Choice and Agency in the Writing Workshop

Step into a classroom and “listen in” on the writing initiatives and motivations of students who are given significant choice and agency in the development of their writing. Discover why upper elementary children need ways to “become literate as kids,” not merely as prototypes of adults or teenagers. Filled with rich portraits of in-class writing interactions and challenges, this book highlights various themes that help teachers become better observers and more responsive to the complexity of writing in children’s lives. Key themes include: drawing and popular media in children’s learning; the challenges of listening to students during conferences; the intersections of writing and relationships; the roles of sharing and publishing writing; and the importance of shaping a writing curriculum through dialogue.