Who Said Kindergarteners Can't Write?

Our Writer's Workshop is another one of my favorite times of day. It begins with the children coming together for a mini-lesson on the floor. I always start out with a review of the lesson from the day before. Then I model a new specific learning point. A sample lesson might be, "How do writers decide on a topic?" After the lesson is taught, the students turn-and-talk to each other for a few minutes to discuss what they learned. Then I "link" the lesson back to the learning point. Students then go to their seats where they have their writing folder. They can either work on a piece that was started the day before, or start a new piece of writing. They have about 40 minutes to practice what they have learned during this workshop period. It is important to keep the lesson very specific in order for the children to stay focused in their writing. A few writing samples are shared with the class during the closing of the workshop.
Right now children are are drawing pictures to tell their stories. Soon they will be labeling their stories with a letter or two. Then it will emerge into words and soon sentences.
Every bit of progress is monitored and celebrated from orally telling a story, to adding random letters, to letter strings, to that magical moment when a sentence comes together. Who said, "Kindergarteners can't write?" Please don't tell them that!!!