We get it! August and early September can feel like a fever dream. The moment your new students walk into the classroom, many best-laid plans can fall by the wayside…including launching your workshops.
So let’s make things a bit easier. Here is a quick and comprehensive list of ways you can get your workshops off the ground AND THRIVING before mid-September.
Environment
I remember spending hours moving my student desks around in every possible configuration…resulting in lots of bruises on my shins!! I could have saved myself a lot of stress if I had just sketched out a layout beforehand!
A warm and welcoming classroom environment doesn’t just happen…it’s planned for. Here are the top two environmental considerations to keep in mind as you design your room: 
- Desk figuration: When students are seated in table groups, they are able to easily share materials and teachers are able to confer on their eye level and conduct table conferences throughout the day.
– We recommend that you Group your tables in pods of 4 to 6 students.
- Gathering Area: Your gathering area is an essential space within your room that helps build community and increase student engagement, not just during your workshops. Starting the year off with a gathering area signals to your students that this is a space where everyone is welcome!
Building Community
Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed gave me SOOO many ideas for my classroom. I walked away feeling so empowered by the idea that when students feel seen and valued, they are likely to be more engaged in their learning during
Here are a few great ways to build a sense of community at the beginning of the year and beyond that will support your workshop teaching:
- Choose meaningful read alouds that pique your readers’ interest. Here are a few of our favorites to add to your library. These texts can be used to anchor your instruction for weeks to come!
- Embrace your students’ identities and invite them to share their stories through activities such as identity webs, heart maps, and ‘I am’ poems. These types of activities can act as springboards for text selections and topics for future writing pieces.
Routines and Procedures
One of the most common things we hear from teachers at the beginning of the year is that instruction can’t happen until students know all routines and procedures. Rather than putting a world’s worth of pressure on yourself and your students to master everything, try launching workshop routines and procedures in phases. These phases can be as you kick off your immersion into your first reading and writing units.
** Remember, you can continue to revisit these routines and refine them as your students get more acclimated to the classroom
Yes, there is a lot on the back-to-school plate at the beginning of the year, but you’re not alone!! We are here to support you.
We’d love to see how you implemented some of these ideas into your classroom. Tag us in a photo of your room or your students trying one of these routines on Instagram or Facebook so that we can feature you in an upcoming story. We love seeing different ways you’re setting kids up for success before heading into winter break!
If you enjoyed this article, check these out next:
- Yes, You Can Start Workshop On Day One!
- Essential Planning Tips for the New School Year
- Setting Up a Writing Center: 8 Basics
