Small Grouping/Assessments 2

Part 2 of Small Grouping/Assessments…Writing Block

I organize my writing groups into 3 different groups. I look at the students district Writing Prompts along with classroom work to split up my groups. My first group is an intervention group who I work with daily (They are the students who need support to come up with a topic and guidance of how to write 2-3 sentences that make sense). My second group is an average group (They can go back to a piece of writing to add more but are working on editing) that I check in with once or twice a week. My third group is a top group ( they can go back and reread their own writing, edit and then add at least 8-10 sentences easily to a piece and start a new piece of writing) that writes independently so I check in with them at least once per week. I have assigned three different spots in the room where each group can work and write. They can chat with each other for ideas, write by themselves facing away from their small group or edit with someone from the group. I do confer one on one with students but not on an assigned schedule. I have trouble organizing that!

We always start with a whole group mini lesson, turn and talk time and then will end with a whole group share. I try very hard to ask someone to share who writes using something from my mini lesson but that doesn’t always happen. There are times I stop in the middle of our writing block to have one my students share something that I noticed about their writing (others celebrate their writing with a 10 finger woo)! I have a chart that says, I finished a book today. We celebrate those students who have put their names on the chart with a 10 finger woo! They don’t always share their book with the class but they love being noticed in front of their peers. When I go to the finished book basket, I notice most of my low students are passing in books that are really not finished. What do you do in that case?