GETTING STARTED WITH A WORKSHOP MODEL
Whole Group Instruction (Mini Lesson)
Writing Time
Share/Structured Response Time
COMPONENTS OF WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Whole Group Instruction (Mini Lesson):
- Routines and Expectations
- How to Confer with the Teacher or Other Students
- Writing Process (stages and behaviors)
- Writing Skills (author’s craft in mentor texts)
- Revising for Content and Clarity
- Grammar Lessons for Editing
Writing Time:
What does the teacher do during this time?

Share Time:

One thing to keep in mind with student work is that not every piece needs to be published with a pretty cover and ribbon. In fact, you might just keep a writing binder of the pieces and let the students choose if they want to polish one to this level. Others can be kept as a portfolio of work for progress monitoring.
When you begin sharing times, you may find a few students feeling a bit overwhelmed. For these, one suggestion is to start sharing time in a small group. Kids are used to being pulled for small groups already, so having a writing group for feedback might be just what the doctor ordered.
What about grades?
Why Writer’s Workshop?
- Increased Engagement and Motivation
- Improved Effort on Completed Work
- Fewer Worksheets and Lecture and More Practice
- Naturally Differentiated Work
- and Instruction that Matches Needs
- Finally, Intervention Time Well Utilized
Final Thoughts
- Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi
- Writers Are Readers by Lester Laminack
- How’s It Going? by Karl Anderson
- Into Writing: The Primary Teachers Guide to Writing Instruction by Megan Sloan
- and The Unstoppable Writing Teacher by M. Colleen Cruz

As always, I love this post! I saw Lester Laminack at a reading conference once and was so inspired! I will need to purchase his book. I agree that sharing is such an important component and is often one that many teachers forget. I have learned that if students do not get to share regularly, they stop writing. Thanks for continuing to inspire me with your posts!
Teaching Tips and Treasures
Elizabeth-That book was just awesome! I love all of the lesson ideas included in it as well as how he connects reading and writing. I can't wait to share it with the teachers in my school.