Bright Spots: The Workshop Model
Dear Educator,
As a former English Language Arts teacher I know how critical it is to get kids reading, making meaning, and discussing their ideas related to various texts. However, too often I see teachers doing the reading or playing the recording, students listening (sometimes), group discussions or lectures where teachers and just a few students are talking, and “comprehension” is relegated to answering surface level questions.??
I totally understand why this happens and the urgency that many feel to get through the text, keep everyone on track, and cover the standards. I also know that those who are doing the reading and thinking are doing the learning. Sometimes we confuse teaching a novel or a short passage with teaching the skills that students need to master the desired standards.?
I loved using the workshop model when I taught middle school as it allowed me to focus on important skills, model strategies, and have students practice them—often in texts of their choice.?
This week’s Bright Spot highlights a school-wide focus on the workshop model, in high school!?
With Gratitude,
We want to hear from you! Share your Learner-Centered Bright Spot with us?here.
BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK
The Workshop Model
I recently had the opportunity to work with and visit Liberty Public Schools in Missouri where the team is guided by a question that I really appreciate: “How do we take what we already do and enhance it? How do you 2.0?”?
During our time together we visited Liberty North High School and the leadership team highlighted some of their key practices, including their “Workshop Model,” which I was excited to check out at the high school level.?
As I walked through the building I saw students in small nooks reading books of their choice. I observed mini lessons in history class focused on inferencing. There were facilitated discussions on complex texts happening among small groups. In large common areas with flexible seating students were engaged and doing what they needed whether they were working in small groups, individually, or with the teacher. As a result, students at all levels were getting what they needed to develop and use reading strategies, engage with complex texts that mattered to them, and practice the skills with authentic texts.
Reading and making meaning from a variety of texts is one of the foundational skills for all learners and I loved seeing a high school dedicated to a reader’s workshop model that provides all learners with choice and agency in their reading instruction across content areas.?
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What models do you use so all students are building the skills and practices they need? Comment on this newsletter to share or tag me @katiemartinedu and #LCBrightSpots on social.
领英推荐
RESOURCE ROUNDUP
These resources all focus on teaching practices that yield learning, not just coverage of standards.
1. Disciplinary Literacy. Reading, writing, thinking, and participating look different across subject areas and learning the constructs of various disciplines ultimately grows “literacy.”?
2. Reader’s Workshop. A veteran educator, who was new to the workshop model, shares the Do’s and Don’ts of Implementing Readers Workshop.
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3. Out With Popcorn Reading, In With Strategies. See how shifting team meetings from “what content and page number are we teaching this week” to applying research-based strategies aligned to student needs improved reading proficiency at a middle school in Shifting from Teaching to Learning.
4. New podcast episode! Bostonia Global's Nerel Winter is my guest on the latest Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast and he shares his experiences and insights on creating a learner-centered high school within a traditional district system. Listen now to Episode 24: The School Where Kids Design Their Own Education.
LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!
What Bright Spots have you experienced in a workshop model?
Share your #LCBrightSpots on social media!
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