Best-of-Smekens Writing Conference:
Writing Remix 2017
SECRET SITE
Writer’s Workshop Management
SESSION 1
Fit the Writer’s Workshop into your Elementary Schedule
Introduce the mini-lesson
Define the 3 parts of a workshop
List the expectations for Independent Writing Time and include a timer within the Just Write document.
The Writer’s Workshop document includes all three parts of the workshop and the specific activities of each.
Communicate how long independent writing time will last. Project a clock, scene, or visual that “counts down” time in an age-appropriate way.
SESSION 2
Integrate the Workshop into a Single Class Period
Read like writers, and then write for readers
Blur the lines of literacy targeting writing skills and their reciprocal reading skills.
Make novels move faster
Teach conventions in context
Teach convention skills in context by tying the purpose of the convention to the mode of writing. Download 10 common purposes conventions serve or purchase a grade-level scaffold of purposes according to the standards.
SESSION 3
Confer with Writers Daily
Coach writers via frequent conversations
How’s it Going? by Carl Anderson |
Writing Conferences Grades K-8 by Carl Anderson
Provide trait-specific feedback
Conference Notes Templates
Categories PDF
Blank PDF | Word
Expect productive peer conversations
SESSION 4
Revitalize the Writing Process
Apply the six traits to the writing process
Communicate expectations to students
- Create a pie chart in Word.
- Identify the suggested minutes per step of the process using one of these customizable pie charts: online chart tool, chart go, nces kids, meta-chart.
- Customize a timer within a PowerPoint presentation.
- You could also create a single PowerPoint slide that identifies the steps and time frames for each. Then minimize the window and split-screen with a stop-watch website. Students can see the countdown AND the slide with the time frames identified.
- SmartBoard users could project this document that includes a customizable counter. (NOTE: Use the text tool to adjust the writing process steps. Then reset the counter to reflect the total time allotted for the writing task.)
SESSION 5
Foster Independent Writers
#1 What to do when you need help, and the teacher is busy
1. Download and open the Help! Tent Microsoft Word document.
2. Make the desired changes to the 4 strategies listed. (Insert clipart as you wish.)
3. Print a single copy of the document and cut on the dotted line.
4. Manually flip the “I have a question, but I can keep writing” side so that it’s upside down. Tape these two halves together and photocopy your new Help! Tent onto card stock.
#2 What to do when you aren’t sure how to spell a word during Writing Time
Provide explicit procedures that help students problem-solve first-draft spelling issues. Plan to grow the list of strategies throughout the year.
#3 What to do when you think you’re done
After making an initial Done list, plan to grow the list throughout the year. As the choices increase, you may want to use icons to indicate which tasks students MUST do (mustard) versus those they MAY do (mayo).
