The Western Kentucky University Writing Project

Workshops and Inservice

Currently, this page has the following items and links:

*  New Teacher Workshop  (Oct. 22)
*  Writing for the Real World  (Oct. 31)
*  My Students Aren't Ready  (Oct. 31)
*  National Board Certification  (Nov. 7)
*  Tech Demos from the Classroom  (Nov. 7)
*  Fall Mini-Conference  (Nov. 14)
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You are cordially invited to attend the

New Teacher Workshop

Co-sponsored by the WKU Writing Project and Dept. of Teacher Education

October 22, 2009

Downing University Center—Cupola Room
5-8 pm—Dinner will be provided.

Enjoy your meal while learning how to use literacy strategies effectively to
teach critical thinking and other important concepts in all grades and subject areas.

The Dinner Entertainment Line-Up

Elementary:    Dianne Bowles            Elementary Curriculum Specialist, Muhlenberg Co.

Middle:           Gaye Foster                Science, Allen County-Scottsville HS, former MS teacher

High:               Pat Puckett                 Math Dept. Head, Hart County HS

All:                  Mollie Wade                WKU Writing Project Co-Director

 

Who should attend?

♦ Student teachers and mentors                                           

♦ Intern teachers and mentors

♦ Teachers with 3 or fewer years experience teaching in Kentucky

♦ Anyone who would like to have an enjoyable evening with other professional teaching colleagues

 

Registration Information

Register online HERE OR by phone 270.745.6587 by Mon, Oct 19

Questions – call 270.745.6587 OR email writing.project@wku.edu

 

P.D. certificates will be given to all attendees.


This exciting workshop, 3 hours professional development credit, and the meal are all free of charge.  This evening is brought to you by the WKU Writing Project and the WKU Department of Teacher Education.  Space limitations allow us to accept only the first 40 who register, so please don’t delay.   


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The WKU Writing Project invites you
to TWO outstanding workshops at
Elizabethtown High School

October 31, 2009


* 8 am –11 am *

“Writing for the Real World and Making a Difference”

(Room 302 and the TVP lab, Elizabethtown High School)

Presenter: Belinda Stark, teacher at E-town High School

 
Students at Elizabethtown High School are learning that stories they tell can and do have a positive impact on the people they reach. The stories are generated, developed and produced for airing over their local cable television channel by high school students, but the topics are a bit outside of your usual expectations for teenagers. Instead of focusing primarily on school news, these students see their audience as the people of their community and beyond. For example, student-produced stories have focused on the work accomplished by a local Christian food bank, a successful school athlete who has Cystic Fibrosis, another student with Cerebral Palsy who is learning to speak for the first time with assistive technology, the efforts of the local Habitat for Humanity, the efforts of a local shelter for abused women and children, and the need for more substance abuse recovery centers. The list goes on and on. These students take their learning to a level that has earned them and the program numerous awards and rewards.  Teacher Belinda Stark will share tips on how this program has helped students realize that their writing really can matter and give advice on how other teachers may use some of the same concepts in regular classroom instruction.

 Audience:  Any middle or secondary teacher who wants to make writing instruction more meaningful for his/her students



* 11:30 am – 2:30 pm *

“Help! My Students Aren’t Ready for College and Careers!”

((Media Center/Library and adjacent computer lab, Elizabethtown High School)

Presenter: Renee Murray, School Improvement Consultant, HSTW and MMGW
Southern Regional Education Board

The goal is not to get students to graduate from high school—the goal is to get them ready for life after high school, whether they plan to enter college or a career. This session will focus on the skills most important for success in college and careers and strategies teachers can use to help students master these skills. Strategies will be applicable to all content areas.

Audience: High school teachers and curriculum directors


* Registration Information *

* $35 fee for one workshop OR $60 for both – Project Fellows attend free if accompanied by paying colleague

* Register by Wednesday, October 28

* Register online HERE OR by phone 270.745.6587

* P.D. certificates will be available

* Questions – call 270.745.6587 OR email writing.project@wku.edu


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see ********** ********** see http://file2.ws/wkuwp

Register online HERE OR by phone (270) 745-6587
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Need strategies to help struggling writers?
What's the best way to help your ESL/ELL students?
How can current events help your students become better writers?
Do you need a Ning?
Get the answers to these questions and more by attending the

*Session 1: 8:40 – 9:40

(A)   Prescriptions for Avoiding and Reviving Lifeless Writing

Amy Bellamy & Angela Gunter: Have your students’ responses to literature flat-lined? Producing excitement among students about responding to reading can be a real challenge. In this demonstration, we will offer a prescription for fun through engaging activities that will help prevent an epidemic of comatose writing in your school.

(B)    Do Writing Conventions Really Matter?

Amanda Wurtman & Melissa Zimmer: Internet resources, trade books, and meaningful mini-lessons allow teachers to respond to their students’ needs with fun, interactive activities that, at the same time, serve as quick assessment tools. Once aware of the resources out there to meet your students’ needs you will be on your way to authentic grammar instruction!

    (C)   The Missing Piece

 Andrea Lawler & Dianne Bowles: Are you looking for the missing piece in your literacy program?   This session will provide you with insightful statistics and inspirational podcasts to boost the energy and excitement of your staff in building an authentic literacy plan within your school and community.   You will actively be engaged in hands on planning activities to involve students, parents and the community to fill the gap in literacy skills.   Technology and use of the digital world are key components of this presentation. www.literacyforlifeonline.com

*Session 2: 9:50 – 10:50

(D) I Heard it Through the Grapevine: Writing to Promote Understanding of Current Events

Renae Colognesi & Savannah Boone: Our demonstration answers the essential questions “How do we engage our students in current events and link these events to our core content?” and “How can they become better writers by responding to these events?”  With all of the technology available to students today, they are losing sight of the importance of world events.  With this demonstration teachers will be prepared to integrate current events via many media sources into their classroom

(E)”You’ve got The WRITE Stuff!” Ways to Incorporate Writing into All Areas to    Improve Content Knowledge

    Deidre Calvert & Katie Christner:  Any core content teacher can use our demonstration to enhance instruction based upon the Kentucky Writing Scoring Rubric with an emphasis on Content terminology.  The activities presented are simple ways any teacher can incorporate writing into the classroom.  The following activities can be used in any classroom:  Sum It Up, Drawing and Illustrating, Journal Entries, Carousel Brainstorming and Reflection.

   (F) Let’s Get Cooking: Recipes to Motivate Using the Writing Process

Jamie Rigney & Brandi Plumlee: Let’s face it writing in the classroom can be dull and boring.  Let’s throw some spices into the mix and create something new. Our demonstration goes through the writing process using different motivational tools.  These tools include: divergent thinking, using the internet, Wordle, RealeWriter, and Digital Storytelling.  We can use these tools to get students of all ages motivated and engaged in the writing process. 

  *Session 3: 11:00 – 12:00

(G) Tools to Help All Writers Let Their Voice Be Heard

Valarie Powell & Aaron Davis:  Have you ever heard your students say “I don’t like write” or “I don’t want to write”? This infomercial-themed presentation will remedy these problems along with any others that may arise with reluctant writers. You will be engaged in various methods and activities to motivate these students.  The activities can easily be tailored to all content areas and grade levels.  They include Word Tasting, Advertisements, and many others.  Participants will also receive CDs with templates for the activities and many others.

(H)  Beyond The Glass Slipper

Jonathan Burchett & Lori Passmore: Are you ready to move “Beyond the Glass Slipper” using multi-genre projects?  Teachers need as many different approaches to reach our students as there are students to reach.  Using multiple genres to teach interpretation/comprehension skills, to get students to think about text/information in more ways than just read, memorize, regurgitate, to actually digest what they are reading and be able to use it, is one more way to get the point across.  It’s not what our students can read, but what they can do with it that matters

(I)   Finding MeaNING: Using Social Networking to Build Classroom Communities


Vicki Cooper & Devin Butler:  Focuses on the use of a social network to create a safe on-line learning experience that will bring students together to improve writing skills.  This PD demonstrates the 21st century classroom that engages every student regardless of ability.


(J)  Educating English Language Learners (ELL) from Around the World


Danielle Wolf & Carrie Jo Snyder:  Essential Question: How can teachers promote literacy within their school district for ELL students? Objective: Develop an understanding of ELL, acquire teaching strategies, and obtain basic knowledge about your ELL students. Statistics relating to increasing ELL population; how will this increase affect your school district? Research based strategies and activities that develop ELL literacy skills (word scaling, sentence frames, & silly questions) with a hands-on approach (scenario analysis)

 

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