Living and Teaching the Writing Workshop

[Gia Maraccini]

Painter, Kristen. (2006). Living and Teaching the Writing Workshop. Heinemann. Portsmouth, NH.

                Living and Teaching the Writing Workshop is the book that Kim and Carol referenced often in class.  One of my classroom goals for this coming school year is to establish a true writer’s workshop format.  I have had modified workshops running in my classroom for the last several years, but this year I really want to embrace a true writer’s workshop where students are deciding what they are working on and when.  This scares me to death, as I am a bit of a control freak, so I read this book hoping for some great ideas and a little reassurance that it will work.

                This book is broken down into three parts.  The first part deals with writing in your personal life, the second part talks about the importance of personal writing groups and then the third part talks about how to use the skills you have learned while being a writer to help you become a stronger writing teacher.  I enjoyed all three parts and think it will be a book will be re-visited often.  At the end of each chapter, which was very short and easy to read, there are great quotes to inspire writing and also wonderful writing activities.  I can see this book sitting on my desk with many tabbed pages to be referenced all the time.

                As I get ready to start the year and teach writing with a lot less teacher control than I ever have had, I have a few questions for all of you.

1.  I have realized how important being a writer is to the art of teaching writing.  I have struggled, though, to fit it into a daily routine since class has ended.  Has anyone found a system that has helped them to write daily? 

2.  Does anyone run an authentic writer’s workshop in their classroom?  I am really looking for some wows and yikes to look forward to.  Really any suggestions that will help create a workshop time that will develop a community of writers would be greatly appreciated. 

                Good luck to everyone as you begin your school year!  See you all on the 9^th!

[Doug Zimmerman]

Gia -

As you know, writers and their processes are different.  And what works for one writer may not work for another, etc.  An infamous Southern author, Harry Crewes, once declared and I paraphrase, in his typical hard-nosed fashion, that the only way to write was to sit your ass in the chair.  Do not check your mail, do not clip your fingernails, do not look out the window, do not eat a sandwich.  Sit in that damn chair until you either write something or until your designated time is up. 

I took a class last year that, in part, dealt with this very problem.  One of the suggestions to come out of our discussions was to always have three or four writing projects in various stages of production going at the same time; therefore, if you become bored with one thing you can move on to something else.  The real trick is to continue experimenting until you find what works for you and then stick with it.  Sounds simple, right?  Every writer struggles with this but writing like anything else can become a habit. 

I am going to try and workshop as much as possible as a whole class, in small groups, and in conferencing during the next semester - the best laid plans of mice and teachers.  Wish I could give you reliable suggestions; however, this will be my first class.  I will let you know what happens.

[Tracey Albee]

Gia,

I am curious to know if your first question is referring to a system that has helped me write daily or a system that I have found for my students to write daily? If it is the first one then yes, I have found a system that works for me to write daily. I keep a notebook next to my bed and at night I write for 10-15 minutes. I write random things: maybe something that happened that day, things that I have been thinking about, or people I am thinking about. Then in the morning, I look at what I wrote the day before and choose one thing to expand on. This helps me destress and stay focused on what is positive in my life. This may work for you but not everyone will like this.

 

I do not run an authentic writer's workshop in my classroom but really want to. I really like some ideas I got out of the class this summer that will help me create an authentic writer's workshop. Specifically, I like and plan on creating the culture of the classroom that will help the students feel comfortable, safe, and embraced by their peers. Laurel's demonstration really helped me come up with some ideas on how to create this atmosphere. Carol's demonstration also gave me some great ideas on what I can do to help the students create an authentic response to their peers. I think the most important thing to remember is that the classroom atmosphere should be one where every student is willing to participate, without this classroom culture the authentic writer's workshop won't work.

 

Good Luck!

 

Tracey

[Sarah Flynn]

Hi Gia,

Wow, good for you for trying to establish a writing routine.  What I have ended up doing was writing recipes for my family.  This has served two purposes.  First, I am writing.  Second, I am getting great meals on the table for my family.  I think having a dual purpose/goal has helped me.  It is not a daily routine, but has become a weekly routine and this is very manageable. 

 

For you writer's workshop, I am curious what is "authentic" writer's workshop in the classroom?  Maybe you could create like a T-chart and write down what you are currently doing and what you would like to do.  Even author Lucy Caulkins has modified her writer's workshop.  I loved hearing this because it shows that even published authors revisit and revise their work as well.  Good Luck. 

~Sarah

[Lucy Elise Peters]

Dear Gia,

 

I think I am reponsible for at least three of the views your post has recieved.  I have kept thinking about your questions.  I too have not been great about writing (physically) in my journal.  Before school started for me, I was a bit guilty for this.  I have come to realize that the computer work I was doing for my class and all the thinking I was doing is part of the writing process.  Thank you Carol & Kim!  So, I haven't been great about writing in my journal, I plan to use it in my classroom when my culinary students start theirs next week. 

Speaking about those journals, I envision them being used to record observations, write recipes, revise recipes, draw graphics in to illustrate recipes, etc.  The plan includes the journals staying in my room to be reviewed by me for content, completeness, etc.  But in the whole scheme of my classroom, it is a gamble to teach writng in this format.  I think some kids will embrace it, and others will complain that I shouldn't be making them write so much, everyday.  I anticipate the deeper learning they gain will offset this negative behavior. 

I want the journals to be used not only for the writing reflecting or responding to my inquiry quesitons, but also a format to take place of the lab evaluation sheets I used last year.  These students are second year, and should be analyzing their cooking methods deeply.  That exercise will help them grow in the content area as well. 

Whew!! Thank you for the thinking you have caused!!

[Michelle Peirce]

Hi Gia,

Thanks for the nice to overview of the book, it's one I haven't had a chance to look at yet and I am now looking forward to it! It is scary to give up control, but I think when you practice the structure of the workshop it will ease your feelings of letting go. I did a lot of practice with the structure/routine at the beg, inning of my school year and it helped both me and my students negotiating our way.  For daily writing activities I use the writingfix,com daily prompts for some of mine activities. Tracey mentioned a book from scholastic that she found with good activities that she is going to use. You may want to look at her post.

[Lindsey Wells]

Hi Gia,

Wow, I kinda feel like a loser after that question of yours. I have not found time to write at all since leaving our fun-filled class. And now that you bring it up, I kind of miss it. I read Tracey's post and am impressed with her dedication and think she has a good idea with the nighttime thing. I did enjoy writing and revisiting my writing from the summer, so I do think it is important. And God knows I have stuff inside of me that needs to come out, perhaps on paper. My question is, are you going to use sacred writing time in your classroom this year? And if so, how often? If nothing else I thought if I put it in my class, perhaps I could write too.

 

Your book does sound interesting. All three parts seem intriguing in their own way. I am interested in  the writing activities that it suggests and will be checking this book out. I do not do writing workshop in my class basically because it seems a little scary. I commend you for trying to make it as authentic as possible and look forward to hearing how your year goes.  

 

Lindsey   

[Laurel Topken]

Gia,

I started August writing every day at a set time and that worked for me for awhile.  The biggest problem was that my son and husband were always around during that time and I was constantly interrupted.  Then I went out of town a couple of times and it through my schedule off.  Now that every one is gone in the mornings again, I will try to write.  Some days I write on the computer and some days i use paper and pencil; it doesn't matter I still count it as writing.  I do agree with the idea of having several projects going.  You never know what writing mood you'll be in.

 

I have thought of running a writing workshop, but have not been able to give up that control yet.  I have to have the students write particular genres and leaving their writing up to them doesn't feel right.  Hopefully you have found a strategy that works for you.  Remeber to help your students become comfortable in class and with one another.

 

Laurel

 

[Ashley Hennefer]

Gia,

You raise an interesting point regarding being educators and writers. I recently got a new job working for the Reno News and Review so I have had to transition back into full-time writer mode after spending the last couple years educating. Now I have to write daily for my profession, which holds me accountable for the lessons I taught my students. Since I am always writing for an audience (and a very critical one), I have to challenge myself to studying my craft every day. However, because my writing is now subject to a variety of criticisms, I feel similar fears that our students face when they are sharing their writing for the first time. In that sense, becoming a writer (again – I started as a writer, went into educating, and then back to writing/editing) will make me a better writing teacher in the future. Both teaching and writing are crafts that take practice. While I don’t have a classroom or a student body to teach at the moment, I’m trying to bring some writing workshops into the news room (although my journalist coworkers often chide me for being too academic – haha!).