Letting the red pen go!

One of our district goals this year is to improve our students' writing.  In order to do so, the teachers are participating in several professional development workshops to learn and further understand how to successfully execute Writer's Workshop.
The workshop has three parts to it. The first being the focus lesson. This is where I talk and the kids listen. I teach a particular craft that I am looking to see in their writing. For example, using a good "hook" at the beginning of your writing piece to "catch" your reader's attention.
During independent writing time, which is the second part of the workshop, the students try to incorporate this craft.  My job is to walk around and confer with students. At this time, I am not editing their work with my red pen! :) Instead, I am looking for a goal for the writer to focus on. This is to improve their writing skills.  This information is important because what you see coming home will be the students' work and not my work.  You will see misspelled words and I will encourage the students to apply the pattern rules they learn in phonics to their writing. What happens in phonics, doesn't stay in phonics!
The third part is group share. This is where they can express themselves and learn from others.  They pick a piece to read out loud and their classmates can compliment them.  Who doesn't love a compliment!

I am very excited for Writer's Workshop! I can't wait to hear from these great authors!