Bringing Writing Workshop to Life (K–5)

Come think and talk together about creating, managing, and using a writing workshop model in an elementary classroom. Through instructional strategies and structures of a workshop, we create an intentional space for learners to construct and convey their ideas as they apply their ever-developing understandings about writing.

This session will support teachers to work with colleagues to problem-solve and plan with the unique issues of the workshop in mind.

The Common Core Standards explicitly state that writing must be directly taught—this has not always been the case in most schools. And, the Common Core Standards are clear that while they do not address how reading should be taught, how writing is taught is another story. Teaching writing in a manner that takes writers through a process is explicitly called for in the standards. Specific writing text types are also named in the standards as a direction for instruction: narrative, expository, and opinion. Bringing this kind of instruction to life in a workshop structure is challenging for most teachers.

Okapi materials offer clearly-structured and clearly-identified examples of each of these text types and may serve as mentor texts in some situations. Suggestions for writing as extensions for learning are included in every lesson plan. Many of the assessments in the lesson plans ask students to use writing to demonstrate their understandings. Perspectives include writing templates.

Materials that may be emphasized:
Flying Start to Literacy™, WorldWise™, Explorations®, Lift Off to Literacy™