Teaching
writers workshop digitally equals one word, yikes! I love teaching a writing
class in person. Working side by side with students to help them grow in their
craft as writers is simply the best. How can I possibly continue my writer's
workshop style of instruction if we have to go digital this year? Let me share
that these were only a few of my worries as I planned my writing instruction
for the 2020 school year. I like to believe that wherever there is a big
problem, there is a solution somewhere just waiting to be found. After much
stress eating and brainstorming, I finally found a way to continue teaching
writing the way I love no matter what the school year throws at me. Take that
2020! Read more as I share my solution to my writing instruction dilemma.
Right now, I
am teaching in a hybrid model. This means that I see one group of students on
Monday and Tuesday. Then I see my second group of students on Thursday and
Friday. Wednesday everyone including teachers is at home doing distance
learning. When my kiddos are with me, I am free to teach my workshop writing
instruction as I always have. However, I still want my students to be able to
continue their writing pieces during “at home learning” days. So, this year my kiddos
are using a new writer’s notebook, a digital one!
Here’s Why I
Am Loving Digital Writer’s Notebooks So Far:
1.) There is
no concern about forgetting a hard copy notebook at home or school as my kiddos
travel between, “at home” or, “in-person” learning days.
2.) I can
still use the same graphic organizers that I use every year (because they are
digital now).
3.) I can keep
the same workshop model even when my students are at home.
4.) Everything
is easily organized in Google Classroom for my kiddos and me hallelujah!
How Digital
Writer’s Notebooks Work:
A digital
writer’s notebook is just like the notebooks I set up with my students in
person each year, except instead of using a binder we’re using computers and
Google Classroom. Once I made a copy of the Google Slides presentation (the
notebook), I assigned the whole notebook to my students in Google Classroom
(with no due date). HEADS UP! Be sure to click, “make each student a copy” when
you assign the presentation, trust me sister you don’t want to forget that!
Once assigned, I can work with my students both in class and digitally
throughout the entire writing process using the premade slides. It has been so
much easier to keep track of my student's work than having them submit
countless Google Docs.
Why My Students Love Digital Writer’s
Notebooks:
1.) Easy for
them to use
2.) Bright,
colorful, and fun pictures
3.) They don’t
have a physical notebook that they have to keep track of
Right now we
are in our Personal Narrative writing unit and have just started using digital
writer’s notebooks. Instead of overwhelming stress, I am now feeling prepared
(I know shocker considering it’s 2020 and we can’t seem to prepare for anything
these days). I feel prepared because now I know that no matter what the school
year brings, hybrid, in person, or distance learning, I have a tool that will
help me continue to teach writing the way I love. If you want to check out some
of the digital write’s notebooks I will be using with my students this year,
click HERE.
