Writer's Workshop

Ellington Public Schools uses Teachers College Workshop Model. A typical writer's workshop in 3rd grade looks like this:

Mini-Lesson: (10-15 minutes)

• Teacher provides whole class direct and explicit instruction
• teaches/models a writing skill/technique that supports the writing process

Independent Writing: (20-30 minutes)

• Students determine the topics they wish to write about and use writer's notebook/Chromebook to organize writing 
• Teacher confers with individual students 
• Teacher works with a small group in direct instruction
• brainstorming
• strategy groups
• reteaching/revisiting skills

Share Session: (5 minutes)

• Teacher reconvenes class to:
• focus on the work of one or two students that tried what was taught in the mini-lesson
• recap key learning of the day
• students are given opportunities to share pieces of their writing
• allows students to learn from each other