Bethany Pitman

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When I began my semester of student-teaching, I was in awe of the effect my cooperating teacher, Juanita Hill, had on her students. Unlike many classes, the students who walked into her classroom were not only ready to learn the craft of reading and writing, they were excited about it. I had never seen a middle school student look forward to writing a poem or race his friend to the front of the classroom to read the newest novel on the shelf. As the semester progressed, and I began to take over the classroom, I realized the love her students had for reading and writing was special. As I left Juanita's classroom for the last time, my dream was to have a similar effect on my future students.

While Juanita was an excellent teacher, her "mysterious power" to make kids love reading and writing came to her from another teacher/consultant. Juanita introduced me to Nancie Atwell's Reading/Writing Workshop, a cutting-edge technique used to teach reading and writing. The Workshop, which is based on the curriculum and studies of Atwell, focuses on creating lifelong readers and writers.

This year, my third year of teaching, I was selected to complete an internship in Maine at The Center for Teaching and Learning. In November, I spent a week in Atwell's classroom shadowing her as she taught the Reading/Writing Workshop to her students. This opportunity allowed me to fine-tune the skills I learned through student teaching and reading Atwell's books.

Through the Writing Workshop, students learn to write successfully many different genres of writing, from poetry and memoirs to research papers and literature analysis letters. The Writing Workshop is unique because it allows students to learn the craft of writing while receiving instruction that is catered to each student's needs. While the Workshop does teach grammar, conventions, and vocabulary, the focus is on implementing the conventions so that each student can find and develop his/her unique voice as a writer.

The Reading Workshop, also based on Atwell's curriculum, gives students a chance to grow into life-long readers. Depending on the class, students are expected to complete between 75 and 100 pages of reading each week. Through author talks, peer- reviewed book talks, individual discussions with each student, and an extensive classroom library of novels, students learn to find the genres and styles they love to read. This process allows a student to read at a level that is appropriate for his/her ability. While students are often given the luxury of choosing their own books, the entire class does some reading units together that teach the classics and important events in history. This year classic novels such as The Pearl by John Steinbeck and Night by Ellie Wiesel will be covered as well as award-winning young-adult books like The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Mississippi Trial 1955 by Chris Crowe. By the end of the year, the average student will read anywhere from ten to twenty-five novels, depending on their length and the reading ability of the student.

The beauty of the Workshop is that it covers the same things as a classical English class, but it does it in a very different way which appeals to students. I love that the Workshop has brought me out from behind the desk, and it has given me a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with each writer and reader on an individual basis.

My current eighth graders enjoy the Workshop, and they recognize the value of daily reading and writing. "I really like this way of reading and writing. I get to finish and read more books because it keeps me going every week. The writing part is very beneficial because we get to write creatively and we learn more about each topic before we move on to the next," says Bailey Johnson, a student in the Honors class. Students also recognize that the Workshop is special and is different than any English class they have taken in the past or will take in the future. "The Reading/Writing Workshop is not like most English classes," Alyssa Schmidt says, "It is much easier to understand and you learn more than just your basic English class. I'm way more involved."

While the students do write for three days a week, they do not find it to be boring or monotonous. "I prefer this style of class because we're able to express ourselves and we get to work on our own schedule," states Aidan Osborne, a student in the Honors class. "The Workshop is way more interesting (than the average English class), and I learn more too," says Daniella Milroy. "I like this Reading/Writing Workshop because I've learned how to write stories and poems," says Chrystal Mckiski who just began writing a short story.

The Workshop's effects carry on into high school as well. Students from this year's freshmen class, the first to complete the Workshop, have returned frequently to tell me about the new book they read for fun over the weekend or check in and tell me about their writing. The Workshop not only develops life-long skills but an environment and relationship that welcomes and encourages students to continue reading and writing far beyond the eighth grade.

For more information on the reading/writing workshop visit a current article from the New York Times here.