Hi, I'm Robin!
For those looking to transform the way you teach writing, you're in the right place. It's time to create WILDLY engaged writers.
And your students are going to love every step of the way...
Welcome!
I'm Robin Mellom, a middle school teacher and children's book author with Disney-Hyperion, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin. After speaking to thousands of students and educators across the U.S., it was clear that students were struggling with writing.
Teachers were seeking new ideas, new strategies... new approaches.
I created the structured writer's workshop to give you tools to teach dynamic lessons so that writing skills transfer to all modes of writing with ease. And motivation? It's built-in. Your students will...
- Launch their writing projects with confidence.
- Find their writer's voice.
- Elaborate with sentence complexity.
- Revise. Revise. Revise!
- Not give up.
This program breaks down all the tried-and-true routines and strategies that authors use to write effectively.
And now I am sharing all the tricks of the trade from the publishing industry with you.
Your students are about to fall in love with writing.
No One Should Dread Writing
A structured writing workshop can - and should - be run by the students themselves. In the same way that a Little League baseball team of 9-year-olds can run their own warm-ups and stretches while the coach sets up the bases, teachers can hand over control and allow students to warm up, stretch their creative minds, and set writing goals… all with a trained student leader.
It’s powerful.
I've noticed an excitement toward writing that I have never seen before.
~Patti B.
No more head flops.
Ahh, the dreaded head-flop. The universal symbol for "Ugh, I give up." We've all been there.
But your antidote is here. The first thing I learned as a teacher from the publishing world is this: professional editors are masters at encouragement. Masters.
Why? Because even the most seasoned writers need it. They need constant confidence. I cannot stress that enough... confidence in your writing is the first trait you must have. How do you get it?
Find Your Voice
Everyone has a voice. But you won't find it on a worksheet. There is no "box" that will capture the type of writing that only YOU can do. If we told a young Stephen King to fill in a box, we would have no deeply scary stories from him. Now that's scary!
In the words of David Sedaris...
"Write relentlessly until you find your voice. Then USE it."
So how do we get our students writing relentlessly?
Hand over the keys
Instead of students waiting for a worksheet to land on their desk, they have agency over the whole process.
The students welcome everyone to the workshop, help their classmates create their daily personal goal, then run the timer and spinners. They accomplish this through a script the leaders read and help create.
Let me repeat that, because this is the gamechanger:
The students have a script, not the teacher.
During the mini-lesson, focus on one of SIX SUPER SKILLS. These skills are taught on repeat all-year long. They're "super" because you'll get the most impact from these. Their writing will improve immediately!
Six skills. Not 200 strategies. Not 300. SIX.
The students know which skill is next, and you know which skill is next. Your planning time is now strategic and you have confidence that the skills will transfer to their constructed essays as well.
Six Skills...on repeat
With a writing program that addresses high-priority skills that are used in all modes of writing, your students will already know how to write a killer hook.
They will already know how to write with sentence complexity.
With voice.
With vivid descriptions.
You can now focus on the structure of an essay for a concise block of time. Instead of completing worksheets to learn essay writing, they use a process called "deconstructing an essay."
Using this method, they grasp the concept much quicker.
That means your students will learn to meet deadlines. Revise with precision. And their confidence in writing will be ready to meet the challenge.
The Essential Components
STUDENT LEADERS
Through scripts, students take charge and warm up the class, set daily goals, and run the timer.
POWER LESSONS
The teacher gives dynamic direct instruction on six high-impact skills that will transfer to all modes of writing.
CHOICE BY DESIGN
Students are ready to lift off and practice the skills in one of three distinct paths giving just enough choice to motivate, not overwhelm.
DIAMOND MINING
It's the secret sauce of the Structured Writer's Workshop. Both students and the teacher search out "diamond writing." It's a powerful way to lift up their words.
The heart of the problem?
This is what many programs are missing. Motivation.
We have tried strategies and sentence frames and graphic organizers, and yet our students across the nation are still struggling with writing.
Why?
It's a completely different beast and we need to treat it that way. Math is objective, writing is not. We write then wait for someone's opinion on it. That can feel vulnerable. So many students simply don't try because of that sense of impending failure. Can you blame them?
This workshop goes ALL IN on the research behind motivation. From the student leaders to the use of the number 3 in choices and trio teams to the "diamond mining" process... your students will finally feel energized to get words on the paper.
An object in motion tends to stay in motion. Once we lift them up to convince them their voice is important, they take off.
Other programs
Student -led
Student agency through targeted choices
Direct instruction on six high-impact skills in hierarchical order, not 200+
Consistent spiraled practice of targeted skills; not one and done
Scripts for students, not teachers
Deconstructed essays, not worksheets
Motivation techniques BUILT IN
Students pull a fist-pump when it's time for writing
NCTE Position on Writing Instruction
August 29, 2022
An overly narrow focus on products—and particular types of products—leaves young people underprepared to understand the rhetorical nature of writing, to make decisions about their own writing, and to transfer their writing knowledge to new contexts, especially contexts beyond the classroom.
[We see achievement gaps] when writing instruction and assessments focus on the writing—the products that are ultimately assessed and evaluated—rather than on the writers themselves.
No worksheets. No boxed curriculum.
Start your workshop in 3 steps
Take the training
Grab your lessons
Each of the six super skills is addressed in digital student guides. These slides are complete lessons pulled together FOR YOU, not just a set of worksheets. Each set starts with a hook to get your students interested in the topic, then guides them through examples, guided practice, independent practice, application, and mastery. Mentor texts show them how the pros do it!
This group is for teachers interested in engaging ALL students in a student-led writer's workshop. Our goal: no more head flops. Not from students. Not from teachers. We are bringing joy back to our writing programs!
Many teachers in the group have taken the challenge to implement the student-led Structured Writer's Workshop and share their wins & challenges there. Join us!
Training
This is the BEST writing program training I have ever taken.
~6th grade teacher
School Districts
If you are looking to purchase multiple licenses, this complete bundle provides all the resources and professional development videos your teachers will need to implement the writing workshop.
It includes:
- Warm-ups
- Prompts for centers or stations
- Mini-lessons
- Mentor sentences
- “Deconstruct an Essay” for argumentative, narrative, informative, and lit analysis essays
- Sentence and skill-building boot camps
- CER activities (claim, evidence, reasoning
- Room decor
- A 5-hour video training
This is the single best purchase I have ever made on TpT. I cannot believe how many high-quality resources were included. Add to that the incredibly informative and inspiring workshop training videos and I feel like I finally have everything I need to teach writing to students who are 5-6 years behind...this is an ACTUAL GAME CHANGER for me.
~8th grade special education teacher
Dive in for free
This is your chance to read the Structured Writer’s Workshop eBook, along with a 30-minute training for FREE.
Just click below and this will be sent to your inbox!
What teachers are saying...
Everything you've shared is making a big impact on my teaching and my students' learning. Thank you! I'm telling all my teacher friends and relatives about your ideas for teaching writing!
This is just perfect! I am so impressed with your ability to keep the class engaged and in motion while hammering home complex concepts. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Need some quick-fixes?
Head to my channel
I wanted to thank you for your writing program. This is my 18th year of teaching and I have taught mainly 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. I am currently looping with a 5/6 group, teaching English & History. I have always struggled with teaching writing. Over the years, I have used many different writing programs from the VERY structured (Step Up to Writing) to much more creative, loose programs. I have read books on how to teach writing and been inspired and excited to implement the ideas presented. Unfortunately, at the end of the year, I find myself once again frustrated. I just couldn't seem t0 find a way to engage students with writing in a way that really showed the growth and proficiency I was looking for and they certainly weren't enjoying writing.
I started with teaching Voice and was amazed at how much the kids were learning. They loved the lessons and were actually implementing their new knowledge into their writing. They were able to find strong voice in novels they were reading and were actively using voice to make their own writing so much more interesting. I was amazed! So I bought the next unit, and the next.
They are excited to share their writing and proud of the words they are putting onto paper.
I just want to say THANK YOU! I actually enjoy teaching writing for the first time in years and am encouraged to see how much kids are learning and growing. I know all the videos, slideshows, and resources are A LOT of work for you. I had to make sure you knew they are making a difference in my 60 students' lives. I tell everyone I know teaching upper elementary and middle school English about you and how your program has changed writing in my classroom!
Writing Intervention
Boost skills for struggling writers
"I can't say enough how amazing this writing instruction is by Robin Mellom.
It's lit a new fire under me!"
~Pam R, 5th grade, Georgia, TOTY
Ready to Create Writers?
I am completely ENTHRALLED with your approach. I love that it allows for both method and creativity. Your lessons that I have applied have elicited hearty enthusiasm even from the most reluctant of my writers. It is SO gratifying! Thank you for the wealth of wisdom. Praying we uncover one of the future greats in one of our classrooms!
~Theresa S.
Join the community!
Click the image to join our Facebook group and connect with other writing teachers. You’ll get access to additional resources and free live trainings!
