The #1 Writing Skill to Teach First for Middle School Writer's Workshop

🎯 Want students to write with purpose and precision? It all starts with VOICE. In this video, I’ll show you exactly why voice is the first skill I teach in writing workshop and how it builds the foundation for powerful, precise writing all year long. The slides I use in this presentation can be found HERE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/P... Grab the first module of my PD here: https://structured-writing-teacher.my... Looking for writing professional development? My 10-module video course will walk you through ALL the steps of an engaging writer's workshop. You'll see pictures of it in action, and I take a deep, deep dive into HOW to teach the 6 high-priority skills. A bonus module goes deep into the world of teaching essays in middle school. More details here: https://structured-writing-teacher.my... Many of us are never taught exactly HOW to teach writing in middle school, so this is a system I created based on how authors write in the real-world. I'm Robin, a middle school teacher and the author of ten children's novels with Disney Hyperion and HarperCollins. Our workshop reflects the same process I use when working with my editors. I say "our workshop" because that's the point of the workshop... it isn't just a time for me to give lessons and assign a writing assignment. It's THEIR time to tinker and be fearless and try out new things. They love practicing writing skills with topics that interest them. I use the number 3 and 7 a lot in my workshop... from the writing trios to the lesson minutes... it's all based on brain research. Do we have time to get in all the standards-based lessons and essays? YES. My essays are taught in a "block" and skills are taught in the workshop. This way, the skills transfer to ALL types of writing, not just product-driven essays. So this is a STRUCTURED & STUDENT-LED workshop. Here are the 5 steps: 1. Set the mood for writing 2. Issue the writing challenge 3. Student leaders 4. The Six Skills Power lessons (the teacher's mini-lessons, but timed by the leaders!) 5. Diamond mining (the secret sauce!) ✏️My complete guidebook to implementing a structured student-led Writer's Workshop is here! With this system, my students are writing volumes, setting goals, and cheering on their classmates. I absolutely LOVE teaching writing now. Check out the guidebook here: https://structuredwritingteacher.com/... JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! We are a group of teachers on a mission to bring joy back to writing instruction. We share our WINS and our challenges, and we'd love for you to join us:   / structuredwritersworkshop   Read all about my structured student-led workshop. My students are writing volumes! https://structuredwritingteacher.com/ ✅ MY TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS STORE https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/S... ✅ WEBSITE https://structuredwritingteacher.com/ ✅ TIKTOK   / structuredwritingteacher   ✅ EMAIL robinmellombooks@gmail.com ✅ MY MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS https://www.robinmellombooks.com/ #teacher #ela #howtoteachwriting #teacher #ela #howtoteachwriting #teacher #ela #howtoteachwriting