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The Story Workshop approach to the teaching of writing was originated and developed by John Schultz, founder of the Schultz Group, Inc., and current Professor Emeritus at Columbia College Chicago, over 35 years ago. The interactive approach draws on the natural, democratic storytelling capabilities and skills of each student. It engages multiple learning styles by emphasizing the development of each student's writing voice and giving full permission for every student to bring their background into the classroom and write in the form that best suits what they're trying to tell.
The approach develops four core fundamentals of effective writing and communication. They are:
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Seeing-in-the-Mind: Virtually all creative problem-solving and communication—both written and oral—plays upon this basic critical thinking capacity. Good writers see in their mind what they want or need to write before they write it, and continue to see it as they write and revise. Developing this capacity helps any writing become more clear.
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Voice: Voice refers to the natural connection between spoken language and written language (however, writing and speaking are also two different communication media). Developing your natural voice makes your writing more engaging, makes it carry greater authority, and makes it clearer to the reader.
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Audience Awareness: All writing is meant to be read. Writing with an audience in mind helps to keep your work strong and clear. Telling stories orally in class and writing with a group heightens the organizing power of the audience, and develops an internal sense of audience that your child will carry with them wherever he or she goes.
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Movement/Organization: This fundamental coalesces the previous three. When Seeing-in-the-mind, Voice, and Audience Awareness converge, the information we communicate—through an essay, a story, and/or oral communication—is naturally organized and moves clearly, effectively, and efficiently from one point to the next.
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The approach is used successfully at a wide range of schools and service organizations, including:
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Chicago-area public and private schools, including Price School, Dyett Academic Center, Onahan Elementary, Ogden Avenue Elementary, Healy School, ACT Charter School, the Chicago Academy of Arts, and suburban schools such as Barrington High School and Thornridge High School, among others.
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Chicago-area colleges, including Columbia College Chicago's acclaimed Fiction Writing Department, Loyola University, Malcolm X, College of DuPage, and the Chicago Teacher Center at Northeastern University. The approach has also been used in the Dallas Community College System.
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Arts and Social Service Programs, such as Gallery 37, Kaleidoscope, and the Vernon Park Saturday Academy, and others.
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