Archive: Odds and Ends
Audio Postcards from Nashville NWP Meeting #
The 2006 Annual Meeting of the National Writing Project just took place down in Nashville, Tennessee, and although our Western Massachusetts Writing Project was well-represented (11 people from our various projects, such as ELL, Project Outreach, Making Connections, and others), we wanted to give you an insight into the meeting. (We didn’t spend all of our time in Opryland, by the way!)
So WMWP Tech Liaison Kevin Hodgson created two audio postcards for you.
- Day One: some workshop presentations, interviews and reflections Listen to Day One
- Day Two: general assembly of NWP, interviews and reflections Listen to Day Two
PS — As WMWP members who went to Nashville complete their written narratives of their experiences in workshops and other meetings, we will try to post those reflections here, too.
30 Ideas for Teaching Writing #
These ideas are from the National Writing Project’s website which highlights 30 projects to inspire writing for students. Here is the full list of 30.
A Few Ideas
- Use the shared events of students’ lives to inspire writing.
- Establish an email dialogue between students from different schools who are reading the same book.
- Work with words relevant to students’ lives to help them build vocabulary.
- Spotlight language and use group brainstorming to help students create poetry.
- Ease into writing workshops by presenting yourself as a model
- Give students a chance to write to an audience for real purpose.
- Encourage descriptive writing by focusing on the sounds of words.
- Require written response to peers’ writing
- Use home language on the road to Standard English.
- Introduce multi-genre writing in the context of community service.
If you happened to miss the keynote speech by Anika Nailah at this year’s Best Practices in the Teaching of Writing at UMass, you missed a wonderful examination of how fiction writing can bridge cultural divides and allow people from different backgrounds to “come into the same room” as others. Anika also had the audience doing some writing and examining our own cultural backgrounds with language.
Lucky for you, the WMWP is experimenting with audiocasting and you can listen to Anika Nailah’s keynote address right through this site. Anika is the author of Free and Other Stories and has worked to reach student writers from varied backgrounds to use writing for empowerment and understanding.
Listen to the Audiocast (approximately 25 min long)
There is more news and photos from the Best Practice event , including the announcement that Pamela Howes has won this year’s Pat Hunter Award, that be found by heading through this link.
Article on National Writing Project #
The National Writing Project received a wonderful feature in the National Staff Development Council’s Journal (Summer 2006) which showcases the work being done by teachers in the NWP network. The article can be found as a PDF file from this link from the NSDC archives. Pass the link or article along to a colleague who might be interested in the National Writing Project.
“The National Writing Project is a leading example of how teachers, immersed in the practice of writing, are better able to both teach writing and lead peers to improve.” – By Mary Ann Smith
The article can be found as a PDF file from this link from the NSDC archives. Pass the link or article along to a colleague who might be interested in the National Writing Project.
The Latest Paper Newsletter: Connections #
Along with this electronic newsletter, the Western Massachusetts Writing Project also publishes a paper version of news and happenings from across our network of teachers. The newsletter is called Connections and it is published two times a year and mailed to the households of our teachers.
However, this being the digital age, we also provide an online version of Connections for visitors and members of the WMWP.
You can read the latest edition of Connections with this link.
The latest news include:
- Information about Project Outreach
- Reflections of the ELL Leadership Seminar
- Day in the Life entries from the Summer Institute
- An agenda of workshops at the upcoming Best Practices (Sept. 30th)
Meanwhile, we also have archived past editions of Connections at our website, so feel free to wander over there, too, when you get a chance.
Partnership with Springfield Republican #
Last year, we formed a new partnership with The Springfield Republican newspaper to highlight the work being done in the classrooms of our dedicated and talented teaching corps. In October 2006, we expect to launch another year.
The newspaper has graciously added many of the monthly features to its online site and you can access the PDF files through this link to Masslive, the online home of the newspaper. Teachers wrote a brief introduction to a lesson, provided student samples, suggested resources and links, and showed connections to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
(click on this photo to see the larger version of Joanne’s feature)
If you are interested in showcasing your own best teaching practices in the classroom to a potential audience of a thousands of readers of the newspaper, please email Kevin.
Jim Gray founded the National Writing Project in California in the early 1970s as a way to gather teachers together to share best practices in the teaching of writing and to become writers themselves. He passed away early this year.
The Voice, a publication of the NWP, has just published some wonderful reflections on Jim Gray’s impact on our network of teachers, and this retrospective included the so-called unwritten Gray’s Laws that seem very insightful.
| The First Law: No one, in any way, at any time, or under any circumstances, likes criticism. |
The Sixth Law: If you become defensive, you lose. |
| The Second Law: Everyone, without qualification, is starved for recognition. |
The Seventh Law: When issues are controversial, communication between opposing sides is mostly impossible. |
| The Third Law: Incompetence flourishes in all fields and in all walks of life. |
The Eighth Law: The Macbeth Family Factor — It pays to consider the consequences, lest you go mad. |
| The Fourth Law: No one can see ‘the truth’ unless predisposed to see it. |
The Ninth Law: The Iago Factor — There really are a lot of mean-spirited people in this world. |
| The Fifth Law: No one wants to be told what to do or what to think. |
The Tenth Law: Anyone who has made up nine laws will add a tenth. |
You can read some of the stories about Jim Gray through the Bay Area Writing Project site.
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WMWP representatives Susan Biggs, Leslie Skantz-Hodgson and Janie Baer-Leighton traveled to Washington DC in April to attend the NWP Spring Conference. They also met with various legislative leaders to lobby for continued support for the mission of the Writing Project. |
Head here to read Susan’s first-person account of their journeys through the halls of power.
Lenses on Literature–An Invitation from the WMWP #
Hello from the WMWP!
You are invited to participate in our new summer institute: LENSES ON
LITERATURE for middle and high school English teachers!
If you are looking for new ways of teaching literature, enjoy discussing
good books, want a deeper understanding of critical theory AND are
interested in earning PDPs, graduate credits, and a stipend, sign up for
LENSES ON LITERATURE today! Spaces are limited!
Click here for more about Lenses on Literature.
Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project—After the Hurricane #
Many WMWP members have expressed concern and support for the TCs and schools affected by Hurricane Katrina. Recently, the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project has been quite active. To catch up on a few of their activities and celebrate their teaching and writing, follow the links below.
Hear a special radio brodcast of writing and music by SLWP TCs and their students. For more info, click here.
Read writings from a day long virtual writing marathon based in New Orleans. For more info, click here.
Just added: To read a letter from Richard Louth, Directof of the SLWP, click here.
Richard Sterling on Teaching and Technology #
Common Cause and Common Sense–Rethinking How We Teach Writing
In his keynote speech at the at the 2005 Annual meeting of the NWP, Richard Sterling, current director of the NWP, addressed the possiblities of technology in education today. Click here to read more, link to the speech, and discuss Sterling’s ideas.
Reports from NWP Annual Meeting #
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Reports from the Annual Meeting |
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Use the hyperlinks to view reports by WMWP representatives who attended the National Writing Project Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA, in November 2005:
Bruce Penniman at the NWP General Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA.
This semester, Amber Engelson joins the WMWP as office manager. To read more about Amber, click here.
Student Gather at UMass for “Creative Journeys” #
After a two-month postponement due to snow, over 300 student writers gathered in Bartlett Hall at UMass on May 27 for Creative Journeys, a full-day workshop.
Peter Elbow to lead Teachers as Writers Workshop #
WMWP will offer a full-day Teachers as Writers Workshop led by Peter Elbow on Saturday, March 6.
State Network and Publication News #
The Massachusetts Writing and Learning Network is planning a statewide publication to showcase the writing done by students of Writing Project teachers.
Professional Writing Retreat #
On June 26, Susan Biggs attended the National Writing Project’s Professional Writing Retreat in Santa Fe, NM with 17 teacher consultants from local sites across the country.
Longtime Director Charlie Moran Retires #
Bruce Penniman has been named Director of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project, replacing Charlie Moran, the founding Director.
