Readers/Writers’ Workshop

My district has launched a few Language Arts initiatives.

I applaud Reading Renaissance. In essence, the Powers-that-Be (PTBs) that our students were not reading enough. Therefore, by official decree, during the 2011-2012 school year, students must read a minimum of 40 books. That’s 20 books per semester or 10 books each nine weeks.

I agree with Reading Renaissance. I want my kids reading more and I’ve always launched my own initiatives to get my students to read.

While I applaud the idea, the reality is not what I believe my preAP students need. My preAP students, who were already fond of reading, are reading books far below grade level (which does not prepare them for the AP test) in an effort to meet the 20 books per semester goal set by Reading Renaissance. “Meaty” books require too much time to read and digest so they read easy books instead. Reading Renaissance, I feel, emphasizes quantity over quality.  

Another initiative is Readers Workshop (which goes by several similar names). In Readers Workshop, students read self-selected books and then respond to their reading, usually in a composition book. Whole class novels have been banned by the PTBs.

I make no bones about being a “Literature Circle” teacher. In Literature Circles, students read a book together. They may read silently, they may listen to an audiobook, or they may read aloud. The choice is theirs. They then respond to the reading in their notebooks and share their responses. Their responses form the basis of the day’s discussion over the book. Literature Circles turn the solo activity of reading into a communal activity.

Readers Workshop, I feel,  returns reading to a solo activity.

Writers Workshop is writing, portfolio-style. The students are given time and prompts to write or respond to. The students determine which of their writings they wish to polish for publication. Steps are taken to improve grammar, organization, spelling, details and elaboration, etc. Many of the editing and revision steps take place within a pair or small group. Writing shifts between both communal and solitary experiences.

I like Writers Workshop. It provides students with the opportunities to write and polish with their peers.

The sixth grade Language Arts teachers have implemented Book Club to supplement Readers Workshop with social activities. Students volunteer to form reading groups based on their interest in particular books. Students decide the calendar for the group.

I’ve joined the sixth grade teachers in Book Club. It’s closer to Literature Circles and well within my zone of tolerance. However, Book Club relies on students who volunteer to attend the early morning meetings. The students who attend tend to be students who are already turned on to reading. It fails to reach the reluctant readers, those who ride the bus, or students who need to attend math tutorials (held on Wednesdays).