The Nuts and bolts of teaching writing PDF

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Lucy Calkins

Lucy 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.

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Chapter 1: 

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Chapter 2: 

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Supporting ELLs

Chapter 8: 



Conferring with Young Writers

Chapter 7 



Teaching Methods: Minilessons that Power Your Curriculum

Chapter 6 



Managing the Writing Workshop

Chapter 5: 

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Planning Curriculum in a Primary Writing Workshop

Chapter 4: 

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Pathways for Writers

Chapter 3: 



An overview

The Literacy Instruction that Surrounds and Supports the Teaching of Writing

Chapter 9 

Assessment

 Planning

curriculum in a primary writing workshop 

Curriculum comes from: 

 

Ongoing structures  Minilessons, 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

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 

 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 writingbut also the structures and systems that can allow us to manage a crew of young writers”(Calkins,28).

 Structure

of Writing Workshops are predictable and consistent  Attention to:   

The environment Managing each component of the Writing Workshop When there are management troubles

 Room  

arrangements (“The Meeting Space”)

Carpets Nearby teaching equipment 

Easel, chart paper, markers



Rhythm of children’s movement 





Gather close around teacherexplicit 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



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

 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

 “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

 “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 math Example: “Writers, let’s gather”

 Gather

on carpet, usually sit in assigned

spots  Teach strategy  “Turn and talk”

“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 levelPRACTICE  Teacher holds writing conferences 

 

 

 

 

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

 “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

 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).

 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....