# data[].attributes.body
What questions do you have after reading? Everyone should have at least one. Feel free to include additional.

# data[].attributes.body
Write three quotes that stood out to you in the reading (at least one from the book and one from the PDF). Give each quote its own pad.  Please include page numbers.

# data[].attributes.body
List three take-aways (three things that you learned).  Try to summarize each point in a two or so sentences.

# data[].attributes.body
As a group, look online for Writing Workshop resources, videos, blogs, websites, etc. and pick one to share with the group.

# data[].attributes.body
YOUR NAME HERE

To make a post press the + button under the appropriate column.  Be sure to make your names are the TITLE of the pad.

# data[].attributes.body
You were asked to read Welcome and Day 1 in Getting Started with Beginning Writers & What it Means to Be a Writer by Kate Wood-Ray.  Use each column to share what you learned in your reading.

# data[].attributes.body
-How she makes it known the kids are writers and builds their confidence up, by explaining to them that there is no right or wrong way to write, just starting somewhere is a step in the right direction.
-She also stresses the importance of not needing an idea to begin their writing; this takes away from creativity and actually gives the children a chance to express themselves in their own writing however they may choose.
-Showing the children other authors and illustrators who have published their own books, which helps the children get a better understanding of what their expected to do. Looking at the pictures, even if they are not completed helps the children think in ways they might not have before.

# data[].attributes.body
-Children use their imagination to be able to be creative in aspects of their lives.
-Teacher's need to exhibit and set high expectations for the students so that they think highly of themselves and believe that they are creative writers.
- Even if a child does not have any background knowledge in writing, they still can contribute in the process as they can absorb the criteria.

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Kaitlyn, Nastassja

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Kaitlyn, Nastassja

# data[].attributes.body
- The way you present and explain information is extremely important to how students learn and feel about learning. -Allow ample time and space for students to brainstorm and work everyday. -Letting kids express themselves even you don't understand and having them explain their work so they feel in control.

# data[].attributes.body
"Sean is a writer, and Sean is four years old. The two don't cancel each other out; they are equally true at once, and the implications of this are incredibly significant." (6)

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Kaitlyn, Nastassja

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Kaitlyn, Nastassja

# data[].attributes.body
"To make a space for yourself to teach, you need students to become fiercely independent, and independence begins with children finding their own processes for making books."

# data[].attributes.body
" Members of the literary club are people who read and write, even the beginnings,  and the fact that one is not very competent yet is no reason for exclusion or ridicule."
"If teachers think too much about the fact that Sean is a writer, a writer just like Eric Carle, they run the risk of pushing him too much and asking him to do things he's just not ready to do."
"The writing process is not a set of steps to follow, the writing process is a story you tell after you write."

# data[].attributes.body
At the end of What it Means to Be a Writer, a takeaway is that teachers are in the classroom to help students find a sense of agency.

# data[].attributes.body
"In writing workshop, most of the teaching is about the process and craft of bookmaking,, and children learn through language as they use what they know about writing to help them make books," (page 5).    "Children sometimes think you expect them to do things they don't know how to do, but once you call whatever they do with pencils and markers in hand making books, they'll believe they can do it," (page 12).
"Members of the literacy club are people who read and write, even the beginners, and the fact that one is not very competent yet is no reason for exclusion or ridicule. A newcomer is the same kind of person as the most proficient club member, except that he or she hasn't yet had much experience," (PDF page 4).

# data[].attributes.body
"The writing process is not a set of steps to follow. The writing process is the story you tell after you write." (25)

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.body
"To put it simply, the reason Sean acts and thinks like a writer at the age of four, is because he spends time doing what writers and illustrators do."

# data[].attributes.body
1. Children use their imagination to see themselves as authors because that's the way that children learn.
2. Even though children aren't profession authors that doesn't mean they don't have something to offer or aren't creative in their writing abilities.
3. A supportive classroom for writers doesn't have a specific structure to follow, it encourages students to take their own writing path and express themselves and their creativity.

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.body
"The writing process is not a set of steps to follow. The writing process is the story you tell after you write."

# data[].attributes.body
Children experience writing through trial and error, exploration, and guidance, not direction.

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney, Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.body
How do we keep writing open, creative, and fun while still preparing them for middle school and high school when they are expected to follow form?

# data[].attributes.body
"The idea that education should build children's sense of agency-a sense that they are in control of their own destinies-is what brought many of us to do this profession in the first place." (15)

# data[].attributes.body
1. What are practical things you can do to make sure that students are writing based on creativity and not viewing it as a requirement?
2.

# data[].attributes.body
"Sean is a writer, and Sean is four. If his teachers let either one of those identities hold more weight than another in their thinking about Sean, they run the risk of having developmentally inappropriate expectations for him." (7)

# data[].attributes.headline
Courtney. Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.subject
Courtney. Aisha, Maddie, Nastassja, Kaitlyn

# data[].attributes.body
https://learn.cli.org/best-practices/writing-workshop/instruction/get-started

# data[].attributes.body
How do you keep things consistent for children amongst different classrooms when teachers have different practices or disagree?

# data[].attributes.body
How do we keep children engaged and interested in their own writing experiences?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's the first day of Kindergarten. Two kids won't stop crying, and another refuses to sit in a chair.

Writing workshop is probably the last thing on your mind! But if you're intending to use the writing workshop model with your Kindergarteners, you'll need to start getting things in place that first week of school.

I highly recommend using the workshop model to teach writing, even in Kindergarten. Writing workshop can help foster student independence and a love of writing - not to mention that it helps kids learn to write well!

In this post, I'll walk you through how I plan for the writing workshop, what lessons I teach at the very beginning of the year, how I move kids from drawing to writing, and what I do to help kids stay on-task during the workshop.
Photo Credit: lanych, Shutterstock
Plan Out Your Procedures and Expectations
Supplies
On the first day of school, it might be hard to imagine that you will eventually have a well-functioning writing workshop in your classroom. But you will - just not right away. 🙂

We need ask ourselves, " What do we want writing workshop to look like eventually? " That helps guide us in determining what routines and procedures we put in place.

The first thing I usually consider is supplies, because that affects how I set up my classroom. I want students to have easy access to pencils, crayons, paper, and tape.

In my old Kindergarten classroom, we had tables. I really liked to keep the tabletops clear, so I stored supplies on nearby shelves. When it was writing workshop time, each table leader had to bring over a supply box full of crayons and a supply box full of pencils.

We share all of our supplies, and this also makes it easier for me to see when I need to sharpen pencils, replace crayons, etc. I never wanted us to waste time on these tasks during the workshop, so I try to check and replenish the supplies after school.

(The supplies are in the pencil boxes on the right side of the shelf - pencils are in the red boxes (1 box per table), and crayons are in the green boxes.)

I keep a bin of paper (blank paper at first, then some with lines as the year went on, and eventually little stapled booklets) in a central spot in the classroom. Kids can just go and get a new sheet of paper or writing book whenever they need to.

Regardless of how you manage supplies in your classroom, make sure kids can access them independently. When it's writing time, you need to be freed up to confer with students, rather than constantly having to get out supplies for the kids.
Writing Folders
Speaking of supplies, I also use writing folders for having my students store their writing. I used sturdy, plastic folders with three prongs in the middle. I also kept one folder for myself, to use as a model.

I put a red sticker on one inside pocket for finished work, and a green sticker on the other side for work in progress. This helps students organize their folders and immediately find the piece that they will be working on next.

Inside the three prongs, I placed writing supports like an alphabet chart. To read more about what writing supports I use (and to get them all for FREE), check out this post.
Timing
Another thing you'll need to consider is the amount of time you'll spend on writing workshop, as well as what that block of time will look like.

Whenever possible, I try to allot 30-45 minutes daily for writing workshop.

I definitely don't start with such a long period of time at the beginning of the year, however!! For the first weeks of school, each minilesson only takes 3-5 minutes. Students draw and write for about 5-10 minutes, and then we have a 3-5 minute wrap-up.

Over time, I work to build students' stamina (more on that later), so that our entire workshop takes about 40-45 minutes.

At the beginning of the year, you'll also need to decide how much time you will spend on the minilesson, independent writing time, and sharing time.

Independent writing time should be the activity that takes up the majority of your writing workshop - this is the time when students are practicing.

Your minilesson should be between 5 and 10 minutes, and sharing time should also be about 5-10 minutes. The time "in between" is for the kids to work on their writing independently, while you confer with individual students and/or meet with small groups.
Clean-Up Signal
Before you begin the school year, decide what clean-up signal you'll use at the end of independent writing time. You can try a bell, chimes, clapping, music, etc.

I like to start teaching kids this signal on the first or second day of school. We practice cleaning up (or pretending to clean up) at the signal before I expect them to respond to the signal without prompting.
Whole Group Routines and Expectations
Also consider what your routines and expectations will be for whole-group time (the minilesson at the beginning of the workshop and sharing time at the end).

Where will students sit? I always, always have my students sit on the rug, so they can be close to me. I make sure the rug is located near the document camera, board, and easel so that I can easily model writing and show them things. I also assign seats on the rug (though I do change up those seats throughout the year).

How will students show that they are listening? Do you expect them to be sitting criss-cross? Will their eyes need to be on you, mouths quiet? Will they need to raise their hands? I know you probably think about all these things already! But I do spend time teaching these expectations specifically as part of my writing workshop lessons at the beginning of the year.

Will students have dedicated talking and writing partners? When you say "turn and talk" during a minilesson or have students share their writing with a partner, it can be quicker if they know who they will be talking to. I also make sure to change up partnerships throughout the year.

Plan "Small Baby Steps" Lessons

The lessons at the beginning of the year can actually be super easy to plan for!

I go very slowly, teaching just one basic skill at a time (the minilessons HAVE to be short to suit their beginning-of-the-year attention spans, anyway!).

When I plan these beginning lessons, I basically assume...nothing. I expect that my Kinders will need to learn how to sit quietly, raise their hands, sit safely in chair, hold a pencil, use a crayon...you get the idea.

So I teach only one or two of these simple skills each day. I model the skill, have kids practice in some way or have a few children demonstrate (while they're still on the rug with you), and then I have them go try it as they work independently.

Here are some examples of the beginning lessons I teach (each bullet point represents just one minilesson, and I usually teach only one minilesson per day):

Using crayons safely

Using pencils safely

Storing our work in folders

Getting more paper

Knowing when to get more paper

Writing our names on our work

Organizing our folders

As you can see from this list, my writing workshop is not fully-functioning for quite a while. And I think that's totally okay - you have to establish a solid foundation before you can "build up."

Also, in the month of July (2016), I will be doing some free online workshops and will be sharing even more of these beginning lesson ideas, so stay tuned!

Moving from Drawing to Writing

Once you have the basics in place, only then can you start thinking about the kids' writing!

Actually, I never expect my kids to write at the very beginning of the year. You might have some kids who are already writing, of course. But many kids will still be at that "drawing" stage.

And I think that's totally okay! I've found that many of my Kinders actually need drawing instruction before they are ready to write. Many of them begin the year scribbling, using just one color, and they don't realize that they can draw to communicate ideas.

So at the beginning of the year, my minilessons meet them where they are.

I model how to use more than one color, how I can draw using a combination of pencil and crayons, how I add details, how I draw to share my thoughts or show something that happened, etc.

Many kids will copy my drawings at first, and that's okay. When a child draws something original, I give her tons of praise and show the other students. That helps kids get the idea that they can (and should) deviate from my example.

While we spend time working on drawing, I'm simultaneously teaching the letter sounds (at another time of the day). I'm also using an alphabet chart, so that my kids can eventually use it as a tool during writing time.

Then, about 2 weeks into the school year, I begin modeling how to label things in my pictures. I think aloud as I do so, showing students how to stretch out words to listen for their sounds. I also model how to use an alphabet chart to find the correct letters.

After multiple days of modeling, I ask kids to try it out. I often encourage them to draw some type of picture with their family members in it, and then label their family members with words like "mom," "dad," etc.

Some kids are resistant or stressed, and they say that they can't do it. Rather than argue about it, I simply respond by saying something like, "What word do you want to write?" or "Let's stretch that out together" or "What sounds do you hear?" or "Let's use your alphabet chart to look for the first letter." Giving them strategies is a better use of our time than simply telling them that they can do it.

I also want to mention that I never have kids copy words, sentences, or sentence frames at the beginning of the year. I've found that if I get in the habit of having them copy things, they will expect to ALWAYS be able to copy them. Their writing will be messy and spelled incorrectly at first, but that's totally okay. Fostering that independence at the beginning is essential!

Similarly, I don't tell students what to write or draw about at the beginning of the school year. I want them to get used to the idea that they are responsible for coming up with their own ideas and putting them on paper.

When we start our second unit of the school year, personal narratives, I give a little more guidance by asking them to write true stories about their lives. Even then, when I choose the genre, they still choose their own topics.

Monitor Students' Progress and Change Your Plans Accordingly

I think one of the beautiful things about Kindergarten is that even though the first couple of weeks are astoundingly exhausting, our little ones grow and learn so quickly. Before you know it, your writing workshop will be running smoothly!

As we work up to that point, however, we have to be good "kid-watchers." We have to pay close attention to how our students are doing with mastering the routines and procedures. We have to re-teach and re-visit lessons when necessary.

We also have to help kids build their stamina. I start off the year by providing a very, very short amount of time to draw/write (about 5 minutes). I use a timer and gradually increase that amount of time by about a minute a day (you can also graph it so students can see it, if you like).

If students are having trouble staying on task, then we go back down to 5 minutes (this is true even after weeks and weeks of school). It's totally okay to take a step back, because it can mean that you ultimately take three steps forward.

I like to get my students invested in and excited about the amount of time we spend writing. I make a big deal of it when we reach 10 minutes for the first time, or 15. I talk about how wonderful it is that they have earned enough time to work on their writing - now they will have something great to share with a partner, or with another audience at the end of the unit.

I hope that this post was helpful to you in setting up your own writing workshop! For more guidance and complete lessons for the beginning of the school year, check out the first writing workshop unit in my Kindergarten writing series.

Happy teaching!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Launch Your Kindergarten Writing Workshop - Learning at the Primary Pond

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this post, I'll walk you through how I plan for my Kindergarten writing workshop, what lessons I teach at the very beginning of the year, how I move kids from drawing to writing, and what I do to help kids stay on-task during the workshop.

# data[].attributes.body
Writing is intertwined with language and communication as a whole. So children need a good foundation to communicate for their future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Creative writing workshops sound easy to do-you just find a load of different prompts, give them to the people who come, and let them write about them.

'Simples,' to quote Alexandr the meerkat.

That might be a bit of a simplistic view, (it's actually harder to do in practise) but with adults that's usually what happens in a writing workshop, because adults will sit still, concentrate, and nine times out of ten focus on writing according to your instructions.

It's still the same principle with children...but there are a few more considerations to take into account.

My own experience is based on workshops mostly held in schools, for anything between 100 pupils in a hall to a handful of students in a classroom.

If you've never done anything like this before but you're thinking you might like to, here are my top tips for a successful writing workshop with young folk.

1. Have some experience of working with children, preferably having enjoyed it!

For me, this meant many years as a guide guider, plus several more working first voluntarily and then in a paid position in a primary school.

Being able to quickly develop a rapport with the children is vital-they will quickly get the measure of you and decide whether or not you're the kind of person they want to work with.

There'll always be one or two that try to push the boundaries even if you are used to working with young folk, but if you're experienced, that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

And if you don't enjoy working with children? Stop reading. Now.

2. Know what you need and what you'll be getting.

Do you know how many children you're expecting?

Their age range?

How long you'll be expected to work with them?

What is the organiser expecting you to cover?

Where will you be based in the building?

Will you have desks and chairs to work at?

Will you need access to flip charts or white boards?

Will you have to factor in setting up and clearing away time, or will you have a friendly premises officer to do that for you?

These are just some of the practicalities to consider before you even begin to design a session, regardless of whether you're doing it off your own back or because you've been asked to.

The more information you have up front, the better.

3. Plan to be flexible.

This sounds a bit contradictory, because if you plan, you know what's going to happen, right?

Wrong.

In a session with children, anything can happen.

You can plan the best schedule in the world but if-as happened to me in a school once-the children don't all reach you until 15 minutes into the session, you probably won't get everything done.

Equally, there'll always be at least one bright spark in the group who whizzes through everything you've set and wants more-with twenty minutes still to go.

So plan realistically for the activities you've taken, but always have something up your sleeve that can be cut or added if need be.

My own approach is to plan the bare minimum I hope to cover in my allotted time, but have several extra activities to fill spare minutes if need be.

It might take a couple of workshops before you can judge timings well, both in advance and on the day.

4. Have questions and answers first.

Most people leave Q&A until the end of the session, but if you're introducing yourself and your work (you're probably published or working in another capacity as a writer) then it gives the children a way of getting to know you.

Make them laugh and prove that you can be fun as well as serious-I have a fabulous rainbow hat that I take to wear (briefly), or show photos of me at the children's age, to demonstrate that I was young once, too!

Once the ice is broken, you can lay your ground rules.

Mine are simple-I tell the children I'm not a teacher, so I'm not looking for perfect writing. I'm looking to capture ideas for stories and for them to have fun.

5. Keep it simple

If you don't know the children you'll be working with, you need to have activities that can be achieved, regardless of ability.

This is especially important in school settings, and if you can find the right activities, you'll enable even children with lower abilities to 'capture' their ideas.

The end product will not be perfectly spelled, or have correct punctuation etc, but by allowing every child to work in the way that suits them best, I guarantee they will be capable of the most amazing storytelling.

(Note: I always distinguish between the storytelling and story writing. There are many more ways to tell a story without words, and I focus on the business of storytelling in a workshop situation.)

6. Ask questions

With children-younger ones particularly-I've found the best way of helping them to think through a storyline is to encourage the asking of questions.

So, for example, I often use a 'three things' activity.

I literally have a bag of objects, and we pull three out and use them in a story.

Baked beans are a winner-they've been in my bag ever since one story had a fire-farting dragon!)

Most students will be able to see a connection, but don't worry if you have to encourage their thinking by giving them a few ideas of your own, or help them to develop their often very basic idea into something bigger by asking questions based on what little they've come up with.

7. Be positive about everything

The stories the children come up with may not make sense.

That's ok. Sometimes they might be very silly.

That's ok too.

Sometimes they'll ask you to read their work and you can't read or understand it-ask the child to tell you instead.

That's still ok.

And a lot of the time, children's stories won't be written very well at all.

Even for the worst, try to find something positive.

Many adults don't like writing because they were told they-or their writing-were rubbish at an early age.

Be an enabler, an encourager, and find ways of gently suggesting improvements.

8. Be prepared for anything-and try not to get fazed when it happens

It is a very good session indeed when everyone behaves.

You may find that you're warned about certain children in advance, who might struggle to sit quietly or stay on-task.

If you are lucky, there will be someone on hand to help if things get a little tricky in the behaviour department.

You might want to consider taking a helper with you anyway, for moral support.

Whatever happens, don't judge-in my experience, it is often these children who, when given the freedom and encouragement to create stories in a more relaxed setting, will come up with the most amazing work (often to the surprise of their teachers or parents).

9. A few ideas...

Simple ideas work best for activities. Like my three objects bag.

But you could use a random title generator. Print out pictures of interesting places and/or people.

Even something simple, like a key, can become the basis of a session; ask, what does the key open? If it's a door, what's behind it? If it's a box, what's in it? Who's using the key? And so on...

10. Be professional

If you're being paid to run the workshop, then make sure you give value for money.

Be smart but comfortable in what you wear-you might spend a lot of time crouching by tables for example.

Send in your invoice on time. Ensure you have PLI and if necessary, a DBS certificate.

11. Lastly...

I believe it's a privilege to be able to work with youngsters in such a wordy way. Remember you may well be the inspiration for a future author-so enjoy yourself and share your own enthusiasm with the next generation of writers. And above all, have fun!

Katherine Hetzel is 'the short author who tells tall tales.' She mostly writes fiction for children, and visits schools to share her love of creative writing with lots of little people.

Granny Rainbow and More Granny Rainbow are collections of short stories for younger readers, based on a character with a knack for solving problems using colour and a touch of magic. Katherine's novels are fantasy adventures for middle grade readers but have proven to have a wide crossover appeal; StarMark, Kingstone (longlisted for the Leicester Book Prize 2018) and Tilda of Merjan, Book 1 of the Chronicles of Issraya series, are all published by Dragonfeather Books.

She's had stories included in several anthologies, including Stories for Homes Vol 1, Something Rich and Strange, A Seeming Glass, and was longlisted and published in the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize Anthology 2017.

She blogs about life and writing at Squidge's Scribbles, runs a small creative writing group called NIBS, and is a volunteer librarian at a local primary school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Run a Writing Workshop for Children | The Writer's Cookbook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is a guest post by Katherine Hetzel. Creative writing workshops sound easy to do-you just find a load of different prompts, give them to the people who come, and let them write about them. 'Simples,' to quote Alexandr the meerkat. That might be a bit of a simplistic view, (it's actually harder to do [...]

# data[].attributes.body
https;//youtu.be/7B4X2LkJwnE

# data[].attributes.body
How do you encourage and motivate a child who dislikes or is not interested in writing?

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.weareteachers.com/what-is-writing-workshop/