What is Workshop?
To teach reading and writing at Lapeer Community Schools, a workshop
model is used. Workshop consists of a mini-lesson focusing on a particular
skill, independent work where the teacher conferences with students and small
groups, and then a share time.
Mini-lessons
focus on skills that the whole group will be learning about. The skills focus
on ways to make students better readers and writers.
Independent time is when students work on the skill that was focused on during
the mini-lesson. Students work on reading and writing of their own choosing
(usually), and they confer with the teacher to show how they are using the
skill and the teacher provides guidance to students to stretch their thinking
with their work.
During share time, the class comes back together as a group and a couple
students share how they used the skill that was taught during the mini-lesson
from that day or previous days.
During workshop time, students are using reading and writing together to improve
their skills in both subjects. Mentor texts (books that model skills) are used
to show how real authors use these skills to be good writers.