. Student choice is important.
Students determine the topics and form for their writing.
Students keep a notebook or folder to organize their “in progress” writing.
Class members are at different points in their writing. Some may be prewriting while others are at an editing stage.
The teacher’s role is that of a facilitator: monitoring, encouraging, conferencing, and providing help as needed.
Students seek response to their writing from response partners or response groups for the purpose of improving their writing.
Instruction is provided to various-sized groups based upon student needs.
Students have time to orally share their written products.
Teachers use a “status of the class” chart to keep track of student progress and to determine when teacher conferencing is needed.
The teacher meets with individual students to conference about their writing throughout the process.
The Writing Workshop follows a predictable pattern of a 5-10 minute mini-lesson, 30 minutes for writing and conferring, and 5-10 minutes for the concluding group-share session.

It is terribly important for kids to read and write for the reasons that people the world over read and write, which is to communicate, to be delighted, to laugh.”

- Lucy Calkins