Writer's Workshop...after the holidays

When the children returned to school the first week after the winter holidays, it was time for them to enter their January writing sample in the monthly writing journal. They wrote about everything from waking up on Christmas morning to staying up on New Year's Eve. We had stories about going to Disney World and going to grandma's house. After the children were finished writing their stories, we asked them to go back to August's sample and see if they could easily read that writing? How about September's? When students flipped through their writing books, they found it hard to read. We discussed how much they have grown as writers and how important it is to write everyday. The journal they write in monthly is about five pieces of white construction paper, folded in half and each page slightly raised so that the names of the months are shown. At the beginning of the each month, a writing sample is taken so that student's writing growth can be easily assessed. They are free to write about any topic they choose. This is a wonderful way to glance at a student's work-over-time and for each child to feel proud of their writing growth!