About this Workshop

This two-day workshop will help you get writing instruction off to a fantastic start this school year. How? Carl Anderson will help you hone your skills with three of the most essential skills for teaching students to write well: assessing student writers, differentiating instruction for them, and teaching them about author’s craft and the writing process. During the workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies you’ll be able to use right away to lift the level of writing instruction in your classroom and accelerate your students’ growth as writers across the school year.

Drawing upon his 30 years of experience working with teachers around the world, and his many foundational books on teaching writing, Carl Anderson will give you a unique learning experience. By the end of the weekend, you’ll be able to apply what you learn successfully in your teaching.

The workshop will focus on these three essential aspects of teaching writing:

1.Setting assessment-based writing goals for students. In the first part of the workshop, Carl will discuss how to use multiple lenses to get to know your students as writers, and with the information you gather, set individualized writing goals for them that will help you differentiate instruction for them.

2.Individualizing instruction. Next, you’ll learn strategies for leading effective small-group lessons and writing conferences, the two places where you can best differentiate instruction for students.

3.Teaching effective craft, process and conventions lessons. Finally, Carl will help you improve the three types of lessons you’ll teach students: craft lessons, which help them incorporate the qualities or writing into their work; process lessons, which help them navigate each stage of the writing process; and conventions lessons, which teach students about writing conventions and how to use them accurately. Carl will explain methods for teaching with mentor texts in craft and conventions lessons, and process texts in process lessons.

As part of the day you'll study and analyze student writing samples. You’ll also watch videos of Carl teaching that bring to life the strategies and methods he's discussing.