Workshops....etc.

My experience with writers workshops and etc. have been limited to when I was in elementary school and i have not yet been able to teach one or participate in one since i have been college. I really do not like writer workshop because as a kid and now as an adult I am not a good writer and a lot of times things to do with writing, I do not understand it most of the time. I do think that they are definitely needed in the classroom and are a good thing but i think that something that teachers have to take in mind is the fact that some children are not going to be able to focus during these and some students do not work well with others. I do think that they give the "meat" to a student's learning. I have observed the 5th grade class that I am watching participating in writer workshops and readers workshop. The students do not really enjoy the process or from what I saw they seemed to not to pay attention and really did not care. I think that if you use these workshops and units, as a teacher you need to make them fun for the students.