Welcome to Writing Workshop - Softcover

Dorfman, Lynne; Shubitz, Stacey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1625311664 ISBN 13: 9781625311665

Publisher: Routledge, 2019

Synopsis

Stacey Shubitz and Lynne Dorfman warmly welcome you to experience
writing workshop for the first time or in a new light with Welcome to
Writing Workshop. Through strategic routines, tips, resources, and short
focused video clips, teachers can create the sights and sounds of a
thriving writing workshop where:

· both students and teachers are working authors
· students spend most of their time writing—not just learning about it
· student choice is encouraged to help create engaged writers, not compliant ones
· students are part of the formative assessment process
· students will look forward to writing time—not dread it.

From explanations of writing process and writing traits to small-group
strategy lessons and minilessons, this book will provide the know-how
to feel confident and comfortable in the teaching of writers.

About this title

About the Author

Lynne, a native of Philadelphia, received her bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education, her supervisory certificate in elementary education, her reading specialist certificate from LaSalle University, and her educational leadership doctorate degree from Immaculata University. She has thirty-eight years' of experience with the Upper Moreland School District and 25 years of experience gathered in course work and presentation work for the Pennsylvania Writing & Literature Project.

She became a teacher because "I wanted to make a difference and I love working with kids." Like many others, she also "played school" as a child. "I had some great teachers and I wanted to be like them. Especially, Mrs. Steinberg, my sixth grade teacher. There were over 30 kids in my class that year. Mrs. Steinberg was the first teacher who held writing conferences and encouraged us to write for real world audiences. I remember sharing 'My Most Unforgettable Character' with my riding instructor, Mick Warmington. I remember his face while he was reading it. I still get chills when I think about it. That's when I realized the power of the written word. That's when I first dreamed about writing and publishing books and encouraging my future students to do the same."

Lynne is currently literacy a Co-director of the Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project; adjunct professor for Arcadia University; and a legacy ambassador/tour guide for Pearl S. Buck International. She also does independent consulting work for the PA Writing Project and serves on the board for Chester County Reading Association as well as the board for Eta Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa. For the past six years, Lynne has facilitated a senior citizen writing group for Upper Moreland Township through Upper Moreland School District.

Her latest book is a collaborative work with her colleague, Diane Dougherty. It targets grades K-6 and demonstrates how to embed grammar and mechanics instruction throughout the day. "We think that grammar matters, but we don't believe in workbooks and isolated lessons. We think the teaching of grammar should be both explicit and implicit. Every day teachers need to tuck in grammar and mechanics wherever and whenever it is applicable. That means your modeling or discussion might occur in social studies as easily as it might occur in writing and reading workshop."

Lynne co-authored three books with friend and colleague, Rose Cappelli. "We based everything on classroom samples and our work with children. An important part was including anecdotes--advice we received from Shelley Harwayne. It helped to keep a notebook of our ideas."

Lynne describes her approach to professional development as hands on and interactive, using the gradual release of responsibility model. "Very practical and user-friendly--let's take it right back to the classroom."

Lynne has two goddaughters and three Welsh Corgi dogs. She recently acquired a husband, Ralph, who has the patience of a saint. "He supports me in all my endeavors and is my best friend." Lynne loves to plant flowers, read books, write poetry, and spend time at the seashore with her husband, friends, and goddaughters. She taught herself how to play the guitar and loves the old folk songs written by Peter, Paul, and Mary and Pete Seeger. She especially loves the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Morrison, and Gordon Lightfoot.

For the past fifteen years, Stacey has worked with writers and teachers of writers, inspiring them with the power of writing workshop. Stacey began her career in education teaching fifth grade at P.S. 171 in East Harlem, New York, and then fourth grade at The Learning Community, a public charter school in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Stacey now works as a literacy consultant and an adjunct professor. She is also the Chief of Operations and Lead Writer for Two Writing Teachers, a popular blog about the teaching of writing.

Stacey grew up in the New York Metropolitan Area and wanted to be a writer thanks to the inspiration of her first-grade teacher, Carol Snook, who used the writing workshop approach (in 1982) long before it was popular. She thought of becoming a teacher during college, but instead worked as an assistant editor for iVillage.com and did public relations for several small cosmetics companies. "With every press release I wrote, I realized my true calling was to work with children,” she says. Stacey earned her M.S. Ed. degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York and a master's degree in literacy from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Stacey specializes in mentor texts, conferring, and the routines of writing workshop. Her passion is helping teachers develop a writing identity. "When I was a classroom teacher, I wanted my students to live like writers. I realized my students needed to see my writing, hear my thinking about writing, and understand my struggles as a writer if I was going to have credibility when I conferred with them,” she says.  Seeing as teachers are the living, breathing authors in the room, Stacey believes teachers must sit beside students, as writers, and talk about their writing process so young writers can understand why and how craft moves are made. “Some teachers I’ve worked with don’t think they’re good writers. They’re paralyzed with fear because somewhere along the way they were made to feel afraid of writing. One of my greatest joys is helping teachers overcome their discomfort with writing so they can positively impact the lives of the children they teach by becoming a mentor author for their students.”

Stacey’s first Stenhouse book, Day By Day: Refining Writing Workshop Through 180 Days of Reflective Practice, co-authored with Ruth Ayres, provides teachers with daily encouragement, practical strategies, and advice to run an effective writing workshop that meets the needs of elementary writers. Her latest book, Craft Moves: Lesson Sets for Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts, includes more than 180 lessons to teach various craft moves found in children’s picture books that will help K-5 students become better writers.

In her free time, Stacey cooks, swims, and practices Pilates. A beach-lover, she dreams of living and writing by the sea when she “grows up.” For the foreseeable future, she lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband and daughter.

Review

Readers of Welcome to Writing Workshop will find themselves in sure hands. Stacey Shubitz and Lynne Dorfman know classrooms and young writers inside and out. The authors clearly explain the workshop, and how it differs from traditional teaching. The inclusion of short, punchy video clips makes this resource-friendly and enormously practical.” – Ralph Fletcher, author of Joy Write: Cultivating High-Impact, Low-Stakes Writing -- Ralph Fletcher, Back Cover

“If you’re looking for ways to infuse new life into your writing workshop or a lifeline to get started, Welcome to Writing Workshop is for you. Stacey and Lynne share practical, quick, and doable ways to make the research-based writing process work in your classroom.” – Jeff Anderson, author of Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language, Grades 1-5

-- Jeff Anderson, Back Cover

“In a treasure chest of every imaginable detail, Stacey and Lynne show teachers, no matter where they are in this journey, how to transform writing workshop into the child-focused process it was always meant to be.” – Mary Howard, Literacy Consultant and author of Good to Great Teaching

-- Mary Howard, Back Cover

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1625311664
• ISBN 13: 9781625311665
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 236