Defining+Reading+&+Writing+Workshop

The following wiki page represents...
= What We Know About Reading and Writing Workshop =
 * Directions:** As indicated on the prep sheet for class 8, please add to our knowledge base that we began together in Class 7 below. At the very least, add 1-2 items to literature page (Atwell, Hicks, & Rief) and 1 additional item to another category of your choice here. Know that you can certainly add additional items! :) Be sure to put your first name in parentheses after any of your entries. For the Atwell, Hicks, and Rief category, be sure to specify which author you are referencing and the page #'s to which you're referring as well.


 * === What We Know In General about Reading / Writing Workshop: === ||
 * * Group work
 * Sharing
 * Response
 * Revision
 * Feedback
 * Peer review/ conferences
 * Creation
 * Using reading and writing to complement each other
 * Self evaluation
 * Drafting
 * Choice
 * Portfolios ||
 * === What Atwell, Hicks, and Rief Have to Say about Reading / Writing Workshop: === ||
 * * Atwell hints that it should be a relaxed environment. Students freely work on their reading and writing in class and follow it up with reading and writing at home. (Morgan)
 * Rules developed for writing and reading workshops are designed to help students develop habits in mind and action that will support them as they go out on a limb One that is especially important is to encourage students to save everything. Students never know when or where their drafts and writing ideas may actually come in handy, therefore storing these things away makes it all apart of history. (Atwell pg. 115) Sarah
 * According to Atwell, the basic equipment for a workshop is an overhead projector and access to a photocopier. The overhead projector is used for demonstrating minilessons, showing students how to solve writing problems, presenting works to the class for discussion, and recording information that students should copy into their writing-reading handbooks. A photocopier is key because it presents opportunities for instant publication (page 102). (Tara)
 * In the Atwell text, the author describes a variety of checklists that allow the instructor and the student to keep track of reading, writing, and spelling. These include: Writing Survey, Reading Survey, Student Writing Records, Student Reading Record, Individual Proofreading List, Editing Checksheet, Peer Writing Conference Record, Personal Spelling List, Weekly Word Study Sheet, and Weekly Homework Writing Sheet (page 105-106) (Wes).
 * It is meant to "teach the writer, then the writing." This was huge to me because I have always focused on making sure their writing is done well instead of focusing on the writer himself. (Jennifer)
 * Hicks discusses the idea of a digitial writing workshop. He says that "if we engage students in real writing tasks and we use technology in such a way that it complements their innate need to find purposes and audience for their work, we can have them engaged in a digital writing process that focuses first on the writer, then on the writing, and lastly on the technology" (pg. 8). Hicks also flirts with the idea of creating a national technology and writing policy that all teachers and students would use so teaching writing and reading can be more consistent. (Jesse)
 * "Teach the writer, not the writing." According to Hicks the best way to make students better writers ito focus on writing as a whole, rather than jus tone piece of writing at a time. Teaching to a piece of writing will only stick with the student for as long as that particular assignment does and then they will mos likely go back to their ol writing ways for the next paper. It is best to teach writing as a whole and apply specific examples of already taught material to one piece. (Samantha)
 * In Rief's text his references Graves and says that students enter a 'constant state of composition' (p 6.). This idea that writers are continuously creating and generating new ideas is strengthened in the workshop. Rief states that the workshop gives students an outlet to engage in all aspects of writing; they can compose, inquire, edit, compare all within the safety of a writing workshop. "The writing workshop, at its core, centers on students as writers" (Rief p.6). If the teachers view the students as writers, they will in turn also look at themselves as such and embrace that idea and enter the composition state. Rief's article was very encouraging to someone that may be wary of technology in the workshop. As long as the workshop is focused on the students as writers, I think it will prove to be highly beneficial and effective.
 * Atwell suggests that," When students have regular, frequent time set aside to write, writing can also play a crucial role in helping them grow up, making it possible for them to capture who they are, then come back to measure themselves against their earlier selves" (pg. 93). Often times, students do not get adequate time in the classroom to work on their class writing. By implementing the writing workshop in the classroom, students will be able to develop their writing over an extended period of time. ( Amanda)
 * In Atwell's text, she suggests that in developing a successful environment for a reading/writing workshop, teacher must be organized; organized in the sense that she means, "discovering what writers and readers need and providing plenty of it in a predictable manner." A goal for the teacher should be to turn the classroom into an environment that invites and supports reading and writing. (p. 90) (Lauren)
 * As technology continues to evolve rapidly every day, Atwell suggests that we, as teachers, should cling to practices that will enhance students’ digital literacy. The writing workshop model is crucial to supporting the growth of students as digital writers. Since almost every kind of writing we engage in is networked in some way, “our pedagogy needs to acknowledge this shift and adopt a perspective that honors and integrates digital writing into our classrooms” (Pg. 11). (Kay Balagtas)
 * Hicks reiterates what we've been taught in several of our classes over the past few years: the key components of a reading/writing workshop are peer revision, student choice concerning genre and topic, and using the text as a foundation for mini-lessons and conferences. These elements are important to a successful workshop because they spark student interest through relevant activities and allow for interaction with people going throug the same experiences. (p. 1) (Caroline T)
 * Along with what Samantha wrote, Hicks speaks of students "using" the writing process and "doing" the writing process. If students only focus on making one piece of writing better, then they miss the real process of writing and workshop. The goal for teachers is to make students better writers, not simply making their papers better papers. (Margaret)
 * Hicks focuses on the mantra 'teach the writer, not the writing' - which I love. Because writing is a process, it is essential that students master each step of the writing process, and these steps can best be used through collaborative learning. Being able to peer review, either on computers or on hard copies, allows students to generate discussion on the processes of writing. This conversation produces authentic discussion where students are learning first hand how to identify quality writing, and ways to improve writing. (Jessie)
 * Many people critic the teachers role in reading and writing workshop. In regards to this, Hicks did a good job on page six of laying out part of the teachers responsibility in the workshop. He states that “Lucy Calkins reminds us that the writing workshop requires us to ‘participate how we will initiate, scaffold, and guide the classroom community toward an ever-deepening involvement..[by selecting] rituals, arrangements, and classroom structures'(1994, 183)" (6) Hicks offers important points here because he states that the teacher does have an active role in the process, mostly doing the work to get it set up and running effectively. In Rich's article he stated that people have concerns that the teacher cannot handle that many students doing different things; however, Hicks offers a solution to that in this piece. He states that preparation is key, and if a teacher doesn't prepare, it will be crazy. Preparation and organization is very important. (Olivia)
 * Atwell tells us that she finds it very beneficial to start class with mini-lessons as a tool for teaching the class as a whole the certain concepts she feels are important. Instead of having conferences with individual students on what they need to improve on, these mini-lessons are valued by her. I think that finding common errors or areas that all students need help with is a great reason to make it a mini-lesson instead of making the corrections on each of their rough drafts and not helping them improve their writing or even mentioning it. She also tells us that the importance of reaching one writer at a time and provides frames of reference of what they need help with next- Chapter 1; page 24. (Crystal)
 * Atwell explains that it is important for the teacher to lay down the expectations regarding reading and writing. Teachers need to think about what their expectations are, what their priorities are, what they believe in, and who their students are. Teachers should take these factors into account when developing expectations for the classroom. Atwell explains that her standards are "interesting, rigorous, and will give my students diverse tastes of the real thing." p111 (Chelsea)
 * When I think about a writing and reading workshop I think of the combination of the two. I know that writing and reading go hand and hand, you can’t have one without the other. I see reading something first and then writing a response. This process can be done individually or in groups. When it comes to writing and reading both can always be improved upon, and when I think of the work workshop I see that as a way to improve in both reading and writing. (Hannah W.)
 * Rief says it is helpful for teachers to keep a computer database of all of the books on their shelves. They can use the database to sort the book by different categories. Students can find books from a particular genre, author, etc. (pg. 24)
 * Atwell mentions that one of the most important things she does is “take off the top of my head and write out loud in front of them on overhead-projector transparencies. “ (Atwell p 25) By directly showing how she plans, changes her mind, confronts problems, makes decisions, and uses conventions she not only models good writing habits for her students to follow – she establishes her position as writer-mentor. Having seen the benefits of this firsthand, I concur with her statement.Additionally, Atwell stresses that the first week sets the tone for the entire year; therefore, she plans the first days in more detail than any other week of the school year. The various ways in which she establishes the makeup of the Reading/Writing workshop – particularly the identifying and claiming of “territories” as readers and writers - help students begin to see themselves as readers and writers. (Atwell pp 118-120) (Suzanne)
 * Atwell mentions an important point to keep in mind; management. It is necessary to keep records and collect students work throughout the year. One way to do this is by designing the students folders so that the teacher could stay on top of their efforts and so they can do most of their work of keeping track of them. Each student would need 6 folders of different colors. Three with grommets in the middle and inside pockets for reading, spelling, and daily writing and the three with pockets only of texts, lyrics, homework, and permanent writing. The daily folders have pieces of their writing in progress and the permanent writing folder collects all the finished pieces of writing throughout the school year. It would be important to keep a checklist in the front of the teachers plan book. I think this is a great way to keep a record of the students writing achievements in their writing and reading workshops, and I'm sure it would be much more organized. (Nada)
 * According to Rief Chapter 2, it is important for students to be setting new goals every 12 weeks. These should include ways at which the individual can improve their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Then, an evaluation should take place, based on the goals set, where the student can judge whether the goals were actually achieved, particularly after weeks of reading-writing workshop. (pg.31 or 9 of pdf) (Sarah)
 * Rief encourages publication from the writers, stating that "the drive to write for an audience betters the product" and says that students probably write stronger because they know their words are going to be read by someone, and they have a chance to impact their reader. (pg. 29 or 7 on pdf) (Lauren)
 * Rief encourages us to really be organized! Allowing ourselves time to organize our classrooms, and in turn our reading/writing workshops, will allow us the time to read with our students, walk around to see their progress, and write with them in the classroom. By setting those expectations, rules, and procedures concerning the organization of the tools, we as teachers will be equipping our students with the ability to really dig deep into the environment surrounding them and through great examples, inspiration, and resources create amazing writers! Such an exciting read! [p.1 and p. 11 of PDF) (Hannah L.)
 * "To become better at anything, it takes practice."(Rief p. 31) Rief definitely has high expectations of her students but because she states them up front and discusses them with her students, they meet the bar she has set. She wants her students to become better writers so she has them practice writing, a lot. She expects the students to draft three to five pages a week but the students also understand that these are just drafts and can write without the pressure of being graded. Writing a set quantity each week provides structure for the students and helps them not only know what to expect from the classroom but also to improve their writing throughout the course of the semester. (Emily W.)
 * Rief explains that it is impossible to fit all the writing and reading into a fifty-minute class period. This forces her to make choices as a teacher. Rief explains that she can best help students with their writing during class time. Because of that, she requires that students read for 30 minutes a night as homework and keep a reading log with 3-5 written pages per week. Her class also takes all of Friday to read silently. Rief explains that she reads the whole time too and that she doesn't feel guilty because as Rief says, "we see each other committed to books" (Rief, p. 32) (Tara).
 * I think especially when having a writing workshop it is important to have good references. Rief discusses having good writing references in the class room such as //Punctuation Pocket,// the //Topics Folder, Writers Inc, Writing Down the Bones, In the Middle, Clearing the Well,// as well as dictionaries and thesauruses. (Rief, p. 26) In my ELA classroom we never had any references besides a dictionary or thesaurus; I would have liked to have some other helpful tools to help guide me with my writing. I also think using novels, articles, journals, etc in the classroom that display good writing would also be helpful to a student's writing process. (Hannah W.)
 * I really like the organization talked about throughout the article. There is a special place for everything that would be needed in the Reading and Writing Workshop and knowing where things are is a good start to writing and publishing. I especially like what Rief talks about on page 27 with the publication materials because there is a special place just for that. I think this is something that students look forward to- publishing their work and seeing a final product. This is the big and final step of any workshop and having this special station to make finishing touches into something concrete was interesting to me and something to keep in mind as a teacher. I also liked the outline of the time, structure, and exact expections (Rief page 31) that the author provides as a model for each day of the week in a R/W Workshop. This I know from observing a 7th grade Language Arts class. Students always looked forward to having their work peer read and commented on. They enjoyed workshopping and I think that if students know clearly what to expect, there will be less confusion and more success in the workshops.(Crystal)
 * Rief discusses having a classroom library (24) which I believe is a great resource in any ELA classroom. The students no longer have the option to use excuses such as, "I left my book at home" when it comes time for silent sustained reading. Hopefully, in addition to being a great resource, the collection of books will catch the students' eyes. (Julie)
 * Rief makes his students spend Monday-Thursday working on writing and assigns homework to students as reading for a half an hour each night. Since students only have 50 minute periods, there is not enough time to cover everything. On Fridays, he gives students the entirety of the class period to focus only on reading. He never feels guilty about this because he says "we learn to read by reading, not by reading about reading". I think this is a very good idea because he includes both a significant time for reading AND writing both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. This encourages students to see the importance of each and how they can work together! (p. 32) (Caroline C.)
 * Rief believes in the importance of practicing writing; therefore, every week her students should have completed a 3-5 page draft. None of these drafts will ever have to be finalized or published, but every 6th week, the students will need to finalize two of their drafts and have them read by 3 peers each (31). Riefs thoughts about reading are great. She is realistic, in the fact that there is not enough time for SSR everyday in ELA classrooms, because then we wil not get other important things done. She decides to take Monday and Fridays for SSR and ensures that the students talk about what they read. She also asks for them to read 30 minutes every night of the week and keeps the responsible for tracking what they have read (30-31). (Samantha)
 * The one thing that I really agreed with is what Rief said about creating a library (24-26). In my classroom, I want books for everyone and I want the students to always be reading. In my current classroom, my teacher has a lot of books, but non that really relate to the students. His best books he keeps in the back and doesn't really rent it out to the students. With me, I would allow students to keep them in the room, but would not let them take it back with them because I know the books would really get messed up. But I know it is really important to have a library in the classroom and let the students read from it. This why I have been collecting YA books for a really long and already building my student library. (Jennifer)
 * Rief states that the best pieces are the ones taken for peer and teacher feedback, and that she has gone through a variety of writing response groups. However, based on student feedback, she now requires students to have feedback from 3 peers before receiving teacher feedback. It's a process that works well in her classroom right now but she isn't afraid to resort back to response groups if it doesn't work out. (p. 32) (Chelsea)
 * According to Rief, publication must be a choice for each student. In class publication means taking a piece to finished product, making it the best it can be for the writer first, and THEN decide if the piece should go to a wider audience. Of all the texts I have read thus far, I think Rief has been the first to really emphasize working toward publication for student writers. (29) (Suzanne)
 * From Rief, I learned about having students choose their feedback partners. I think it is sometimes easier to choose their groups because it makes sure that everyone has a partner. Rief made a good point that students want feedback from certain individuals. If they are writing a poem, they may choose Ella because she is a good poet. So, it is important that students have the freedom to find partners that they are comfortable with and who will offer them the best and most positive feedback. (Rief, 32) (Morgan)
 * Rief provided a simple tip regarding paperback books that I thought was a thrifty idea. In order to preserve paperback books she suggested that contact paper should be applied to the cover and inside cover of the book. (24) Additionally, Rief suggests having students volunteer to become a librarian. The student librarian’s duty is to ensure students return books, and to issue parent letters for students who do not return books to the classroom. (Amanda)
 * I love Rief's idea of creating a literary magazine of student work. We had one in my high school and I never understood how inspiring and exciting this can be for students to submit and publish their work. Perhaps even if the publication wasnt school wide, we could make a digital publication through a google site or class wiki so students could have access to the publication anywhere with internet. (Jessie, pg 6)
 * I liked the idea of students learning self-evaluation and looking at themselves as writers and readers, specifically every twelve weeks. I think it's important for students to give themselves goals as well as the teacher's expectations of them. Furthermore, students can see what they have done in the span of twelve weeks, what they've accomplished, and then step back and make new goals depending on how they would like to better themselves in writing, reading, and other language goals. (Margaret, pg.31)
 * I liked Rief's idea of having a computer database with titles of all the books. I think this is an efficient and effective idea for both the teacher and students. For one, it makes it easier to find books based on specific categories. It also allows for the teacher to be able to figure out which books are lost and need to be replaced. (Zohra, pg. 24)
 * Rief emphasizes the easy accessibility and availability of materials and supplies for reading and writing (Pg. 24-26). Books, a classroom library, a variety of paper materials, and a station for references are just a few areas in the classroom that will cater to students reading and writing needs. I am definitely looking forward to creating different resources in my classroom to help students’ growth in language and literacy, and to inspire them to become wonderful writers and readers. (Kay Balagtas)
 * My favorite part of the Rief reading was the part where he focused on the importance of publishing every students work. I thought that his personal story about the student that didn't put in effort to get his work published throughout the year but eventually cried because he had nothing to show for from the year would be emotional for any teacher. I felt Riefs next words were very wise and caring. He said "I know all about teaching 'responsibility', but it wasn't worth the look on that boy's face when he realized he wasn't part of that magazine." (pg 7) I think that's what writing workshop is all about. It takes a lot of work and organization for the teacher, but ultimately it is for the well being of the students. It is to make them better readers and writers.
 * I thought Rief had great ideas concerning publication of student work. She feels that every piece should be completed as though it would be submitted for publication. In other words, students should aim for every work they create to be the best it can possibly be. However, the decision to publish should be up to the student. They must decide the audience and purpose of their piece, Rief is just "there to provide the opportunities." (p. 29) -Caroline T.
 * Rief had lots of good ideas about student work and publication of student work. I think that publishing student work can provide extra incentive for students to put their best foot forward. Also, publication can give students a real sense of pride in their work. Also, Rief's ideas about making reading and writing supplies and materials easily accessible (page 24) are good points to future students' reading and writing. (Wendy) ||


 * === What We're Seeing in the Field with regard to Reading / Writing Workshop: === ||
 * * I am working with an 8th grade class at Salem Middle School and my CT has the students do 20-30 minutes of SSR at least 3 times a week. The students and teacher go outside (when the weather permits) or lay around the classroom on towels and pillows to read silently. During this time she encourages students to read literature that is not being used in her classroom. Many of the students were reading novels, graphic novels, and magazines. She walks around to see what the kids are interested in and keeps "mental" tabs on their progress, because she does not want it to become another forced activity. (Samantha)
 * Since I have started my observations, I have seen my CT use writing workshops in her classroom. Students have been working on a piece of writing for two weeks so far, and have already completed six rough drafts. Every other day, students get into small groups and give/receive peer feedback for approximately 15-20 minutes. Each draft that is turned in must have feedback from at least one student in the class and preferably not the same student for each draft. Students are familiar with correct editing techniques and signs and use these when reviewing. (Chelsea)
 * I am placed in a 7th grade social studies class at Apex Middle, and like Samantha, my students participate in a silent sustained reading time referred to as "Roadrunners Read." For my particular class, the kids read on Mondays, for approximately 20-25 minutes at the beginning of the class period. They are always excited to share what they are reading with each other--the range of novels is very impressive. What I really like about this time is that my CT and I sit and read as well. I think that it's important to take the time and participate with the students--serve as a model--and not use the time for grading/other activities. (Julie)
 * My CT uses reading workshops and literature circles on a regular basis. Also, she uses writing workshops and writing partners to allow students to work on creating writing works. The students seem to really enjoy the workshop environment. Actually, the first question that a student asked me when I was introduced to the first Language Arts class of the day was "Are you going to keep the workshop stuff we've been doing?". (Wendy) ||
 * === What We've Experienced Ourselves with regard to Reading / Writing Workshop: === ||
 * * Getting help on papers in my first university English class, ENG 101. The professor was awesome about sitting down and advising! (Ron O.)
 * I have experienced reading/writing workshops in both high school and college. I probably had them in middle school too, but I can't really remember. I always appreciated the opportunity to read my book or work on my paper during class time. I have also found that it is a great time to ask teachers questions if there is any confusion about a particular writing assignment. (Tara)
 * I specifically remember doing reading/writing workshops in high school when writing things such as narratives. My teacher encouraged an extra set of eyes on all papers written so that they were close to being flawless once the final draft was turned in. Also, gaining a peers point of view helped me develop better diction, detail, and flow in my writing. (Sarah)
 * I distinctly remember doing reading/writing workshops throughout high school and college. Additionally, I remember it being something that the instructors were continually adamant about as it was to better able us to become better readers, and writers, and to allow ourselves to become much more successful both in and out of class (Wes).
 * In my Fiction Writing class here at NCSU, we were actually able to provide peer critiques of the works written in the class. I learned so much about myself as a writer, as well as how others view my writing. The professor did a great job of creating a safe environment in the workshop environment, as well as recognizing all of our abilities to actually provide legitimate critique, without coaching us on every response. (Hannah)
 * I was in the same Fiction Writing class as Hannah and I too thought it was a great workshop environment. One of the things that I really found beneficial was each member in the class recieved a copy of my work and edited prior to my workshop day. This way, they not only had the text in front of them when giving feedback, I had 20 sets of ideas and edits when I was revising my piece. The only downside was having to provide 20 copies of my 15-page story. I think this could be a great way for technology to enter into the workshop. Save trees and still allow for the students to have visual edits on their writing. (Emily)
 * I agree with most of you guys here--In most of my English classes here at NCSU, when we've had a paper due we have always had a rough draft due about a week or so beforehand and a class period devoted to peer reviewing. I had one professor who didn't hold class for one week at the end of the semester so that he could set aside the time to have individual meetings with us about our papers. It was so helpful! I met with him probably 3 times about the same paper and I really felt like he was paying attention to what I was trying to articulate in my paper and also was supportive and encouraging. The 1 on 1 attention was a good change of pace considering there were 65 students in our class at the time. (Lauren)
 * I honestly cannot recall engaging in any reading/writing workshops in middle and high school (I just have terrible memory), but writing workshops and peer reviews in college have been of tremendous help before turning in a paper. Receiving in-depth feedback on a rough draft from others helps me to catch mistakes, errors, and even hear any other suggestions in terms of adding specific material that I probably would not have been able to think of if I were to turn in a paper directly to the teacher. (Kay)
 * I really appreciate peer feedback on any paper or assignment in general. It is reassuring to hear that you're on the right track or to get helpful critique from a peer. Another type of reading/writing workshop I enjoyed was the Dialogic Learning Logs we kept in a previous class. We were able to read text and respond to it in an asychronous manner. This allowed my partner and me to bounce ideas off each other and expand on the text in a way that I wouldn't have been capable of alone. (Caroline T)
 * I had a similar experience to Ron's with my ENG 101 class. For every paper, we were to do rough drafts and from there have at least two peer edits done before we turned in our final drafts. We would have classes dedicated specifically to peer review and help for our papers with our peers and the professor. (Margaret)
 * I experienced a variation of Writing Workshop in my ENG 101 class; however, the teacher did not have things organized and the students didn't take the process very seriously. We did do peer previews, and people had to comment on each their other students' writing. Obviously, this wasn't a good experience or representation of writing workshop. (Olivia)
 * Every time I have experienced a Writing Workshop it has been the same. I usually switch with one or more peers, have them edit it, and then they return it with feedback. I think that most of the time this is a helpful way, but some of my peers do not know how to give feedback, therefore it can be a little pointless. (Hannah W.)
 * The only Reading/Writing workshops I have participated in have been through the education courses I have taken here at State. Reading Atwell and others, it’s clear that what appears “fun” and almost effortless on the part of the student takes a lot of work and organization on the part of the teacher. I wasn’t aware of just how much planning and preparation went on before my Wolfpack Writing Partner and I started making rhymes and eating chocolates together! (Suzanne)
 * I did more work with workshops in college than in high school. Several professors required meetings with students during the writing process. Sometimes the meetings were beneficial and some weren't- it really depended on the professor. Also, I've had several experiences with student workshops. These were also hit and miss depending on the students and the assignment. Sometimes we were all so unclear on what the product was supposed to be that the exchange of work and ideas was pointless. Overall, the workshops were positive experiences. (Wendy) ||
 * === Any other perspectives on Reading / Writing Workshop: === ||
 * * When I think of a "workshop", it reminds me of Santa's workshop. I know, that's a juvenile connection.Regardless, Santa's workshop (in my mind) is productive, warm, and there's a feeling about it that something great is going on. I think that's the way a writing or reading workshop should be. Productive, warm and an air of greatness about the room, like the room is full of Whitmans, Rowlings, Kings, and Austens. (Morgan)
 * I agree with Morgan's interpretation of a Reading/Writing workshop. I wouldn't necessarily relate it to Santa's workshop but I would definitely attribute it to a warm and inviting atmosphere where there are a variety of writers who have their own niche in terms of writing style, content and voice (Wes).
 * I agree with both Morgan and Wes. Writing workshops have always created a happy group work atmosphere in my mind. I think of students crowded around bumping heads as they work hunched over papers or around a computers. I cannot wait to see it in a classroom or to hopefully use it in my classroom. (Jennifer)
 * Students sometimes learn best from talking to other students about the ideas that they all have. By collaborating and also seeking advice from peers, students can begin to create stronger pieces of writing. I think reading/writing workshops will be very beneficial in the classroom and help our students grow socially and intellectually. (Jesse)
 * One of the most essential elements of either a Reading or Writing Workshop is to provide the other as a part of one, meaning in a Reading Workshop being sure to allow time and support for writing (and vice versa). It's so important for us to help students make the connection between reading and writing, because they inevitably support students' performances on both. It's so important for students to have great examples of amazing writing, which is essentially fascinating reading, so they are better equip to recognize a great book and/or create a tantalizing story. (Hannah)
 * As a teacher, I am definitely looking forward to using Reading and Writing Workshops in my classroom to give support to students through minilessons, peer feedback, and teacher feedback. Multiple drafts are always tedious but they are so important, especially at the middle school level because its all about the process. Plan, Draft, Revise, Publish. You can not skip any of these steps and the workshops seem to help the process flow smoothly. One last note about Reading and Writing workshops is that it allow students to gain experience with other people reading and critiquing their work. Some students can get help that they may not have asked for without a workshop. Having multiple sets of eyes on rough drafts is always a good thing and it helps build student's confidence by having feedback from their peers and their teacher. (Crystal)
 * I find the Reading/Writing workshop to be a great method to use when I begin teaching in the Language Arts classroom. I can see the students gaining more from my class by engaging in a workshop than daily teacher-centered lectures. I want my students to enjoy coming to my class, and look forward to reading and/or writing on individual work while in class. My favorite part of the writing workshop is the publication of student work. Although I learned valuable material in the readings about publication of student work, I still am unsure of the exact steps to take in order to publish work to a wider audience.(Amanda) ||