Teachers...Does anyone use the workshop model in your 45 minute English class?

My A.P. and I have had long discussions about this and have different views on the subject. What does the stucture of your class look like? Would you be willing to share a sample lesson plan? Thanks so very much!

Re: Teachers...Does anyone use the workshop model in your 45 minute English class?

Ahhhh...the wretched workshop model...causing drama in MS 3xx since 2003...

Seriously, I like the workshop model, but disagree that it's the be-all, end-all. We are pretty much being forced to use it, which does not bother me, but other people hate it. I think that has more to do with the way it's been implemented.

A sample class (90 minutes) of mine goes like this:

Silent Reading (25 minutes)
Read Aloud or Word Work (20 minutes)
Then the actual workshop (reading or writing):
Connection/Mini-Lesson (15 minutes)
Active Engagement/Quick Share (5-7 minutes)
Independent Work (20 minutes)
Share (5 minutes)

We are having a lot of debate about this- we have a 90 minute block and I know the suits expect us to do a Reading AND a Writing WS in that block, which I really think is not feasible. For example, I lost about 15 minutes of class the other day because 2 different parents came to my door. So I came up with the above format, and it's working for me and the kids so far.

My kids are working on a big writing project, so today I'll have an extended independent work block so I can get in some conferences and the lesson will be a re-cap of the writing lessons I taught this week (multi-genre project, I threw a lot at them!)

If you want a sample lesson, FM me an email addy and I'll send you a couple. Hope this helps.

Re: Teachers...Does anyone use the workshop model in your 45 minute English class?

I teach 1st grade, so I have them do independent reading in the AM while I check homework. Then, after we do our calender work, we do word work for about 20 minutes. They love this because they have learned so many words and their spelling has improved tremendously!!! Then at some point in the day, depending on the schedule, we do the mini lesson, which never is 7 minutes long. I personally like to talk with them and have them add input. They then read for another 15 minutes while I conference, then SOMETIMES, yes sometimes, we share. My kids can read. They read well. They roll their eyes if we share how we used a strategy or whatever. Then we'll do a writing mini lesson. I'll do the writing example wtih them, such as all about books-I model for them on each aspect of the writing process on the chart paper, then they go back and write. Granted, NOT EVERYONE WRITES!!! That is stressful! Plus, the ones who do write want to show me EVERYTHING which is great, but with 28 kids, I like to get to each child and do a 30 second conference. Easier said than done. Anyway, 90 minutes? Not enough time! Math usually gets finished faster than 90 minutes so we borrow from the math block!