Download - The Nuts and bolts of teaching writing
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF
TEACHING WRITING
Lucy Calkins
ABOUT THE AUTHORLucy Calkins : founder of the Teachers
College Reading and Writing Project.
one of the original architects of the “workshop” approach to teaching writing to children
author of some 20 books, including the best-selling The Art of Teaching Writing (250,000 sold).
currently the Professor of Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College at Columbia University.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF TEACHING WRITING
Chapter 1: An overview
Chapter 2: Pathways for Writers
Chapter 3: Planning Curriculum in a Primary Writing Workshop
Chapter 4: Managing the Writing Workshop
Chapter 5: Teaching Methods: Minilessons that Power Your Curriculum
Chapter 6 Conferring with Young Writers
Chapter 7 Supporting ELLs
Chapter 8: The Literacy Instruction that Surrounds and Supports the Teaching of Writing
Chapter 9 Assessment
NEW & IMPORTANT CONCEPTS Planning curriculum in a primary writing
workshopCurriculum comes from:
Ongoing structuresMinilessons, conferences, writing folders,
worktime…etc Changing units of study NEED TO PROVIDE BOTH-BALANCE
* Collaborate with other teachers, create shared curricular calendars* Consider passions of each teacher as well as information about incoming students
PRINCIPLES FOR PLANNING Plan for children to write a lot Plan for the entire unit, with all its parts Plan what we’ll do for each part of the unit and
what children will do Plan for continuity- in texts, metaphors, and
language Plan to support ongoing writing goals as well as
unit-specific goals Plan to instruct children in the use of a new writing
tool in every unit Plan to end the unit with a celebration Plan to save some of every child’s writing and to
start new pieces or kinds of writing with every unit
MANAGING THE WRITING WORKSHOP
Importance of structure and systems “When we plan our writing instruction,
we must plan not only the words out of our mouths-the minilessons and the conferences that will convey content about good writing-but also the structures and systems that can allow us to manage a crew of young writers”(Calkins,28).
BIG IDEAS OF MANAGING THE WRITING WORKSHOPS Structure of Writing Workshops are
predictable and consistent Attention to:
The environmentManaging each component of the Writing
WorkshopWhen there are management troubles
THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION
Room arrangements (“The Meeting Space”)CarpetsNearby teaching equipment
Easel, chart paper, markers
THE ENVIRONMENT FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION
Rhythm of children’s movement Gather close around teacher-
explicit instruction Disperse to work areas-teacher
moves throughout space to confer with students or small groups
Issue of space Ex: lowering tables to make
room for more children to gather around
MATERIALS OF THE WRITING WORKSHOP ENVIRONMENT Develop a system for managing papers
ex: writing folders Toolboxes for writing tools (on counters and tables)
Date stamp, scissors, tape, pencils, pens, markers Writing centers System for dispensing paper and utensils is not
crucial: “Children need to be able to independently access their ongoing texts and obtain more paper without a teacher spending time on this”(Calkins,34).
Environmental print Word wall Enlarged list of children’s names
CALKINS’ RECOMMENDATIONS ON WRITING MATERIALS
Does not recommend that young children (prior to third grade) write in spiral notebooks, journals, or diaries.
Prefers inviting children to write all the kinds of writing they see in the world
Encourage children to write on a variety of paper
SCHEDULE “Time is the most precious resource we
have…”(Calkins, 35). Align schedule to state, district, and
school standards as well as to teacher’s values and children’s developmental needs and levels.
Children at lower levels receive more time for dramatic play and blocks
MANAGING THE MINILESSON “The Beginning of Each Day’s Writing
Instruction” Starts with a signal for writers to get
supplies out and gather CONSISTENT attention signal-whether its for
writing or mathExample: “Writers, let’s gather”
Gather on carpet, usually sit in assigned spots
Teach strategy “Turn and talk”
MANAGING WRITING TIME “Heart and soul of the Writing Workshop” Precious time is lost in transitions, teach children
how to get started on their writing Teacher not always available for individual
conferences- use retelling for instruction comprehension during minilesson
Watch all children for a few minutes then address issues- work with all slow starters in a small group
Use tables to encourage conversations among peers- “running commentaries”
Designate signal to monitor noise level- PRACTICE Teacher holds writing conferences
MANAGEMENT THAT MAKES ONE-TO-ONE CONFERENCES POSSIBLE Keep moving so conferences can be short and frequent Teach children to never interrupt when you are conferring Create systems of dealing with daily occurrences that
don’t require your intervention Teach children to solve predictable problems on their own Create a place where children who need a conference can
go to you for help Concentrate on teaching the writing process, not on
making every child’s piece the best it can be Create the expectation of a lot of writing work getting
done each workshop time Use strategy lessons when many children need the same
conference
MANAGING THE SHARE SESSION “Workshop Closure” Class may gather or students share with
partners Teaching point in the share- highlights
aspects that illustrate and extend the minilesson Ex: minilesson on using a carat, share
student work where a student used a carat and crossed out a confusing part of their story
Supports students’ writing and reinforces minilesson strategy
WHEN THERE ARE MANAGEMENT TROUBLES Diagnose the cause
Time to observe, think, and secure help Anticipate that problems will inevitably
occur Plan how to respond Rehearse for teaching to go wrong- ex:
broken pencil interruptions
“Children learn to write from the work they do; therefore, establishing and
managing a productive work environment is a critical aspect of good teaching”(Calkins, 44).
REFERENCES Calkins, Lucy. The Art of Teaching
Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1986. Print.
Calkins, Lucy. The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Writing. Portsmouth, NH: FirstHand, 2003. Print.