Writing+Workshop-Mini-Lessons

= What is a Mini-Lesson? =
 * = Direct Instruction =
 * = ONLY 5 - 15 minutes =
 * = Authentic (taught in context) Lessons-based on what the students are doing. =
 * = My notes from conferences give me more than enough ideas. =

Question ~ What comes first ... the students or the lessons?

**Examples**:

 * == If most of them are learning how to use a writer's notebook, my mini-lessons are about that. What kinds of things do I collect? How do I look for a subject? ==


 * == If it is in the beginning of the year, a lot of my mini-lessons are procedural. ==
 * == What are the rules of the workshop? ==
 * == Where may you talk? Where is it forbidden? For how long may you talk? ==
 * == What do you do if you are stuck and the teacher is busy? ==
 * == What kind of daily "work" is required and available in order to receive a satisfactory daily grade? ==
 * == Where do you turn in your "work" for the day? ==


 * == Sometimes, instead of lecturing, I give them a short exercise to do together, again based on what I see them doing. ==


 * == If many of them are responding to books in their notebooks at plot level only, I model how to formulate questions that might lead them to the point of the story. ==

﻿  ﻿ What ISN'T a Mini-Lesson?
 * == Sometimes I have had students brainstorm types of notebook entries or questions good readers/writers ask on mural paper and then we hang it. ==
 * Skills taught in isolation (teacher models, student complete worksheets)
 * A "Teach and Leave" (teach the skill - never to be discussed again)

What could a Writing Mini-Lesson consist of?
 * Procedures
 * How to Use One's Notebook
 * "Touchstone" texts to elicit response or to use as a model or mentor text.
 * Strategies Writers Use
 * Qualities of Good Writing

Six Strategies for Teaching a Mini-Lesson
 * 1) **Read Great Literature** ~ Provide exemplary models for students to emulate.
 * 2) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Study Writing** ~ Analyze student writing or writing in books, picture books, articles, comics, etc.
 * 3) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Model the process** ~ Demonstrate for the students how to do //something// step by step - actually show the students by going through the entire process.
 * 4) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Shared Writing** ~ Engage the students by including their thoughts and opinions in a modeled process
 * 5) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Guide the writers** ~ Teach how, support while students practice, and praise
 * 6) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Apply** ~ Students practice writing independently with authentic content.

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