Kindergarten Students are Fantastic Writers

This article is about how utilizing Writers Workshop is important, and how holding writing conferences can potentially benefit kindergarten students. The purpose of this article was to consider that kindergarten students are fantastic writers, regardless of what stage of the process at which they are performing. This article sheds a new light on the stories constructed solely out of hand-drawn photographs. It is emphasized throughout the article that holding a conference for each student one time a week can significantly impact a child, especially a kindergartener.

The author utilized logic in many places throughout this article. The first place in which the author used logic was when she discussed the fact that there is a common misconception among kindergarten and the use of a writing conference. Amy Kemf stated " Kindergarteners tell stories through their illustrations and written words. [They] are able to work through the writing process just as well as older students." To me, this seems logical, even if it is something that I would have not considered before. It never occurred to me that it was possible to go through the writing process in an illustration. However, if I were to take a step back and really reflect on the situation it is all too clear. Why was this being overlooked?

Before reading, I had very little knowledge of what was considered a proper writing conference, let alone how to utilize this tool effectively in a kindergarten classroom setting. When I had thought of a writing conference, I immediately excluded kindergarten in the thoughts. I had the preconception that this was unnecessary, being that in my numerous kindergarten experiences I had never seen this type of activity take place. I was...

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...ocess is too advanced. I cannot begin to count how many times I receive a drawing from a kindergarten-aged student and his drawing signifies an entire story. "It is a picture of the first day you helped me on my math." he would say. I think that this would be a perfect time to sit down with that student and talk about how he came up with that. Why not teach him the basics of writing at that age. He clearly has a firm grasp on what is necessary. I think that this would be extremely beneficial, and it would be wonderful to get the chance to visit a school that implements this into their curriculum.

Works Cited

Engle, J. M., McElwain, N. L., & Lasky, N. (2011). Presence and quality of kindergarten children's

friendships: concurrent and longitudinal associations with child adjustment in the early school

years. Infant & Child Development, 20(4), 365-386.