I love teaching in the Carmel District!  One thing I appreciate about the district I teach in is the wealth of knowledge our staff has, collegiality among staff, and professionalism that staff take! 

I recently attended an in-disctrict workshop on tips for managing and maintaining a writer’s workshop.  As an elementary teacher of seven years, I have been using a reading and writing workshop model for several years, coupled with the implementation the model for gradual release of responsibility and a balanced literacy approach.  My students love having an environment where they feel they can truly practice and explore what it means to be a writer and reader. 

Carmel Clay Schools Literacy Coach Lori Harmas facilitated the workshop and did a fantastic job (I always enjoy walking away from a workshop with a few things I can immediately implement in my own classroom!).  Lori Harmas, Laura Chen, Anne Arroyo, and Jill Miller are all part of the instructional strategist team in our district, and have started blogging at http://teachersamongteachers.blogspot.com, these dedicated educators also helped organize materials and content for the workshop.  Below are my notes from the workshop, some resources that were shared, and some video clips that were used by Lori in the presentation.  Enjoy!