Sharing
In my kindergarten classroom at the end of Writers’ Workshop each day, we have a 10-minute sharing time.
It is my goal to choose two to four children to share per day. I ask the children to sit in the author’s chair and read
their work to their peers. Then, as Ray and Cleaveland (2004) suggest, I point out aspects of my students’ writing to
give the other children the opportunity to recognize what I hope are noticeable features that they will then be willing
to attempt and apply to their own future writing.
For most children, this is their favorite part of Writers’ Workshop. They love to have an audience to listen as they
read their books aloud. This is also a rewarding time for the teacher as well. I am continually amazed to see my
children grow as writers. It is encouraging to see the children notice things about their friends’ work. For example,
during one sharing moment a child in my class read the following sentence she wrote aloud: The princess act hr mom
if…she could go awt sid and go butterfly huting. One of the young author’s friends immediately raised her hand and
said, “That was so smart! Olivia used an ellipses to let the reader know something exciting is about to happen! I
remember that from our mini-lesson. Maybe I’ll try that tomorrow!” These are the little moments that make Writers’
Workshop so thrilling. Five- and six-year-olds are learning from each other and making plans for application in the
future.
Conclusion
Writers’ Workshop allows for all students to achieve success in their writing. It is a process that allows writing
instruction to build upon the skills children come to kindergarten already possessing, while encouraging young
writers to practice their craft both with assistance and without assistance (Dorn & Scoffos, 2001).
I have watched my students learn to enjoy writing because of Writer’s Workshop this year. Students started
by simply stapling blank pages together to form their own book. I gave students the freedom to write about their
choice of topic. After the implementation of mini-lessons, conferences, and sharing time, students’ confidence grew.
Children filled up pages and pages in their books, trying to get all their thoughts down on paper, and they were sad
when writing time came to an end each day. They called themselves authors. I call Writers’ Workshop an effective
way to teach young children skills and strategies they need to make writing easier, and to help them fall in love with
writing.
References
Dierking, C.C., & Jones, S.A. (2003). Growing up writing: Mini-lessons for emergent and
beginning writers. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House.
Dorn, L.J., & French, C., & Jones, T. (1988). Apprenticeship in literacy: Transitions across
reading and writing. New York: Stenhouse.
Dorn, L.J., & Soffos, C. (2001). Scaffolding young writers: A writers’ workshop approach.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Hoyt, L., & Therriault, T. (2008). Mastering the mechanics: Ready-to-use lessons for modeled,
guided, and independent editing. New York: Scholastic.
Johnson, B. (1999). Never too early to write: Adventures in the k-1 writing workshop.
Gainesville, FL: Maupin House.
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