Best-of-Smekens Writing Conference:
Writing Remix 2018
SECRET SITE
Writer’s Workshop Management
SESSION 1
Fit Writing into your Schedule
Integrate the writer’s workshop within the subject areas
Integrate the Writer’s Workshop within the subject area.
Read like writers, and then write for readers
Introduce the mini-lesson
Transition quickly to Writing Time
SESSION 2
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 3
Fine-Tune Author’s Chair Procedures
SESSION 4
Execute the 4 Steps of a Dynamic Mini-Lesson
Identify the 4 steps of a mini-lesson
STEP 1: Puff Up the Pre-Write
STEP 2: Puff Up the Pre-Write
STEP 3: Puff Up the Pre-Write
STEP 4: Puff Up the Pre-Write
Plan the 4 essential steps
Make lessons visible
Click on each lesson below for a video clip from Step 2. Watch how the trigger is introduced and connected to the writing skill.
Stay on topic with titles
Demonstrate how to highlight and check each sentence against the title to verify it’s on topic.
Develop ideas with supporting details
This same concept can be taught at any grade level—just use different anchor papers.
Watch the complete mini-lesson video (above) and then access all the related resources (below).
After revealing the original and revised “Spring Break” examples, guide students to try adding legs to undeveloped ideas.
Pet Care Example | School Dance Example | Team Support Example
SESSION 5
Foster Independent Writers
#1 What to do when you need help, and the teacher is busy
#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.
