Get More From Your Writing Workshop Using 7 Tips

Choosing a Rubric for Writing Workshop

You will see that some students will need to start at a different level because they didn’t meet last year’s writing requirements. These students may need a different rubric than the majority of your students. Differentiation is needed in all subjects to meet the needs of your students. There is research to show that developmental rubrics are a used to enhance student achievement. 

To ensure the success of all students in your writing workshop, it is crucial to implement differentiation strategies. This is particularly important for students who did not meet the previous year’s writing requirements and require a different rubric than their peers. By incorporating differentiation techniques, you can effectively address the unique needs of each student and maximize the learning outcomes.

Brainstorm Together during the Writing Workshop

When you introduce the topic, it’s important to brainstorm ideas together. Many students find it difficult to come up with ideas. For informational writing, you should give your students research time to gather the facts. For argumentative, opinion, and persuasive writing, you may not need the research time and can go right into brainstorming. This should be an ongoing strategy when introducing a new writing topic until a few writing prompts before the end-of-year assessment (if your state requires one).

Model How to Use a Graphic Organizer

First, show your students how to fill out a graphic organizer when brainstorming ideas and drafting. Have your students fill out a graphic organizer to organize their thoughts. As the year progresses, some students may not need a graphic organizer; you can let them do the strategy that works best for them. Nevertheless, be sure to be consistent with your expectations in your classroom.

Self-Assessments during Writing Workshop

​Students need to fill out a self-assessment/evaluation. Students need to be taught how to fill out a self-assessment correctly. Self-assessments are to let students know what is expected of them and it allows them to reflect on their work.

Peer Edit During Writing Workshop

To make the most of your writing workshop, it is crucial to incorporate peer editing sessions. Having students peer edit during the workshop allows them to receive valuable feedback from their peers, fostering a collaborative learning environment. By actively engaging in peer editing, students can refine their writing skills, improve their ability to give constructive criticism and develop a deeper understanding of the writing process. Elevate the effectiveness of your writing workshop by embracing the power of peer editing.

Conferencing During Writing Workshop

Lastly, always make sure you hold a writing conference with your students! I know it’s hard to fit in the time, but it pays off down the road. Most students do not look at their graded papers when they get them back. You must take the time to review with each student what they need to improve on and at least one thing that you liked about their paper.

Writing Workshop Tips Recap:

1. Choose a rubric.
2. Brainstorm together.
3. Give your students a graphic organizer to organize their thoughts.
4. Model your expectations.
5. Have the students fill out a self-assessment.
6. Have students peer edit the essays together.
7. Conference with your students on each paper.

It’s easy to differentiate for each student with my Common Core-aligned rubrics. For a comprehensive rubric that supports differentiation in writing workshops, you can try rubrics in grades 3-5 Opinion, 3-12 Persuasive, 6-12 Argumentative, 3-5 Informational, and 6-12 Informational. These rubrics and graphic organizers grow with students as they progress in their writing skills. There are writing rubrics with student self-assessments created for the progressing writer. These are excellent for mixed or leveled classes to give students individualized instruction.