What are the educational issues calling your name? How can you use writing to share about your teaching experiences? A Long Island Writing Project workshop, facilitated by Katherine Schulten, inspired me to keep sharing my teaching stories.
In what ways have you pushed yourself to try a new type of writing or to share your ideas in a public way? In July, I pushed myself to write a keynote speech and learned lessons along the way.
So, as I enter the start of my school year, I am proud to identify as a lifelong learner in every sense of the word. I am a professional who continuously strives to grow in my craft. I surround myself with people that inspire me to be the best I can be and I actively seek out opportunities to do so as well. I modify and implement what I learn to better my teaching. I learn from my mistakes, take in the advice of others and adjust accordingly. Additionally, I am a curious minded individual who seeks out new experiences, new people, new places and is willing to take risks to better myself. I am leading by example to my students as I follow the mantra hanging in the front of my classroom- “Today is a great day to learn something new!”
How might you use writing to tap into your personal passions? Are you writing a piece that makes you “ache with caring”? And in a chock-full, busy-every-minute life, how can educators find time for writing that is deeply meaningful, with the lens of replicating this experience for students?
Next Thursday, October 20th, is the National Day on Writing! Are you ready? Read on for some ideas on how to mark this day with your writers.
What if there was a way to build in opportunities to reflect, in writing, about my teaching right in the place where the lesson plans reside? And what if that place could also offer daily inspiration and opportunities to set positive intentions for the week ahead?
I used to think professional workshops were where you would go to get answers, but now I know that the best ones are where you find more questions.
Is it important that teachers who teach writing actually write?
My favorite gifts to give are the ones that have come from my heart and my pen!
Don’t shy away from the formulaic “I am” poem! There are so many possibilities…
What are the books that have shaped you as a teacher of writing? Reflecting today, in thanks, for the authors and books that have influenced my life as a teacher.
Once upon a time, there was a teacher who became a better teacher by connecting with other passionate educators…
The heart map is a great tool for helping students find personally meaningful topics, but used year after year, it might feel a little stale. Writing territory maps is another option!
Some students want to write more than what is required of them in writing workshop. Enter independent writing projects! But how do you go from being another set of eyes on some additional writing a student does to helping him/her go public with their work?
The education funding bill that relates to the National Writing Project (NWP) will be marked up in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee this week. Please contact your senators to request continued support for NWP… Continue reading
On February 1, the Obama administration released its 2011 budget proposal. In this proposed budget, funding for the NWP is consolidated with five other literacy programs under a new states-based competitive grants… Continue reading
FYI: The National Writing Project and Google are sponsoring a letter-writing campaign for high school students to send letters to the presidential candidates. (WHY NOT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS? I wish I knew!)… Continue reading
I was perusing the National Writing Project’s Website and came across several pages, all under the heading of “Encourage Writing” which you might find as useful as I did with regard to helping… Continue reading
