Writing Circles: Kids Revolutionize Workshop

by James Vopat

Listen to a with Jim Vopat and Harvey "Smokey" Daniels. "Ever wish there was a structure that let kids work collaboratively to generate writing topics, complete drafts, learn and practice positive ways of response, and develop published pieces? To give every kid in the class a feeling of success, a sense of what it means to be a writer? Writing Circles are here to grant those wishes." - Jim Vopat If literature circles work with your readers, Jim Vopat has exciting peer-led small groups are just as effective with writers. Read Writing Circles and find out how Vopat helps you get started with circles and shows how they can help you achieve instructional goals. He includes step-by-step guidance for implementation and assessment, activities that make management smooth, and minilessons that scaffold growth in skills, topic selection, and craft. Writing Circles are a revolution, not an evolution, in writing workshop-the missing link between independent student writing and whole-group instruction.Try them with your students; give kids the space, safety, and support they need; and see why circles are as powerful for writers as they are for readers. " Writing Circles is that elusive something new under the sun, a genuine departure and an exciting step ahead. It's what's next. And it is also something big.... If you are already using literature circles or book clubs in your classroom, you will immediately see how fresh and engaging Writing Circles is." -Harvey "Smokey" Daniels Author of Mini-lessons for Literature Circles and Literature Circles, Second Edition

Genres: Teaching, Education, Professional Development, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 2009

Reviews

[Deborah]

Although this writer has some good ideas for teaching strategies, I just couldn't get over the fact that teachers really don't matter in his vision. There is a contradiction there, it seems. I guess I just don't know enough 4th graders who are such self-motivated writers that they can choose their own topics and genres and then monitor each other's progress and performance to the extent this book argues. The best thing about the book was some ideas for getting kids to respond to others' writing.

[K Ogie]

Writing Circles was an extremely informative and effective teaching practice for students who are strugglingwith engagement in writing. Many teachers would be disposed to.discover how ready.this method oid and how itd an excellent way tip get attend to colorways during the learning of writing. They tereach other, less planning and preparation for the teacher. Vopat writes.with.such easease it feels like talking to a colleague. Great book if you are interested in ending students on a new writing experience.

[Tim]

I like the ideas in here, but I'll probably just use them in an abbreviated way next year.

I need a second read.

[Audrey]

Interesting ideas to put into play.

[Brenda Barner]

First book on Writing Workshop format that actually worked in my classroom. It is great for differentiation and peer groups.