6.2 Classroom Workshop

When and Where Did I Find It:   This is a  an instructional strategy which is discussed throughout Chapter 8 in our LTED 625 text, Content Area Writing Instruction. 
Full citation Daniels, H., Zemelman, S. & Steineke, N. (2007).  Content-area writing:  Every teacher's guide.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.

What it means: The authors describe a classroom (writing) workshop as including the following:    

•  Building engagement (teacher takes time to introduce project, build student interest, and create purpose for their writing)
• Choice (students have the opportunity to make choices for the focus of their efforts)
• Individual Goal Setting (students set some of their own goals for learning the subject matter and developing their writing)
•  Students Working Independently in the Classroom (the teacher allows time for writing in class)
• Brief, Focused Teaching (teacher uses brief, focused, mini-lessons)
• Modeling (teacher helps students understand the task by demonstrating how its done)
• Teacher-student Conferences and Observations
• Conference Records
• Writing Folders
• Sharing the Results (Students have an immediate, real audience for their writing so that it contributes to everyone's learning)  

 (Daniels, Zemelman & Steineke, 2007, pp. 195-196).  

Level of Familiarity: I am very familiar with this concept; although I find what I need to do to set up the rules and routines for workshop changes with every class. 

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?   Yes, I think knowing what a workshop is as well as how to foster a workshop in any classroom learning experience is essential to a teacher educator's professional reportoire. As Daniels, Zemelman and Steineke suggest, it is through a workshop that " a teacher can individualize instruction so you can help, explain or teach a lesson to just the students who need it.  Just when their issues is on their minds."  (p. 188). 

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?:   Actually, it is my expectation that the students of LTED 625 will learn this concept fully through actively participating in a LTED 625 Classroom Workshop.