Points out ways (writing, presenting, reflection) that the Writing Project hones skills and makes sharp once again teachers worn down by the daily grind of teaching. (SR)

Observations, interviews, and reflections involving 14 older adults participating in a weekly writing workshop revealed a significant impact on reading and writing, use of a broader range of genres, development of a sense of literacy as a community endeavor, and opportunities for life review and psychological integration. (SK)

Describes a method of helping students to invent characters in the context of a creative writing workshop for undergraduates. Considers how students draw composition characters for which they can write a profile using the surrealist technique of "exquisite corpses." Uses student work to illustrate how such characters feed into the story…

The acknowledged expert on the 6+1 traits of writing explains what the traits are and what they are not: The traits are not a curriculum; they are part and parcel of the writing process; they are a model, not a program; they are not a prepackaged replacement for teaching writing; and they are the language of the writing workshop. The author…

The purpose of this action research project is to motivate elementary students in writing, specifically in the areas of creativity, detail, and accuracy. The teacher researchers wanted to develop self-motivated and knowledgeable writers. This project was conducted from September 2nd, 2008 to January 30th, 2009. The targeted students enjoyed…

The well-planned writing workshop is an effective tool for expanding the mathematical discourse of students and helping them become more skillful writers in the discipline. This article reviews a step-by-step process for conducting a workshop and details different reader response strategies. It also offers suggestions for various types of…

A six-week long intervention that introduced second graders to poetry writing is described in this article, ending in a classroom "poetry cafe" culminating event. This article details the established classroom "writing workshop" structure and environment and the perceptions and observations of how students responded to the instruction. Four poetry…

This paper explores a new youth movement, spoken word, and the role it plays in identity development for many disenfranchised youth. Often addressing issues of identity, politics, gender, and power relations, young performance poets are carving out a critical public and educative space where they can speak "who they are." There is a…

In this inquiry study, teachers will learn about or refine their understanding of the components of Reading and Writing Workshop. They will begin by living as writers themselves and then explore how to create supportive contexts for the learners in their classrooms. Video footage from a number of classrooms will serve as a series of possibilities…

A school board member in Gilman, Wisconsin, started a literary awards program to improve student writing. Students compete for prizes, and at the end of each year the winning entries are published in a literary magazine. (MLF)

Advances the idea of using the workshop format for basic writers' development as writers. Finds that workshops generate conversations and discussions that encourage social, political, and economic awareness to help basic writers discover who and where they are in society. (PA)

Describes how the author worked to create a writing program that was more aligned with her philosophy of education. Notes how she worked hard to give students choice in their activities so as to provide them with the chance to take ownership in a few areas of their learning. Focuses on what other researchers and educators had to say about writing…

Describes the incorporation of thematic teaching into the author's Reading-Writing Workshop class. Shares a few activities from one coming-of-age unit that increased engagement and helped students generate writing topics that genuinely interested them and related to the same theme. (SG)

Presents a survey that asks three educators to comment on the positive and negative results of the writing workshop tradition in America. Considers the ways in which the workshop has come to reflect contemporary notions of education, the relationship between the writer and the audience, and the nature of the imagination. (SG)

Suggests that the interplay between illustrative objectivity and artistic impression is nearly the same, in essence, in the imagery of poetry and in the imagery of painting. Discusses the nature and function of imagery in poetry and visual art. Describes the dilemma of attempting to convince students to "show" rather than…