In the context of the writing workshop, we are researching the idea of empathy as it relates to students’ work with writing partners in our writing workshop. How can writing partners support each others’ work? What does it look like to be a helpful partner in learning?

As a starting point, I asked my class “How can we help each other learn?” This question then was modified to relate to the writing workshop? How can we help our partners?

My co-teacher scribed the students’ comments in response to the question; I decided to video the students using the app Seesaw so their responses would be saved digitally.

I created a Padlet with their responses. Their next day in class, wee reviewed these on the Smartboard and discussed how we might do all these things during the time writing partners shared their work. Next, the students were assigned a writing partner based both on personality and writing ability. They were sent off to confer with their partner and offer specific comments of praise for work well done as well as suggestions on  how to improve their partner’s writing. This is meant to be done in the context of “Two Stars and a Wish”; stars for what went well in their writing and a wish for what they could do to make it even better.