M11: A Writer's Workshop Classroom

A teacher named Abby Hanlon wrote a cute children's book about a student who struggled to write - and the power that came from sharing with his class. 

One photo in the book stands out as remarkably accurate. In the book, students in the class are engaged in writing, but one students, named Ralph, can't decide what to write about.

Take a look at this picture for a moment. Since the story is all about Ralph's struggle, his words are loudest, but notice how "engaged" looks for different students in the class. Some are sharing with a peer, some are sharing with the teacher, others are writing or illustrating.

What do YOU notice about the students and classroom itself?

• Why might this be a good image for describing a writing-focused classroom?
• What strategies can you see that might be helpful for ELs in the class?

(These might be valuable ideas to jot down as you proceed. You might want to include them in your Module 8 Journal assignment.)

You can see this book and others that Hanson has written by clicking here to visit her website. Links to an external site. (Disclaimer: I receive no compensation from purchases you choose to make. I just think her books are neat!)