Writers Among Us

During the summer of 2019, Ms. Mary Helen Sheehan and Mr. Cole Hamilton attended Lucy Calkin’s Writing Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University. Since this experience, they have modeled how to create a classroom that honors writing like it is gold. Their students are writing fast and furiously, filling their journals with little details of their lives. Third graders have been given a voice, encouraged to discover and refine their own personal writing style, and challenged to compose stories that matter.

I value the times I get to sneak into classrooms and be a part of the learning. A particular moment that comes to mind is when I had the opportunity to observe a persuasive writing lesson in Ms. Sheehan’s classroom. When I arrived, her Grade 3 authors were sitting on the floor cradling their writing materials while Ms. Sheehan modeled how to use categories to support their topic. She talked throughout the demonstration so the students could feel as if they were doing it with her. “Off you go,” she instructed. “You have your plan.”

These young writers got right to work. One student used scissors to cut and group supporting sentences about why female and male athletes should get equal pay before gluing the sentences under different categories. Another third grader was writing about why students should have more time for art. Ms. Sheehan was circling the room to confer one-on-one with students, listening to what their writers had to say while differentiating their feedback. Partners were sharing with one another and getting constructive feedback. The room was buzzing as writers quickly strung words together to create sentences, paragraphs, and finally, a first draft. 

Professional development opportunities like the Lucy Calkin’s Writing Institute have a profound impact that reverberates throughout the school. During Lower School division meetings, Ms. Sheehan and Mr. Hamilton have shared what they learned from teaching Writer’s Workshop with colleagues. They have opened doors for their peers to see the Writer’s Workshop in process. Some teachers are already teaching the writing process and want to learn some new ideas. Others want to start teaching this method in their classrooms or get other professional guidance.

Writer’s Workshop has also made a clear difference in the third graders’ perception of themselves as writers and in the quality of their writing. Ms. Sheehan and Mr. Hamilton agree that students are more willing to revise because they understand the value of reworking a piece. Each time they revised, they recognized how their writing improved. Another benefit is that students independently assess their own work and set goals. They have the ability to plan and are in control of their writing. 

It’s not only the students who have been challenged to grow, however. “It is hard to teach writing if you do not do it yourself. We are authentically modeling,” Mr. Hamilton reflected. “It is more purposeful for students when they see us doing it too. We need to be in the spirit of what the students are doing so we can understand their struggles. Writing can be hard.”

In Grade 3, the lesson on persuasive writing typically ends after students write and present persuasive essays to faculty and staff members on the topic of their choice. One year, students took on the task of convincing Mrs. Remington and me to allow a Pajama Day at school. When Pajama Day was granted, one student reflected, “We persevered. We presented our evidence the best we could to convince you to do something. It was not easy. It was hard.” Through this activity, the third graders learned that through their writing, action could happen, and words have an impact—a lesson all in itself.