Using the Workshop Approach in the High School English Classroom: Modeling Effective Writing, Reading, and Thinking Strategies for Student Success - Softcover

Urbanski, Cynthia D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1632205742 ISBN 13: 9781632205742

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing, 2015

Synopsis

As a trencher, do you find that preparing for standardized tests interferes with teaching advanced thinking, reading, and writing skills in a meaningful way? Do you want to balance test preparation with more creative activities?

Success in school and beyond depends on one’s ability to read fluently, write coherently, and think critically. This handbook uses the workshop model for exponentially increasing adolescents’ abilities in these three key areas.

This practical guide addresses the daily running and practice of a workshop-based classroom, using research and the author’s own experiences to illustrate how to establish a workshop that:

• Fosters lasting learning while reinforcing the skills needed for standardized tests
• Teaches audience and purpose as a vehicle to style and structure
• Provides a supportive and lively environment in which students are comfortable enough to take risks and share original ideas

Try Urbanski’s approach to teaching literacy analysis and mentoring student writers, and discover just how rewarding the workshop experience can be!

About this title

Review

"Both new and veteran English teachers will learn new strategies that will enrich their students' lives while greatly improving their writing clarity, voice and precision." (Charles M. Longbottom, International Baccalaureate Program Coordinator 2005-02-25)

"This book offers motivation and inspiration for preservice and novice English teachers and provides reassurance and encouragement for the veteran teachers who feel burdened by the standardization of education. It takes into account the high-stakes accountability of our current environment and documents results from research based practices. The examples and lessons reassure us that effective teaching does not have to give way to 'teaching to the test'." (Nelda R. Cockman, Clinical Assistant Professor 2005-02-23)

"Drawing from her experience as a coach, the author demonstrates the importance of modeling in the classroom by reading and writing alongside her students, taking risks, and building a strong community of learners in the process. This book will inspire good English teachers to become great literacy coaches." (Robin Boswell, Middle School Language Arts Instructor 2005-02-28)

"It is possible to balance test preparation with advanced thinking, reading, and writing skills. This book shows you how."

(Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, May 2006 2006-05-01)

About the Author

Cynthia D. Urbanski is a Co-Leader of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Writing Project, where her focus is teacher research, summer institutes, and structuring professional development for surrounding areas. Since graduating from the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1995 and while completing a master's of English education at UNC-Charlotte in 2000, she has worked with writers from middle grades through the undergraduate level. As an instructor at North Mecklenburg High School since 2000, she has worked with student writers in the International Baccalaureate Program as well as standard-level English courses. Her mission has been to help all students improve their literacy skills by making their writing, reading, and thinking meaningful to them. She continues to run regularly and considers it an integral part of her writing process and her life. Currently she is working to develop the concept of her second book project and spending time with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Edition details

• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1632205742
• ISBN 13: 9781632205742
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192