Is it really OVER?

The class is officially over now and grades are forthcoming.  Congratulations on becoming a part of the National Writing Project (NWP) and the Alaska State Writing Consortium (ASWC).   

This blogsite will be available for at least a year. Then Ning's life is uncertain so be sure and save your writing for yourself.  I will be sending each of you an email with grades  and final comments next week.  Official transcripts must be requested from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

As I mentioned earlier, our ASWC site is becoming more active all the time so checking the website for what is available is always a good idea.  Remember you are able to join the NWP site because you have completed this class.  They have a monthly online journal and current resources that you will find valuable.

I do not think there will be an official evaluation for the class, but  I do value  comments and suggestions, so please feel free to share them with me when you have the time after school is out.  I know you are all on full throttle here at the end of the school year.  You can also email comments and evaluations to our administrator, Mardel at aswcmardell@gmail.com.

Thanks again for being an interested, engaged class. Contact me on email anytime you want to reconnect, ask a questions, or more importantly,  share a writing experience.  I would sincerely love to hear from you. May you continue to write and engage in the amazing work you are doing with students and other teachers.

Have a great end to the year and a wonderful summer!

Final Week! The Homestretch

This is it!  This is the time in the class when I start wishing we had more time to read and discuss the ideas that are emerging.  We have only scratched the surface, and our time is up. 

This week I would like your final response to be to your weekly reading (which is all about technology) and/or anything else you wish to comment on. What still needs to be said about teaching writing? What are you thinking now about teaching writing, online professional development, the structure of the class, future directions for ASWC?  Also feel free to email me ideas for improving the class next year.  I value all suggestions.

Thanks so much for all your contributions.  The thing I love about the Virtual is I always go away feeling we have learned so much from each other just by framing and discussing on the blog.  The class is truly a collaborative effort, and you have shaped it well.

(Post final response here!)

ASWC Opportunities Abound

Two great opportunities for credit and further collaboration with ASWC teachers are available. One is a basic summer institute in Homer and the other is an Invitational Institute in Anchorage for those who want to become even more involved. Completing our Virtual Institute allows you to be among those who are eligible to apply for either.   

Check the ASWC website for more information on both..

ASWC Invitational Summer Institute

WHEN

• UAA Campus June 6 – 24, 2011 (face-to-face sessions)
• Online meetings will start in May with all ISI participants (Dates TBA) - On-campus sessions will meet from 900 a.m. – 500 p.m., M – F & Sat. (6/18).

WHERE

• UAA Campus Classroom (Housing will be provided at the UAA dormitories for member-district participant. For those from non-member districts, housing is available at very reasonable rates, @$35.00/night. Contact Mardell Kiesel, ASWC Director; aswcmardell@gmail.com for more information.)

FOR WHOM

• Educators of all subjects are welcome (elementary through college) who have preferably completed an ASWC Open Institute or who have a strong background of rigorous writing experiences. All applicants must complete the ISI Application 
• A quintessential opportunity is offered to educators who qualify by background experience, recommendation and passionate interest!

ASWC Open Institute Homer

ED 593, ASWC’s Open Institute, will direct K-12 educators from all content areas to examine their work as teachers and writers by writing daily, responding to and analyzing their writing, and examining current research, practice, and assessment models shown to improve student performance. Teachers will also explore strategies for responding to student writing and effective uses of technology, all of which will provide a framework for implementing new strategies within their classrooms. Course delivery will utilize a combination of face-to-face class-time, as well as online discussion. 

Course Information

• ED 593 (through UAF) 
• 3 credits
• Cost: $195 (Registration through course instructors**)
• Target Audience: K-12 Educators across all content areas
• Grading Info: A-F Grading
• Prerequisites: None
• Location: West Homer Elementary School, Homer, Alaska

Implementation Paper Final Draft

Publish the implementation paper here.  Also email a copy to me at sondraak@gmail.com so I can share it with other member of ASWC.

Personal Writing Final

Celebrate and publish your final draft of the narrative or other choice for personal writing here.

Where in the world does it all go?

Here is the scoop on where to post what--

• Ning:   Share your drafts for both the implementation paper and the narrative with your group
• Blog:    Post the final drafts for the implementation paper and narrative online for all to see
• Email:  Email your final draft of the implementation paper to me

You are now a member of the National Writing Project--Write on!

Writing Project Teachers Give Advice, Ideas on Edutopia Blog - National Writing Project
 

As our class comes to a close, be aware that you can still continue the kind of posting and discussions we have been having by engaging in online dialogue with teachers throughout the country who are associated with the National Writing Project(NWP)--funding from which enabled this class and the Alaska State Writing Consortium to operate. You can offically join NWP by going to their website and signing in. A wealth of material awaits.

Because Digital Writing Matters

The Authors of "Because Digital Writing Matters" Discuss the Digital Directions of Writing - National Writing Project

This is another National Writing Project book that you might consider for summer reading! I highly recommend it!

Implentation paper starts; narrative continues

This week you will also begin writing the implementation paper, your last major assignment. This one page essay--approximately 400 words-- is simply a reflection on what you plan to do next year as a result of what you have been reading and writing in this class. Are there ways you can improve your teaching or assessment of writing? What have you learned about yourself as a writer? Have you learned more about any technology that you might find useful next year? Consider the text, readings, class discussions, assignments, and lessons shared by your classmates. I suggest you begin by a fastwrite/brainstorm “ Next year I will…” I am asking that you share that first draft or fastwrite of the implementation paper with your Ning response group this week. Collaborate with your group in any way you wish.

The work on the narrative/memoir seems to be going strong.  I am looking forward to the final products and I notice lots of growth in the Ning response. Try to post your final draft this week or early next week.  
 

The Implementation paper and the narrative/memoir will be due after the class is finished any time before April 4. I believe I must submit all grades to the University of Alaska on April 7. No incompletes are allowed.

Week Seven: Response to Reading

We have two articles to review.   Growing Beyond Grades presents a student-centered approach to teaching and assessment,  a somewhat rare idea in the age of standardized assessment., but much along the lines of what you have been discussing online. Are students capable of measuring their own progress?  The third piece is from National Writing Project  and contains concrete teaching ideas for inclusion in writing programs, some of which have been discussed earlier.  (I included this selection because I thought it might be helpful in starting your implementation paper.)

The discussions were have been rich on assessment. Continue your conversations about the Six Traits, assessments, and grading practices. Consider posting a writing/project rubric, idea for approach to grading, or a successful strategy for responding to student work. Continue to share what works for you and how you practice modeling. 

Looking ahead..two weeks plus ahead

I took this picture in India last year while riding on an elephant. 

We are quickly approaching the end of the class!   

It is hard to believe six weeks have passed already.  These last two weeks will include: 

• discussing weekly readings
• completing a final draft of your personal writing to your satisfaction
• continuing response and conversation about your writing with your Ning group
• submitting an implementation paper 

 Essentially the implementation paper is a culminating reflective essay that outlines some of the ideas you have gleaned from the readings, text, online discussion, and your own experiences.  Hopefully this paper will help you formulate a plan for implementing some new ideas and approaches for teaching writing next year or even for the rest of this year.  

Week Six: Response to Reading

We are finished with the text, but you have other reading and/or sites to visit each week.  This week your response covers some of the most difficult areas of teaching:  responding, assessing, and evaluating."The Writing Rubric" is a basic discussion of one rubric and how it is effectively used.  Most of you are likely to be familiar with 6+1 Trait Rubrics linked here to information on NWREL site.  I am also directing you to a site produced by the University of Minnesota on Response. Also included "Teaching to the test.."(Week 6 at bottom) in your discussions. 

Your responses have been particularly impressive and thoughtful, already touching on some of my suggestions for this week. I am thinking back to our first discussion about what kinds of experiences we should be offering students for effective results and some of the posts you made there.  How does that fit here?   Let's keep up the momentum! 

Possible topics:

• How can we find time to read, respond to, and evaluate student work? 
• Review and consider what "Writing Next" and the 11 strategies imply relating to evaluation.
• Do you use rubrics, and if so, how do they work? Tips? Limitations?
• Post an effective rubric for a project or a strategy for responding to student work.
• Do you incorporate peer response in your writing process?  When or how? 
• What about individual writing conferences? Are they manageable or effective for you?

Week Six Overview

This is such an easy week!  All we have in the response to reading is to solve the universal problems of assessment, evaluation, and response.  No big deal, huh? 

And in your spare time, remember to contribute to the Ning where you are working on narratives.  Review the two roles you have as a response group member.   I am hoping to see lots of revision and response given by everyone in the group to everyone else in the group.  Response is difficult work.  Let's see how we as teachers can become more comfortable responding to our peers.   How can we translate this process to our classrooms? 

As we discuss assessment, keep in mind how you use the information it gives us.  If you haven't had a chance to read the short piece I posted a few weeks back on formative assessment, check that out as well.

My office hours are canceled this week.  If you need me, let's continue to communicate via email.   Feel free to call as well.

What is the NING all about?

Early Desert Bloom in March

Your Ning group is the official writing response group for the narrative.  We will be working on revising the narratives from now until the end of the class.

You have two official roles as a response group member.  

First, you are a writer who is coming to the group for guidance and advise about your writing.  You, however, are still in absolute control of you own work.

1. Ask the group for SPECIFIC suggests on your paper so that they will feel free to comment.  
2. If there are aspects of your paper which you do NOT want comments on, indicate  you are satisfied or “finished” with that particular item or section.  
3. Ask for clarification if you do not understand the response. 
4. Acknowledge the comments made by others if they ask questions.

Secondly, you are a responder for each member of your group.

1. Read and respond directly to any questions the writer asks,  
2. Make your comments specific and indicate paragraph/ sentences that you are referring to. 
3. Remember to be constructive, not destructive, but also feel obliged to help make the paper even better than it is.   
4. Make your comments include suggests and questions, not just praise .

 Use the following questions I use with my college students as a guide.

• What parts of the paper did you find confusing or hard to understand and why? 
• Is there anything you would cut or add? Why? 
• What is the most important part of this paper and why? 
• What sentences sound awkward or seem odd? 
• What emotions do you think the writer is trying to convey with the narrative?  Does it work?
• Where does he/she seem to be saying/explaining too little? Too much?

Response hint:  Sometimes response is best posed as in questions.  Rather than saying "you should add more detail to the description of your friend"  ask "could you paint a clear picture of your friend in the first section when you introduce him to the reader?"  This is a concrete suggestion and more specific.

Some Clarifying Thoughts on Writing the Narrative

We will be working on the narrative for the next several weeks on the Ning.  Most of you have a start, but during Week 6 the response process will begin in earnest. More will be posted on that protocol.  If you wish to change your topic for Week 6 you can, but after that I would like for you to stick to the same piece and see what can happen with revision.

Your assignment is to write a personal narrative or a memoir. A memoir is simply a memory piece or an autobiographical narrative. For our purposes, you do not need to write your complete autobiography. Instead focus on telling us one story from the thousands of stories you have stored in your mind. You may pick a memory that is fresh or something from the distant past. The narrative might be a glimpse of you in an earlier time, a forceful, emotion memory, some reflection upon your education or an account of a particular experience. All these decisions are up to you.  You may use something you started earlier.

If you are in doubt as to a topic, consider making this a learning narrative. Focus on some aspect or experience that has taken place in your education. What do you most remember from grade school? How did you learn to read? What are your vivid memories about writing? Were there assignments that you loved or hated? Memoirs and other personal narratives have been particularly popular over the years for several good reasons:
• Creative expression. The memoir genre provides an opportunity to write highly personal stories that draw on our own experiences.
• Family history. Memoir is a modern-day (and more indelible) counterpart to the oral storytelling tradition. I think of the memoir or persoal narrative a a way to preserve an event that has touched me or my family. A memoir can become a family treasure.
• Genre Exploration.  Several of you are writing poems; most are wiring prose for the narrative.  You can use any form you like.
Happy writing!

One Thing that Works

When all is said and done, we know what works!  Use this opportunity to share a successful lesson, unit, or practice with your classmates.  This could be the MOST valuable sharing we have done.

Week Five Response to Reading

This week's readings deal with teaching to standards and an article about mandating teaching practices. The National Council of Teachers of English has developed their own set of standards linked here.  Review the Alaska content standards for writing for your level. 

In Chapter Five, the text states that "State curriculum documents and assessments are now carrying a new message: writing should no longer be "the silent R" of learning...Improving writing is now seen as important for learning subjects other than English."  Here are a few ideas to discuss in regard to the reading:

• Do you feel both these statements are true at your site?
• How important are state standards to your daily teaching?
• How "mandated" is what you do?
• Have you ever been forced to teach in a way you did not feel was a good fit for your philosophy or style?
• What are some of your own "standards" or goals as a teacher of writing? 
• If you could change or revise some of the state standards, what changes would you make?

Let's save discussion about assessment and qualifying exams for next week. 

Week Five Overview

AZ: Windmill I see on a favorite walk

Focus:  Sharing Writing, Lessons, Ideas

(I realize spring breaks will be occurring over the next few week. I will be understanding if you are traveling. Just catch up as soon as you can.)

Reading: 

• This week's reading includes Chapter 4- 5 Because Writing Matters as well as an article entitled Working with Mandated Curriculum by Lock
•  Also take this opportunity to review Alaska Department of Education Writing Grade Level Expectations.  Those of you who are not English or Language Arts teachers, see how you can apply these standards to your teaching.

Writing: 

• Share a writing best practice from classroom: lesson, idea, strategy, etc.  You may post it under the "One thing that works" on this blog.
• Begin drafting your own personal narrative/memoir. Write a first draft or fastwrite and post it n the Ning group for response. This could be an extension or revision of something you started on one of the Virtual Journal entries.
• Also in your Ning groups,  discuss what makes a writing assignment work/fail in your specific situation; structuring writing workshops, and/or writing across the curriculum.

Virtual Office Hours: Tuesday 4-5  Remember I will be standing by on email or ready for a chat on gmail or the Ning.  Email me with questions any time or comments.  I appreciate the conversations that are taking place this week.  The candid writing about your classrooms has been valuable and introspective. I am hoping that will carry over to the Ning

Keep writing!  We are  half way through the our Virtual Institute.

Writing Group ON!

Writing group in Denali National Park

This has been a struggle to organize.  Whew!   I have put you in these groups of teachers that I feel you have much in common with; however, if you want to switch for some reason, just let me know.  I will try and make necessary adjustments.

At this point the groups are as follows:

(You will have to name your group) 


1. BISHOP, NOVITSKA, AYUMI, GANTZ, SERGE-HOESCHEN. KEIL (ESL or Language learners)
2.  POCK, KINDRED,  GRIBBLE, ZOSKE, FEUER (mostly elementary)

3.  CURRIER, Woodward, Borland/Bayes, Gardella, Jenness (mostly secondary)
4.   REDM0ND, LLOYD,  THOMPSON, STOLTZ, RASMUSSEN, GOOD (some SPED, middle school)


Let me know ASAP if you would like to switch groups.  I will be linking you up in a Ning or BLOG.  There you will be able to post all your Virtual Journals including your work for this week.  Stay tuned!

Update Sunday PM:  I set up the Ning groups, so you should have received an invitation to join a group by now.  You will have to accept my invitation and join the ASWC ning.  Remember I can still make changes if you wish to be with a certain colleague. 

Best Practice: Formative Assessment Done Right

Best Practice: Formative Assessment Done Right
Another Reading Response option (Week 4 or 5):  Check this link out as it relates directly to our discussion from the text and from "Teaching to the Test."   I also found some of the additional comments by readers of her post interesting.  What do you think about the value of formative assessment?  Do we need more structure and training in this area?  What do you do?  A response here can count for reader response for 4 or 5.

Week Four: Response to Reading

Chapter 2-3  of "Because Writing Matters" is your reading assignment.   How can we increase writing time in our classes?  Do you agree with the premises?  Why or why not? Place your earnest reflections, thoughts, and evaluations here.

Everything you wanted to know about Week Four.

Response to Reading: Chapter 2-3 "Because Writing Matters"  Our discussions on the text seemed to be a tad flat mostly because posts were slow in coming in.  I hope these chapters spark more interest and response. How can we increase writing time in our classes?  Do you agree with the premises?  Why or why not?  (Use the response post for your comments.)

Virtual Tour: If you have not started the Virtual tour of your classroom, be sure and do that this week. In the comment section of the “Virtual Tour” post, send me an address where I can access your tour. I will make a post with links later this week so you can all visit each other! 



Virtual Journal-later in the week:  For Week Four, we are focusing on being more reflective about what we are actually doing day to day in our classrooms. We all have standards, mandates, and objectives, but how do the nut-and-bolt activities of our day play out? I would like for you to write about just that on the ASWC Ning which I am in the process of setting up for you this week.  The Virtual Journal is essentially, however, on hold this week until I get the Ning groups established.  I recall that some of you.  Stay tuned.
 The assignment is to examine your typical day. Write a narrative description. You might want to call this “A Day in the Classroom” or “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” This will be the only Virtual Journal for the week. I am hoping that your routines and realities will spark some conversation and response in the Ning groups which will not be available until late in the week. We had such excellent and divergent activity in the Virtual Journal last week.  I am hoping that will continue in the smaller groups so that everyone has a voice and gets a response.


 No audio scheduled: I am traveling this week and doing inservice this week so there may be no office hours.  Just email or call if you have problems.
 
Keep up all the good writing.  The class is moving along right on course.

Week Three: Virtual journal

Georgia Heard is another of my favorite writers who specializes in encouraging others to write. She has a range of books for teachers and for writers that you may have already discovered. Check out her website at http://georgiaheard.com . Many of her books focus on the teaching of poetry. Perhaps my favorite, however, is Writing Toward Home: Tales and Lessons to Find Your Way (Heinemann), a thin, inspirational volume that encourage us to write from close observation and past personal experiences. She challenges us to see the ordinary in an extraordinary way. On her website she writes: “Whether you are a student, teacher or a poet I believe our challenge is to find the poetry all around us every day. Children are often the best teachers of this. That's one of my goals when I teach poetry is to help every student find the poetry inside.”

Perhaps we can try to find what is inside us or buried in our ordinary lives for our journal this week.   Last week's post brought were great reads.   Thank you for such a wonderful second week. Your goal this week is again two posts.

(Another outstanding Heard publication you may want to  check out is The Revision Toolbox which gives all teachers tools for approaching revision with students.)

Week Three: Response to Reading

I believe you all have your text so we can begin our discussions of the ideas in the text.

Guiding Question:

• In Because Writing Matters, Nagin starts by asserting that "writing is a complex activity: more than just a skill or talent, it is a means of inquiry and expression for learning in all grades and disciplines." How does this view affect the way we might approach our teaching? Why is writing so complex and what challenges does it pose on our schools?  Are these ideas addressed in "Writing Next" as well?

Do not let my questions limit your discussion. They are merely meant to be suggestions that might help start a conversation. 

Touring our Classrooms: The Virtual Tour

Even though we can't meet in person, you can share your classrooms through a virtual tour.

During the next two weeks, you should be working on a virtual classroom tour. This assignment has two goals. First, all of us will get a sense of the wide variety of schools and classrooms represented in our Virtual Institute. Secondly, I would like each of you to play around a bit with using technology as a means of publishing writing and sharing your classroom. Your tour should include several photos with captions or narration.

After you have taken pictures and written about your classroom, pick a specific place to share your work. You can create a blog like mine through Blogger; you can create a website like the one on which I have put the assignments; or you can create a PowerPoint and share it with us on Google Docs at docs.google.com . The Google options are free and relatively user-friendly. Microsoft has an option I haven't tried yet that someone might like to try and teach the rest of us: "Microsoft Document Connection."

Each venue has a brief tutorial about how to use it most effectively.

If you already have a website or Blog, you can place your tour there and share the link with us by responding to this post. If all this technology drives you crazy, please just send me a PowerPoint, and I can share it with others. The most important part of the assignment. after all, is sharing your classroom with the rest of our class. Don't be intimidated by the technology; just play around with it a bit.

Week Two Second Audio topics

For those who missed the audio and for those who need a reminder, here is what we talked about:

• I will be posting more information on the Virtual Classroom tour you are to create.  Start thinking of a way to virtually share your classroom with this class.
• Sometime in the next few weeks, you should soon be invited to become an author on this blog.  Please accept when you receive the invitation. 
• The week runs from Tuesday through Monday.  Assignments for each week are due by Monday night.  I am pleased with the compelling, thoughtful ideas being shared.  Posts do not have to be quite as long if you do not wish to write so much.  I, however, am thrilled to see the depth in the discussions. 
• The class is synchronous which means we are working through assignments together, week by week. You should be checking in and posting at least three times a week.  If you leave all your posts until the last day or so, the conversation and discussion in the class lacks vitality.
• Unless otherwise noted, you need a minimum of three posts weekly--two posts to the Virtual Journal and one to the response to the reading.
• Engage with your classmates.  You have so much to share with each other.  We all understand the importance of having an audience in writing.  You are now honing your skills as an audience by responding to what others post in both the Virtual Journal and the response to writing. Your responses, if they are at least a paragraph, can count as a post.
• I will usually  be online for a chat on Gmail or an email exchange on Tuesdays 5-6.  I hope to hear from you during my "office hours."  Continue to email or phone me any time and as often as you need.
• We do NOT have a scheduled audio again.  If you feel it would be helpful, however, you can request one.  It's free!  We may try an eLive session sometime for fun and practice.
• Keep on writing!

Week Two: Response to Reading

 Center your discussion this week on Raising Writers. 
What do you think of the author's ideas about the role of teachers?  What do you see as your role?  Which of the Eleven Elements of Effective Adolescent Writing Instruction from Writing Next does the author address? How does your own role as a writer fit into your classroom practices?  How or where do you find the time to do it all?  Remember each of you needs to post here this week.  Your post may be a part of a conversation with other classmates or a general response to this article.

Week Two Second Audio

Remember we are scheduled for a final audio.  If we feel we need more time together, we can elect to use the eLive system, but for now this is it.  The date is Tuesday, February 15 at 5 pm for the conference.  Use the number below to dial in and enter the pin when prompted to do so.  I will explain the Virtual Tour which you will be creating soon.   Bring any and all questions!  This meeting should also be short.

Talk to you soon. 

Phone Number:  800 893 8850
Participant Pin: 1181632

If you become disconnected for any reason,  just repeat the procedure.

Week Two: Virtual Journal

Natalie Goldberg is the author of many books on writing including two of my old  favorites,Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind. I am ordering her new one on memoir. Some of her writing is included in the readings for the week.   She writes:

"The basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise. You may time yourself for ten minutes, twenty minutes, or an hour. It's up to you....What does matter is that whatever amount of time you choose for that session, you must commit yourself to it for the full period." (Writing Down the Bones)

"A writing practice is simply picking up a pen, a fast-writing pen, preferably, since the mind is faster than the hand, and doing timed writing exercises. The idea is to keep your hand moving for, say, ten minutes, and don’t cross anything out, because that makes space for your inner editor to come in. You are free to write the worst junk in America." (interview)

So in the Virtual Institute, you are challenged to take just ten minutes out of your day to write. The next step is to post your writings in the Virtual Journal. Post at least two times each week. The important thing is to practice writing. As Goldberg says, "The more you do it, the better you get at it." Post entries in reply to this post and remember you may comment on classmates' posts.  Feedback and response is always appreciated.

Stacey's reference to Huffington Post

Stacey called our attentions to this interesting read  from a recent Huffington Post."....one issue is slipping through the cracks, the consequences of which not only impacts our kids' education, but every aspect of their lives. Schools are lobbying for students' attention by embracing technology in ever increasing ways. This is the moment, however, to pause and consider whether we want to sacrifice our kids' last remaining hours of non-screen time by incorporating Facebook, iPads, and other devices into the curriculum." 


Technology and schools:  Should we add more or pull the plug?

Week One: Virtual Journal

Let's get to know each other!  

    This is the place to enter your weekly journal writings.  Aim for at least two posting each week and do not be afraid to play around with style, genres and plain old musings.  You may also respond to others who post.
    My first prompt or suggestion is for you to introduce yourself to the rest of the class by adding a comment to this post. Include your name as the title to your introduction. I have started by posting a biography about myself.
     If you have not done so, remember to join the class as a follower, post a picture and include a short statement in your own profile. You can view my profile as a sample.

Week One: Response to Reading

View the videos and read the week's assignments.  Take time to begin or contribute to a conversation about one of the readings.  Do you have any rules for students communicating online that differ from the ones from Phoenix Online? These guidelines should help us with good online ethics. What do you think of Richardson (Digital Footprint) on technology in education?  I am interested in finding effective uses of technology that augment our teaching rather than just adding more for the sake of technology.  What do you think?  Ponder a bit!
The report Writing Next published by the Carnegie Corporation is a heavy read, but one that we might consider referring to throughout the course.  The "meat' of the material is between page 11 and 34. You can skip or skim the rest.  It has eleven key recommendations that are worth "unpacking" as we move through our discussions. The report is considered one of the most comprehensive reports on writing since the 1990's. It makes a good companion to our text which we will start reviewing in a few weeks. Does this report contain ideas particularly true to your experience, ideas that you find puzzling, or ones that run contrary to your beliefs?

Important Audio conference information

We officially begin our journey together Tuesday, February 8 at 5 pm on the audio conference.  Use the number below to dial in and enter the pin when prompted to do so.  We will be talking about the structure of the class and expectations.   Bring questions and enthusiasm!   
Talk to you soon. 

Phone Number:  800 893 8850
Participant Pin: 1181632

If you become disconnected for any reason,  just repeat the procedure.

First Post

Post a note as a reply to this post to let us all know you are online. It's easy. Just click on the "comments" link and type in the text box. (One of my hobbies is photography so you may find a few random photos posted to keep the blog attractive.  This orange-breasted sunbird shot was taken in 2009 in Cape Town, S.A.)

Welcome

As the teacher-leader for our class, I am excited about beginning our process together. This is the sixth year I have taught the online institute. Each year the class has taken on a life of its own and offered revelations for me and for participants. This is by far the largest class I have every had in my years of online teaching, so I am sure there will be excitement and adjustments. I realize for some of you this is your first experience with a writing institute, while others will have taken some classes and workshops in the past. Either way the class is a completely unique offering, utilizing online discussions and including the reality of your daily instruction.

You are probably in the busiest part of your school year, so “Writing Matters” will allow you to make the best advantage of what you are currently doing in your classroom. You will have the opportunity to reflect upon and evaluate methods and strategies with your class. You will have the opportunity to discuss ideas with other teachers. Finally, you will have the opportunity to experiment with personal writing. We will be using a combination of audio conferencing, online discussion, and web-based instruction. Class official starts February 7.

Our text is Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Our Schools by the National Writing Project and Carl Nagin. Purchase a copy of the book at http://www.writingproject.org/Publications/books. The book is also available through Amazon. Please try to have the book by the first week of class. Several editions are available, but very little change has been made in the  text, so if you find a used edition that is fine.

For now, just get excited about the possibilities. I have scheduled an audio conference during the first week of the class Tuesday February 8 at 5 PM.  Stay tuned for the connection information which I will send to you as soon as our administrator receives the connection numbers  from UAF. 

I look forward to talking to all of you and “seeing” you online very soon.