Inspiring Lower School Students Through Writer’s Workshop
From the very beginning of my teaching career and time at Graland, Writer’s Workshop has always been one of my favorite times in the classroom. As I looked to grow in my own writing instruction, I researched the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University in NYC. Colleagues of mine who had previously attended described this program as transformative in their writing instruction, and I felt inspired and excited to move forward with this program. In the summer of 2020, I attended a week-long virtual institute with thousands of other educators who were also passionate about teaching writing.
I came away inspired, rejuvenated, and excited to implement Writer’s Workshop in my classroom. My rollout of the program did require some adjustments due to COVID protocols, but the overall implementation definitely met my expectations as I could see firsthand the direct benefit of the training. Students were engaged in the writing process and excited to be writing about topics they had chosen and cared about. My colleagues and I in the Lower School continue to support each other as we grow through the implementation of the Units of Study curriculum. We have been diving deeper into how students develop different writing skills throughout their Lower School careers. This deep dive has helped us better understand next steps in the learning continuum and guides us in differentiating for each individual student. We are also working on teaching students to be more reflective by assessing their own writing and setting goals. And through all of this, we make it a point to celebrate the growth, the process, and the hard work of each author!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
