Independent Writing
The goal of independent writing time is to provide time for students to develop a habit of writing and view themselves as writers by writing daily inside and outside of school. Students have the opportunity to choose their own topics for writing within genres and apply what they have learned independently.
Writing Conferences and Small Group Writing Instruction
While students engage in independent writing, the teacher conducts one-to-one conferences or holds small, guided writing groups to provide feedback and lift students’ ability within a targeted writing skill/strategy. The goal is to broaden students’ knowledge base as writers and strengthen their proficiency with the writing process so they can be successful writers when writing independently.
Sharing
The goal of sharing is for students to see themselves as writers and value other writers’ feedback. The teacher provides an opportunity for all students to come together as a community of learners to reflect on their writing. Students have the opportunity to share their writing and receive feedback and learn from other writers.
Mini-Lesson
The goal of the mini-lesson is for students to become skilled with the writing process. The teacher plans an appropriate, daily mini-lesson that meets the needs of the writers in the classroom by explicitly teaching a “how to” lesson that focuses on a specific goal to make the strategy or thinking of a writer “visible.”
