The authors, university instructors, when confronted with extreme time constraints in a summer course during the COVID-19 pandemic, redesigned their course structure prioritizing their values and goals. Intentional choices provide teacher candidates with time together to slow down and interact more fully in a read-aloud centered, writer's workshop. Carefully selected texts were modeled, and the teacher candidates were able to have a full workshop experience as they studied and wrote poetry. Learning opportunities for other objectives were carefully developed to maintain the quality of the online course. This reorganization resulted in engaging peer-to-peer interactions that supported risk-taking during the writing process. Preservice teachers had an experience that improved their writing confidence and increased their desire to write with their own students when they become teachers.