Using the Workshop Approach in the High School English Classroom : Modeling Effective Writing, Reading, and Thinking Strategies for Student Success

by Cynthia D. Urbanski

• ISBN13: 9781412925488
• ISBN10: 1412925487
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-13
• Publisher: Corwin Pr

Summary

Take a peek into an effective workshop-based classroom, and discover how you can enhance adolescents' technical and creative abilities in reading, writing, and thinking.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
By Lillian Brannon
Acknowledgments	xiii
About the Author	xv
1. Running and Writing	1	(10)
The Workshop Culture: A Study of Coaching	5	(3)
Conclusions and Mission	8	(3)
2. Who Writes the Rule Book Anyway? Accountability, Tests, and the History of Rhetoric	11	(12)
A Bit of History	12	(3)
And What About the Other Parts of My Curriculum?	15	(3)
Testing and Accountability	18	(3)
Conclusions	21	(1)
Suggested Reading	21	(2)
3. Coaching and Teaching by Doing: Modeling Thinking, Writing, and Reading	23	(30)
A Horror Story in Two Scenes	24	(2)
Scene I: Sunday Night Back in the Dark Ages	24	(1)
Scene II: Sunday Night One Week Later	25	(1)
Modeling: A Simple Concept With Huge Benefits	26	(6)
Modeling Gives Us Fresh Experiences to Draw From	26	(1)
Modeling Can Transform Our Classrooms	26	(2)
Modeling Fosters Authentic Learning	28	(2)
Modeling Will Supercharge Our Planning Time	30	(2)
Modeling in Our Classrooms: What Do We Do?	32	(17)
Modeling Concepts for Writing	32	(4)
A Lesson in Modeling Writing	36	(5)
Modeling Concepts for Reading	41	(3)
A Lesson in Modeling Close Reading and Analysis	44	(5)
Conclusions: Pulling It All Together and Coming Full Circle	49	(4)
4. Warming Up the Writing Muscles: Two Tools for Invention	53	(16)
Free Writing	53	(9)
What Is Free Writing...Really?	54	(1)
Why Does Free Writing Work?	55	(2)
Application: Helping Our Students Discover the Magic	57	(4)
A Lesson in Free Writing	61	(1)
The Last Word on Free Writing	62	(1)
Daybooks: A Place to Store Free Writing and Thinking	62	(6)
Conclusions	68	(1)
5. The Practice Field: Building Strength and Confidence in Writing and Literary Analysis	69	(30)
Types of Practice	71	(26)
Reader Response and Invention	72	(11)
In-Class Drafting and Revision	83	(3)
Types and Progression of Assignments as Practice	86	(11)
Conclusions	97	(2)
6. Race Day: Evaluation and the Idea of Grammar	99	(22)
Grammar in Context	100	(5)
The Bottom Line on Grammar	102	(1)
A Grammar Lesson	103	(1)
A Word of Caution	104	(1)
For Further Ideas...	105	(1)
A Word About Standards	105	(1)
Watching the Race: Evaluating Student Writing	106	(11)
Grading Practice Writing Without Eradicating Its Purpose	106	(1)
Grading Response Journals or Daybooks	107	(1)
Grading Published Pieces	108	(9)
Portfolios: Looking at the Whole Season and Student Growth Over Time	117	(3)
Conclusions	120	(1)
Suggested Reading	120	(1)
7. Responding as a Spectator: The Writing Conference	121	(24)
Why Conference Anyway?	124	(5)
A Trek Through a Conference Log	129	(3)
Writing Conventions/Skills in Context	129	(3)
A 50-Minute Tutoring Session Translated Into a 90-Minute Class	132	(3)
Basic Behavior in the Writing Conference	135	(3)
A Close-Up Look at a Conference	138	(5)
Conclusions	143	(2)
8. Becoming Independent: Writing and Literature Groups	145	(18)
A Scenario: Student Writing as Class Literature	146	(2)
Student Response to Groups	147	(1)
How to Make Groups Work	148	(10)
Model Functional Groups	149	(1)
Provide Structure and Incentive	150	(6)
Help Students Find Their Own Structure	156	(2)
What About the Kid Who Doesn't Buy Into Group Work?	158	(1)
Timing	159	(1)
Writing Groups	159	(1)
Literature Groups	160	(1)
Conclusions	160	(1)
Suggested Reading	161	(2)
Epilogue: Why Teachers Coach	163	(2)
References	165	(2)
Index	167