Writing Circles in the Classroom Next Year

It is interesting to think about how I will use "Writing Circles" in the classroom next year.  I plan to have my kids use this to help reflect on what they are doing in science, since this will be what I am teaching. I'd ideally like them to meet at least on Fridays and one other day out of the week.  However, this will depend on how we set up the scheduling.  Block scheduling has been mentioned. There is writing in everything! I could use this to help assess what kids are learning in science by creating different ways for students for students to respond to a theme. Keeping a three ring binder would allow students the opportunity to add to drafts, or pieces that they have started.

I'd like to work with my homeroom class to use this methodology so that we could try to build community amongst one another. Many of the demonstration lessons that colleagues have shared during our time at the Summer Institute fell right into step with this book and for helping to build community. Writing can be such a personal experience, and I believe that this experience can help students to open up to one another and begin to share ideas and personal experiences.

For my Professional Development and for my Teacher Research Project, I plan to present the opportunity for my colleagues to participate in reading this book and responding to one another online in a blog.  Then, following the reading, teachers should select one aspect of "Writing Circles" to implement and create a way to assess how well students are responding to the implementation.  Teachers should also reflect on the impact of  "Writing Circles" in the classroom.

It is my hope that this will change the way my school community reflects on writing, by using this in addition to our Lucy Caulkins adopted approach to help make our writing more productive and our writing time more effective.  I'm really looking forward to implementing this approach.