Students as Writers

Beginning in the middle of grade 1, at the end of each unit students share their selected, finished writing from the Author's Chair. During this time, a student sits in the chair, reads her writing, and shows her illustrations. The class then talks with the author about her writing.

Lessons for "Author's Chair Sharing" help students learn to:

• Celebrate their accomplishments
• Take pride in their work
• Speak in a loud, clear voice
• Be good listeners
• Express interest in and appreciation for one another's writing
• Discuss one another's writing in a caring and respectful way

Writer's Workshop

Students familiar with the writer's workshop concept will experience:

• Immersion in each genre by hearing examples of good writing
• Taking ownership of and responsibility for their writing
• Learning ways to get new ideas
• Choosing their own topics
• Participating in teacher-student conferences
• Writing original drafts
• Taking pieces of writing through the writing process:
  • Prewriting
  • Drafting
  • Revising
  • Proofreading
  • Publishing
• Writing for real audiences
• Sharing from the Author's Chair
• Learning elements of genre by analyzing what authors do