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Showing posts with label Writing Process. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing Process. Show all posts

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start!

They say it takes 6 weeks at the beginning of the school year for all the routines to be mastered, and REAL teaching can begin.

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?


There are a whole lot of routines and procedures to be taught between now and then. Plus, there's all that assessment that needs to happen. What about academics?

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

We have a whole lot of teaching to do! 

Yes, we need to get to teaching academics! Reading, language, writing, math, science, social studies... those curriculums won't teach themselves! How do we do it all?

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

We want them to be learning and growing. 

After all, that's what school is for! But that real learning won't start until all the routines are in place. Once they know what to do when they enter the room, and what to do during morning meeting, and what to do during centers, and how to line up for lunch, and what to do during reading and math groups... and so on! Once the classroom is working like a well-oiled machine, then the teaching of academics can begin successfully!

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

Yet, we want them to be confident and happy about school. 

This is what allows learning to happen, isn't it! If they're not sure what to do, that doesn't build confidence. If they feel insecure about the work they're doing, they're not going to be happy in the classroom, are they? And if they're not happy or confident, they won't be learning.
Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

How can we keep them feeling good, yet still growing as learners?


Well, we shouldn't throw too much at them at once! Between all those procedures and routines that have to be taught, giving them more to learn as well is too much!

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

Have plenty of "reviewing of previous skills" to do while learning the new routine.


Studies show teachers should only introduce one new skill at a time. That means, if you're teaching the routine of using devices during centers, they should be using skills they're already familiar with while learning the device routine! 

If you're teaching the routine of independent reading, they should be reading books that are easy for them. 

If you're teaching the routine of coming to reading group, you should have them work on skills they've already learned. 

There's plenty of time to introduce and practice new skills, once they've mastered the routine.

What should we use for review? Here are a few ideas:




Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

Have more "reviewing of previous skills" for them to do while assessing and learning about their learning!

Besides teaching routines, the other "biggie" at the beginning of the school year is figuring out where the children are in their skills. No matter what our curriculum dictates, if they're not ready for a specific skill, we need to teach the previous skills.

Don't forget those things that the students can always do at their own level:
Independent Reading (See these posts HERE and HERE.)
Writer's Workshop (See this post HERE.)
Learning Math Facts (See these posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

But to maintain a positive atmosphere and build confidence, start with "fun and easy" activities.


It's scary for the kiddos to start a new grade. If the work they're doing in that new grade is fairly easy for them, that will really put a damper on their academic mindset! 

Here are a couple more resources that are fun, easy review to start off the year:

or the same resource in for digital version:

Review Basic Concepts and Skills Review Boom Cards Bundle Second Grade


But then, there are those "high flyers!" They need something special, too! These science and social studies Boom Cards are perfect for these kids! The students can work independently, the cards give immediate feedback, and can be used over and over, learning more with each use!






How do you keep the children engaged and practicing skills while learning procedures and routine?



Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start - How do you keep the students engaged while teaching routines and procedures?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop

I've been a passionate fan of Writer's Workshop ever since I learned about it a VERY long tie ago! (Not to give away my age, but I was first introduced to Writer's Workshop and the work of Donald Graves back in the 1980s!) I've been lucky to have a lot of instruction and support with the Writing Process, and have used it in my classroom with much success!

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
There are so many important parts to the process of writing! Here are some ideas!

 Is sticking to a schedule the most important part?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
Developing a schedule is very important! Most children need the predictability of a daily schedule. Sticking to that schedule matters, but there's something more important.

 Is having the right materials the most important part?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
Having the right materials is indeed very important! For young children, it's important for them to be writing on paper (as well as on a computer) to develop those fine motor skills. Folders with key writing tools are also valuable. Having the right materials matters, but there's something more important.
 
 Is checking their daily work the most important part?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
 
It's very important to check the students work frequently, but it would be insane to try to check every piece of writing they ever wrote! Checking their work is one of the strategies to help you plan what you need to teach. Checking their work matters, but there's something more important.

 Is pre-writing the most important part?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
Just like athletes need a warm-up, so do writers! Many activities can be considered pre-writing: talking, drawing a picture, making a list, free-writing, outlining, or doing research are some ways that writers warm up before the true writing happens. Pre-writing matters, but there's something more important.

Are Individual conferences the most important part?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
Conferencing with individuals has many benefits. Quite often having a chat about a piece of writing that's in progress will help a child progress. This is also a comfortable one-on-one time to give a student plenty of positive feed back. Individual conferences matter, but there's something more important.
 
 Are mini-lessons the most important part? 

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!

Mini-lessons are what drives their writing skills! 
They are an opportunity to model desirable writing skills. The best way to find topics for your mini-lessons is to look at their work and see what they need modeled. Another place to find ideas for mini-lessons is in your district's writing standards. 
Mini-lessons matter, but there's something more important.
 
 Is taking a status of the class the most important part? 

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
 
Taking a status of the class helps you keep track of where your students are. It's a good place to see how long each student is spending on each step of the writing process, and if they are using their writing time productively. It's not necessary to do this each and every day, but 2-3 times a week is suggested.Status of the class matters, but there's something more important.
 
 Is giving them time to write the most important part? 

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
 
Children need to write daily. However you can squeeze it into your very busy day, make sure they've got some time to write every single day! Just like an athlete, writers need to use their skills so they don't lose their skills! Giving them time to write matters, but there's something more important.
 
 Is conferencing the most important part? 

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!

Besides individual conferences, it's important to have small group conferences as well as whole class conferences. Sharing conversations about the writing of classmates can promote positive attitudes about writing, and can be very motivational as well as educational for young writers. Conferencing, but there's something more important.

 

 Is sharing the most important part?  

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!
Yes! This is it! Knowing that the students will be sharing is what motivates them to write! It gives them a sense of audience! It's important that children share their writing often! They can share in a whole group conference, a small group share, or even one-on-one with partners. It's essential! Why write if no one is ever going to see it? They need that audience!

 Here are a couple of other posts about writing you might like:

Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!

12 Ways to Celebrate Writing

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!

Looking for some writing resources? 

Check these out: Writing Resources

What do you value about the Writing Process?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop! There are many important parts of Writer's Workshop, and they're all important. But this is essential!

 

 

 

Writer's Workshop

Have I mentioned I'm a big fan of Writer's Workshop


I've been doing Writer's Workshop in my classroom for more than 30 years, and have seen a great amount of growth in the children's writing skills.
 
Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

I've been very lucky to have worked with several wonderful mentors who have helped me learn how the Writing Process works, and how to set it up in my classroom. I've watched some fantastic examples of writing conferences and mini lessons. I've used many materials, and have tweeked them to fit my personal style and the levels I teach. I've learned about 6 Traits as well as the Writing Process and have combined it all to fit my needs. 

In case you're not familiar with Writer's Workshop, it's about children writing what is in their hearts. It includes free writing time, conferencing with friends, conferencing with teachers, revising, proofreading, and publishing their written work.

I've been working on some materials to share with you that I've developed for Writer's Workshop in my classroom.


Explore the images below to see my 

Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!


Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!


https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writers-Workshop-Starter-Collection-180055?utm_source=Elementary%20Matters%20Blog&utm_campaign=Writer%27s%20workshop%20Packet

 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writers-Workshop-Starter-Collection-180055?utm_source=Elementary%20Matters%20Blog&utm_campaign=Writer%27s%20workshop%20Packet

Explore the image to see my 
Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

Explore the image to see my 


Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

Explore the image to see my very favorite book on Writer's Workshop. (It's an affiliate link to Amazon.)


Looking for more? Try this bundle:

How do you use Writer's Workshop in your classroom?

Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

 

Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!
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