Division 7 is extremely fortunate with the opportunity to be involved in Story Workshop with the lovely Ms. Field each Wednesday morning. This was our second introductory class to Story Workshop, what it entails, the purpose and what it will look like. The students were beaming with excitement, bursting with creativity and eager to become authors and creating their stories. Today our young and budding authors were introduced to the purpose and importance of a story setting.

With the materials presented in front of them, what setting could be created before their very eyes? What did the buttons represent in their story setting? Was it still a leaf, or had it evolved into something so much more? Did each material represent and mean the same thing for each student, or was it different?

As I circulated throughout the class and asked the students about their settings, a student shared with me that she was so ‘impressed with how we are using the same materials and creating different things!’ I could not agree more, it was wonderful to witness the creativity and originality that flowed throughout the library during this time as the students were hard at work.

Why Story Workshop? 

Story Workshop is a method of writing. I feel that students exude confidence with their writing through the creation of their story, by physically making it with their hands, essentially they are bringing their story to life. Through hands-on story making, their imagination is endless, their creativity comes more effortlessly and before their very eyes a story has been created. At which point it is much easier for our blossoming authors to then write pencil to paper to document and record their story. In addition to confidence, I feel that Story Workshop also supports and cultivates creativity, compassion, leadership and communication skills. Students were communicating to one another and problem solving as they developed their story based on the available resources. How could they share and take turn to ensure that everyone in their group felt that the materials were distributed fairly?

Stay tuned as our skill-set unfolds and our young authors become immersed within our Story Workshop.