Loosely based on Columbia College's Writers' Workshop, I bring classes some the best writing strategies form some 40 years teaching and performing as a storyteller/musician. Sessions are spun with engaging, age appropriate activities that guide students through spoken word into a joyful writing experience. I encourage students to try, with passion, courage and playfulness and help them to see that they have everything inside them to create beautiful, funny, touching, personal, fictional or non-fictional narratives. In a phone collaboration with teachers we choose either a broad base writers' workshop or one specific part of the writing process that could use a boost. My aim is to draw forth the spirited energy that will help students craft that part of their narrative.
A sample "playshop" starts with modeling the main goal, continues with a quick warm-up activity, then we explore the main content area, and end by teaching a simple fun trick (Why a trick? It creates little connection from school to home and acts as an entree into a discussion about our writing process).
Here is quick sampling of 5 possible workshop areas in a Personal Narrative Unit.
GENERATING IDEAS: We jump start a personal narrative unit by collecting a sack full of "seed moments" from the treasure box of our lives.
SHAPING THE FRAMEWORK: We use a cast of listeners (stuffed animals), to help shape our stories into a creative graphic organizer.
WRITING GREAT LEADS: We strive to write leads that will grab hold of our readers/listeners and launch them into wonder of our stories.
REVISING: We "relive" key moments from our stories and aim to stretch them out with tiny juicy details.
SHARING OUR STORIES: We learn to use our facial expressions, gestures, and inflection to read our writing with gusto.
