Reading and Writing Workshop.
Writing workshop allows students to spend the majority of the writing lesson WRITING. Through the short mini lessons, teachers are able to teach an author's craft that students can apply to their writing. The mini lesson includes four parts- a connection to past learning, the teaching of the new craft, guided practice, and a link to the work the kids will be doing that day. During the 20-40 minutes that students are in workshop, you may see the teacher conferring one on one with a student about her writing or working with a small group of students who are working on the same skill. At the end of the workshop, teachers choose 1-3 students who have demonstrated the new craft learned in that day's lesson. Many times, students utilize the document cameras to display their work. These make it easier for other students to see the work.
Samples of Writing:
All students also work on their reading through the reader's workshop. Reader's workshop follows a very similar routine to the Writer's Workshop, as students learn through a mini lesson, they have a work period, and they share their learning through a closing meeting. The workshop time may look a little different in reading than it does in writing. In many of our classrooms, students will be working on reading using the Daily 5, which includes "read to self", "read to buddy", "Word Work", "Writing", as well as "Listening". Teachers work with students on their guided reading level. You may have noticed that your child brings home a reading book each night with a number or letter attached. Students work through each level of reading to learn new skills in relation to comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary.
