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Over The course of my life I have had a very mixed relationship with writing. As a young boy (early elementary school) I struggled with both reading and writing. I also struggled with speech, specifically digraphs containing -h i.e. -Th, -Ch, Sh. I saw a language pathologist from second grade until sixth grade. Throughout the remainder of grade school I surely developed my reading and writing skills and was able to pass all of the required writing test to advance in school, including the Gateway, and graduation test. However, I never really found myself writing essay, or opinion/argumentative pieces on my own time.  Approaching my later years of grade school (10-12th grades) I did find myself writing for recreation. It was around this time that I had begun playing and writing music in a band call Delarosa. Our first EP (extended play release) I ended up writing all of the guitar and lyrics. I did not however perform the vocals, but did write the words. This was also a time in my life when I found my spirituality very important, leading to most of the lyrics and poems i wrote for the band to be about my struggles with my faith, and of course being a teenager and growing up. Fast-forward to Georgia Gwinnett College and I was lucky enough to encounter a couple of extraordinary professors that really helped enable me to reach my potential as a writer, by giving my very detailed constructive feedback, and guidance. The first of these professors was Dr. Zander in History of Western Civilization Two, and the second Dr. Eads in EDUC 2110. Without these two professors I'm not confident I would have been prepared for this program, and strive to impact my students in a similar way.

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The overall vision for my future writing workshop in a 4th grade classroom (or any other) is to first and foremost to make it fun!  I envision it being a time to build confidence in my students writing capabilities, and skills. A place where students feel safe, respected. Because where children feel safe they write more, and more importantly , share more. I see a flexible writers workshop in which students have fun building an authentic learning environment, while on their journeys to becoming life long writers.

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The goal of classroom management in my eyes is to create, structure, and maintain a learning environment in which students behave appropriately due to self-accountability allowing for the maximum amount of time spent engaging in learning. Classroom Management is an imperative component to healthy student-teacher relationships as well as peer to peer relations. I plan to create a management plan that displays thoughtfulness concerning the organization, and structure, reflecting a learning environment in which distractions are reduced to a minimum, and expectations are understood and met regularly. In an attempt to implement the most efficient classroom management plan possible, I first need to make learning, and behavior meaningful for my students. The easiest way to achieve meaningful learning is to identify and make connections with their actual lives, their values, history, opinions, and beliefs. In other words, teachers should strive to be culturally responsive, and proficient.

We hardly ever extend our cultural responsiveness all the way into the classroom management, but an obvious and critical first step to creating a culturally responsive classroom management plan is to identify any assumptions, bias, or attitudes that could lead to a muddled interpretation of a student’s behaviors/actions. A teacher must also consider the factors and reasoning for the student’s behavior before attempting to resolve it.

The physical environment of the classroom is another important aspect of classroom management. Flexible seating is an approach that is an element of my pedagogical approach that can give students a sense of control in the classroom. Allowing students to choose where they sit and offering a wide variety of seating options such as soft seating, chairs, desks, tables, standing desk etc. are elements of flexible seating. This approach can add focus and a cultural depth to the environment by taking into consideration their personal choices and comfort. I personally prefer writing while using a standing desk and have one in both my living room, and bedroom. In addition, with diversity on the rise, it is important to consider cultural customs and creating a conducive environment for those with exceptionalities or physical challenges. During writers' workshop I will allow students to choose where they sit until they prove to be less than responsible enough for that decision.

Though I intend to incorporate many different models of discipline, there is one that best aligns with my teaching philosophy while also aiding in the creation of a productive writing atmosphere. It is a low teacher control approach that focuses primarily on something I consider to be the most critical aspect of student-teacher relationships. Burden defines congruent communication as “a harmonious and authentic way of talking in which teacher messages to students match the students’ feelings about the situations and themselves.” (Burden, 21)  Taking this simple measure can ensure students feel respected and don't become overwhelmed while progressing through the writing process.

Classroom rules are another essential aspect to creating boundaries for students and establishing a productive, engaging, and safe learning environment. Rules ensure that students and teachers conduct themselves in ways that facilitate learning. Students should feel both protected and free to express their concerns, but also be held accountable for their actions and understand that each choice they make bears a consequence. One way to do this is through the concept of congruent communication and precise language that aptly sets expectations.

Lastly, the procedures of a classroom and writers' workshop can prove to be just as important as the rules. Procedures are a method to making potentially disruptive or everyday occurrences such as leaving the room during class, borrowing school supplies, or requesting a teacher’s help. Having a specific routine for how these tasks must be completed can minimize distraction and incorporate student’s responsibility. When routine procedures are in place, students understand the expectations they are held to and makes the class function more smoothly.

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How Will The Writers in My Class Access Writing?

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How Will The Writers in My Class Access Writing?

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As you can see in the picture of my future classroom's layout plan (picture above) I have a fairly large part of my room in use as a library that I plan to build continuously and fill with positive, appropriate mentor text.

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When considering the environment of my writers' workshop I can't help but reflect on my own experience as a writer. I know that I prefer to utilize a standing desk as mention in the previous section, and require a neat and tidy work-space to be my most productive. This is why I will stress and help guide students to creating their own work-space also utilizing the various forms of flexible seating and space. I even hope to impact the students as too apply these small but helpful aspects of their preferred work-space to their writing/creative spaces at home. Next, I will strive to create a comfortable environment where students feel free to ask me questions, and are comfortable with the level of feedback in which they receive. I want it to be an environment in which students have access to all so the resources they need as well as feel that I am accessible and most importantly listening.

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Format For Mr. Meyer's Writing Workshop...

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Format For Mr. Meyer's Writing Workshop...

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Each Writers' Workshop portion of the day will begin with a Minilesson (10-15 Minutes) followed by independent writing time. During this time children will have the opportunities to think, write, and seek guidance and feedback/advice from me the teacher. In addition, conferring with individual and small groups will also occur during this mandatory 40-45 minute section of our WW. Lastly, we will have time for sharing our work with each other where students can receive appropriate support and feedback from myself and their peers.

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Unit One: Setting the Stage..
- Learn about What Good Writers Do.
- What is our writer journal for and how should we use it?
- Intro to The Writers Workshop and setting the expectations (classroom management)
- Kick off the Writers' Workshop!
- Generate More Writing, Keep That Pencil Moving!

Unit Two: Focus Structure and of Course Details...
- Writing specific deatils
- How to add details
- Am I doing to much? (reread and ask does this matter)
- Constructing Pieces Step by Step
- Revising Ideas

Unit 3: :earning From Mentor Text, and Using Resources...
- Revising beginnings and endings, by reading good writers work.
- Using tools for planning writing (Planning and Generating Ideas) i.e. timelines, graphic organizers.

As we continue through the year and progress through units we will continue to use mentor text and the format of our writers' workshop (Minilesson, Independent Writing, Sharing/Feedback) to teach and learn new strategies, and enhance our writing.  I will use various lessons from Serravallo, and follow the goals set out in her book, The writing Strategies Book. ( Serravallo 2017)

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How to Adjust For Varying Grade Levels...

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How to Adjust For Varying Grade Levels...

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In order to accommodate and adapt my writers' workshop to a different grade level all you really need to do is take into consideration the new grade level's standards, and the level of writing in which your students will/ should be performing at when planning what mentor text and strategies you are going to use and teach during the Minilessons, and conferences. The format is really capable of accommodating multiple grade levels. That is part of the beauty of the writers workshop, it finds a way to cross the boundaries of grade levels, even our cohort (juniors in college) were able to take part, and complete writing pieces using this format.

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Conferring with students will take place during the independent writing portion of our Writers' Workshop. For conferences I plan to have a set amount of time everyday in which students can approach me for one on one help, and feedback, as well as a time where I pull aside a small group of learners that could benefit from learning together using my grouping strategies and gathering of data from assessment. I will use grade appropriate  rubrics from Pathways (Calkins) to monitor and notate students progress.

Conferences will aim at teaching strategies quickly to small groups and individuals in efforts in increase achievement, engagement, and performance.

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I never saw myself doing even as much writing instruction as I have in this program thus far. I feel that I have learned a lot about my own struggles as both a reader and writer. I think that the Writers' Workshop has helped me lay a proven, and productive framework for my future writers workshop, but you can never know enough. I will continue to read articles, reflections, and etc.. all about my fellow educators experiences conducting, designing, and executing WWs to soak up what I can, and learn what works and what doesn't and apply these lessons to my own class.  I also see the importance of always looking for new ways to deliver strategies and concepts to Children.

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Burden, P. R. (2017). Classroom management creating a successful k-12 learning  community, 6th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons

Calkins, L. Hohne, K. Robb, A. & Colleagues from The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. (2015). Writing Pathways: Performance Assessments And Learning Progressions. Grades K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Mabery, H. (2013, February 25). Classroom Management Plan. Retrieved October 08, 2017, from          https://heathermabery82.wordpress.com/classroom-management/

Pictures From:

Classroom Architect (From My Classroom Management Portfolio)

https://layers-of-learning.com/writers-workshop-basics/

Graph Made by Kenneth Meyer on: https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/