Writing Mindset Fall Teaching Writing Workshops

Fall 2022

The Fall Teaching Writing Series is for all teachers of writing from upper elementary educators all the way through high school. The Fall Teaching Writing Series will be a four-part release of writing workshops focused on personal narrative writing, argumentative writing, informational writing, and research writing. Each workshop will include a genre overview, helpful resources, step-by-step lesson instructions, troubleshooting tips, and example assignments you can use in your classroom tomorrow.

Personal Narrative Writing Workshop

Course Outline

Each workshop is made up of 10 modules that allow you to skip around based on your needs. You will have access to all content material and see tons of examples of assignments that will work for your classroom. 

Module 1: What is personal narrative writing?

• Genre information

• Choosing a topic

• Pre-writing/Brainstorming

• Drafting

• Revising/Editing

Resource: Writing Traits Checklist for Personal Narrative Writing

Module 2: What are examples of personal narrative assignments you can use?

• List of example assignments

Resource: 30+ Ideas for Personal Narrative Writing Projects

Module 3: What are the teaching parts of narrative writing?

• Setting

• Characters

• Plot (Clear beginning, middle, and end)

• Conflict

• Descriptive language: Sensory details (Show, Don't Tell)

• Descriptive language: Snapshots, thoughtshots, and scene writing

• Figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia

• Hooks/Leads/Attention Grabbers

• Theme

Resource: List for Teaching Character Snapshots

Resource: List for Teaching Setting Snapshots

Module 4: What are the steps for instruction?

• Introduction of project

• Step-by-step walkthrough of instructional steps

• Cheatsheet for lesson planning

Resource: Cheatsheet for lesson planning (Time estimates for instruction)

Module 5: How do I use mentor texts to help instruction?

• Picture books

• Book talks

• Chapter books

Resource: Picture Book Resource List

Resource: Bonus Walkthrough of Example Mentor Texts (Irregular Verbs and Adjectives)

Module 6: Example Assignment #1-100 Things I Love

• Assignment directions

• Step-by-step walkthrough of instructional steps

• Ready-to-use resources

Resource: Ready-To-Use Assignment Materials

Module 7: Example Assignment #2-34-Word Stories

• Assignment directions

• Step-by-step walkthrough of instructional steps

• Ready-to-use resources

Resource: Ready-To-Use Assignment Materials

Module 8: Example Assignment #3- This I Believe Essays

• Assignment directions

• Step-by-step walkthrough of instructional steps

• Ready-to-use resources

Resource: Ready-To-Use Assignment Materials

Module 9: What are some tips for grading personal narrative?

• Writing conferences

• Hop-checks

• Rubric codes

Resource: Writing Conference Template

Resource: Rubric Codes for Grading

Module 10: Trouble-shooting and additional information

Argumentative Writing Workshop

Informational Writing Workshop

Fall Teaching Writing Workshop Series Information

Maybe it is your first year teaching or maybe it is your tenth or beyond. These workshops are designed to provide enough guidance if you are starting out teaching writing to kids or if you want to revise your techniques. You will find clear engagement strategies that have been proven in my own classroom for the past 12 years, and you can use the resources right away. Think of me as the person in your classroom with you that answers the question:

“How do I even teach this?”

Who needs these courses:

• You are a teacher that teaches 4th-8th grade or high school students. 

• You are unclear about how to teach a personal narrative writing project or want to improve your practice.

• You feel like your kids' writing just isn't that great. Maybe an instructional step was missing. 

• You know some of the parts to teach with this type of writing, but you also want to deepen your knowledge about the subject.

What is included in these workshops?

Each workshop is designed to give you an overview of the genre of the overall writing project. You will have access to genre information to help give ideas about assignments you can make on your own. You will also have access to three ready-to-use assignments that you can print and go teach in your classroom the next day. The goal will be to give you resources to help spark your teaching imagination to light up the engagement in your own classroom. 

How are the workshops formatted?

Each workshop will feature video content, overhead desk recordings, and Loom screen recordings to access again and again. Each course is designed to NOT feel like a lecture. The tone is that of the classroom teacher next door who came over to give you the advice you were looking for on an assignment. The goal is always to provide access to assignments you may want to use in your classroom. I have personally taught the example assignments in my sixth-grade classroom for many years. 

How do I access the courses?

If you enroll in the course during a pre-sale period to get a better price, you will have immediate access to the course on launch day. If you enroll in the course on launch day, your access will be immediate. You will have access to the course materials for at least 90 days. All workshops are offered through the Thinkific platform.

Writing Mindset is a blog for everyone that focuses on using a notebook to build a more positive life. On the blog, I talk about my new journey with motherhood, finding wellness, and journaling and planning strategies. When I am not writing, you can find me talking about teaching, cooking up a new recipe from Pinterest, and enjoying a fresh cup of coffee.