Managing Predictable Distractions in the Writing Workshop

Focus Lesson: Listening for Inspiration

• Focus on how the character pays such close attention to the world around her. Such a behavior is a habit of good writers
• Take students on a "listening walk" and encourage them to listen carefully to the sounds around them (try to add onomatopoeia) 

3 Main Things to Think About When Planning for a Good Writer's Workshop

1. Presence
2. Space
3. Supplies

Understand that writer's workshop will feel beyond our control, but "the best writing workshop teachers have very high expectations for student behavior in their classrooms, dealing seriously and swiftly with those who try to disrupt the work of others." (Come to peace with the process!)