Writer's Workshop and Writing Center-

The first quarter in Kindergarten involves teaching students letter formation.  I spend a great deal of time teaching about the concept of writing.  I do Writer's Workshop with my class one time each week during this initial introduction stage.  I enjoy using the Teachers Pay Teachers author Ms. Lilypad.  I put up this sign each time we write.  The students know that we write until the sign comes down.  Each workshop allows me the opportunity to continue to build on concepts such as how to sound out words.  (I purchased the backing at Dollar Tree.  These posters come from Teachers Pay Teachers and several are original creations.)

  We begin workshop by thinking and talking about a new idea.  I usually read a trade book to get us excited and thinking about connections.  Then, we prepare to draw, label, and write.  Sharing will come as we progress.  We begin sharing with partners.

Each student has a writing folder.  When students hear the signal that workshop is closed they place writing in the green side if they wish to continue writing.  Finished work is placed in the red side of the folder.  Each folder has an alphabet helper chart.

Early writing includes more scaffolding.  Students begin by writing a few words to complete a sentence.  As we work through the early resistance to not knowing how to spell everything, we will begin to build stamina.  Then, we learn to write our own sentences.  This is an example of an early writing workshop that goes along with our Dr. Suess author study.

I plan to begin to conduct Writing Workshop several times each week as we finish our intensive phonics letter introductions.  Writing will also become part of our Language Arts centers.  I will ask the children to go to the writing center and write in journals.  Later, I will begin to give several choices for writing including letters, lists, stories, and poems.  This sign will help create a writing office.  Six children will attend the writing center during one rotation.  Each student will have his or her own lap desk.  (These were purchased at Hobby Lobby.)

This is my plan for storage and organization.  The children will have access to several writing options during writing center.  

We also enjoy making class books to keep in our classroom library.  I often place class books in the browsing book baskets on the student tables.  When work is finished the students enjoy looking through the books.  This helps the children understand that they are considered writers because they write and illustrators because they draw.