Op-Ed: Why Writing and Thinking Workshops In the Fall Are Better Than In the Spring

Chloe Correa ’27

At the start of every school year here at Bard, a unique four-day Writing and Thinking Workshop takes place. Students and faculty are assigned to classrooms that include all grade levels, allowing students to get accustomed to the school environment, which is familiar to some and new to others. However, with the spring semester approaching, a not-so-new implementation comes alongside it. For the first time in two years, Writing and Thinking Workshops occurred on the first day of the spring semester.

Before I fully flesh out my arguments, it is important to clarify that in no way am I completely opposed to Writing and Thinking Workshops. Do I look forward to them? No. Do I find them a little bit repetitive? Yes. Do I just want to receive my schedule and see my classes? Also yes. But I do understand the purpose they serve, especially for incoming ninth-graders or transfer students. After a three-month break, it is difficult to immediately jump into the pressures of syllabi and homework. This is even more grueling when it's your first ever semester at an early college high school. By surrounding newcomers with various students and teachers, they are able to get a preview into both the cultural and academic aspects of the school. They can grasp the concept of “knocking” (which originated in Professor Cho’s class), the difference between focus free writes (FFW) and private free writes (PFW), and assimilate to the analytical and reflective nature of the classes they will take. Additionally, these workshops promote relationships between students. Fellow ninth-graders can get to know each other as well as build friendships with upperclassmen and receive advice from them. Of course, these benefits also extend to 10th, Y1 and Y2 students–giving them time to readjust themselves to the environment, work and social-wise. While these goals of adjustment make sense in the fall semester, their usefulness in the spring semester isn’t as apparent once students have already adjusted.

To better understand the reintroduction of a spring semester Writing and Thinking Workshop, I emailed Dr. Pew to learn what went behind this decision. He confirmed that the reintegration of the workshop was pre-planned last June and that the goals of the Writing and Thinking Workshops, those being adjusting to school life, have not changed from the fall semester. Underclassmen expressed their excitement for returning to the groups they began the year with, according to the principal. This workshop assumed a further responsibility after hateful vandalism was left in a bathroom stall last semester; Dr. Pew intended it to serve as an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the recent incident.

It is not hard to believe that the implementation of a workshop in the spring is meant to foster similar outcomes as those held at the start of the school year. However, the spring semester does not represent a new beginning in the same way fall does. Although students do experience a break from classes during January Regents (unless they are taking them), there is no meaningful pause from the academic year itself. After only a week off, students simply continue their studies rather than a complete restart. Also, by this time, ninth-grade and transfer students would have already participated in most of the Bard traditions, whether it be visiting various classrooms during Culture Day or answering prompts in their literature class. I definitely would expect everyone to know what a FFW is.

Another aspect of this latest Writing and Thinking Workshop is that students are placed into the same groups they were assigned to during the fall workshop. While this may offer a sense of familiarity, it ultimately diminishes a core purpose of the workshops, which is building new relationships. After completing a whole semester of school, students should be given the opportunity to speak to unfamiliar peers about the experiences they have had so far, and be able to gain more prospective advice than before, as they will now have a nice grounding of the operations of the school. This factor isn’t exclusive within the assigned classrooms, but extends to the breaks given during the day. Most notably is the lunch break, which time period depends on the floor students are on. By changing the floor assigned, the possibility of conversing with new people increases. I mean, there’s no way every single person in that period will want to eat their lunch in silence (absolutely no offense to those who do). Also, it would be nice to share a workshop with different teachers, as each has their own "curriculum” or style of teaching during these workshops. Students may even have the chance to meet their future professors by switching up the instructors. Ultimately, being surrounded by the same people limits opportunities for meaningful interaction, making the emphasis on community-building feel less intentional and more repetitive.

Yet if there is one point I can agree on, it is the space the workshop provides to discuss the disappointing events of late. As previously mentioned, there were acts of hate speech in bathroom stalls during the fall semester. This resulted in the semester-permanent sign-in and out system everyone was accustomed to. Although this frustrated or annoyed many, it admittedly was probably one of the best ways to emphasize the severity of the situation and how wrong it was. In the town halls, Dr. Pew stated that this system would be lifted going into the new semester, but would be reinstated if there was a repetition of the action. By bringing this into conversation in some workshops, students were able to have their own voice heard on what their opinion on the matter was and how they suggest the school should handle the situation moving forward. However, it is important to note that the necessity of this Writing and Thinking Workshop stemmed from the seriousness of the incident itself. It functioned more as a response to specific actions than as a period of readjustment. So while I believe this interaction led students to reflect on the situation more meaningfully and to avoid similar occurrences, the effectiveness of the workshop relied heavily on the immediacy of the misdeed rather than serving as evidence that a spring workshop is generally essential.

Personally, I believe that Writing and Thinking Workshops are more effective in the fall rather than the spring semester. While I do understand the main goal of discussion about the recent events, there is a distinct feeling of freshness that comes when reentering the building after summer break, making it the perfect time for newcomers to learn about the school's academic and cultural expectations and for upperclassmen to settle in. While the spring workshop is not yet a permanent addition to the school year, Dr. Pew has expressed interest in continuing it in the future. If that becomes the case, it will be worth revisiting how the workshop stands one year later and whether its purpose aligns with what students need at that point in the year.