Please join us for a special National Writing Project Annual Meeting Teachers Teaching Teachers Webcast
If it’s November, it must be time for the National Writing Project’s Annual Meeting. In a couple of weeks many Writing Project teachers from across the United States (and some around the world) will be gathering in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for our annual conference.
In connection with the NWP Annual Meeting, you are invited to listen and interact with teachers across the globe during a special Teachers Teaching Teachers webcast sponsored by the Technology Initiative. There will also be a follow-up show after the Annual Meeting on December 2.
This event, co-hosted by the New York City Writing Project and the NWP Technology Liaisons Network, and broadcast live over the EdTechTalk network of the WorldBridges network, will feature:
- Robert Rivera-Amezola, Philadelphia Writing Project http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/nwp_amsession/1584
- Joe Conroy, NWP at Rutgers University Writing Project http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/nwp_amsession/1607
- Chuck Jurich, High Desert Writing Project (New Mexico) http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/nwp_amsession/1608
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Paul Oh, the coordinator of the technology liaison program for the National Writing Project http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/nwp_au/1102
As presenters of Annual Meeting sessions that focus on 21st century literacies, these writing project teachers and colleagues will share stories about the exploration of new composing practices, especially podcasting and video-making. Robert and Chuck teach 4th graders and Joe is a high school teacher. It should be an exciting, informative show.
How to Participate
Please join us at http://edtechtalk.com/live on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9–10 p.m. EST / 6–7 p.m. PST / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times
Teachers Teaching Teachers webcasts are live each Wednesday night, 9–10 p.m. EST / 6–7 p.m. PST.
Download instructions for listening and chatting during a live show (PDF).
—Paul Allison and Susan Ettenheim
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
A letter I wrote to my Principal, AP, and Department Head:I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how important and useful the conferences were this time around.All of my students’ finished work is accessible in their blogs at http://youthvoices.net/ewsis. (Just scroll down on the left side to find classes and names.) Parents were delighted to know that they could see the work and talk about it with their students, and that they would be able to continue to track progress. One mother told me that teachers had told her that her daughter was a good writer, and she was happy to be able to see it now.I was also able to make clear my expectations, using our “Power Users’ Weekly Assignments.” I explained how students use this form to self-monitor. I also admitted that it is pretty dense, which is why I’ve been preparing a more clear, day-by-day guide for the last few weeks for students: http://docs.google.com/View?id=ah5m9qjtkbwf_78fgq3pgdt I also showed parents how their students are are getting feedback from me: http://youthvoices.net/node/24518/revisions/view/26402/26703In addition, because one part of our curriculum is structured around an independent reading project, I had rich, thought-provoking discussions with my students and their parents about the books they are reading and writing about — and what they might read next. Many have already finished 2 or 3 books this semester. I ended each conference by exploring with students what each of them are really good at or passionate about. Each student has an on-going inquiry question that we are going to do research into this semester. I delighted in the young woman who said, “I’m a good listener, and I want to study psychology.” And in the students who I found post a new drawing on http://deviantArt.com frequently. And the young man who does animation on his own at home. I also enjoyed questions like, “Is the supernatural real?” and “Where is it most likely for war to break out next?” and “Why are people so judgmental, even Christians?” Only three parents were there without students, and this made all the difference.I think a positive, informative time was had by all who came into my room. I know I learned a lot!
News from Youth Voices on Teachers Teaching Teachers this Wednesday, Oct. 28 - 9:PM Eastern / 6:PM Pacific
We would like to invite you to join us on Teachers Teaching Teachers — a live webcast that you can join with Skype — this Wednesday, October 28, 9:00 PMPerhaps you are one of the educators who have registered as a teacher at http://youthvoices.net , but — for whatever reason — you haven’t brought your students in yet. Or perhaps you’re almost ready to have your students join ours. We’d like to talk with you about what your plans are for using the site — or how it is going so far. We are doing a special Teachers Teaching Teachers webcast this week, focused on introducing Youth Voices to teachers who want to know more about the site… who want to be involved more in our community. The New/Current discussions on http://youthvoices.net/site-blog and the What’s up? posts: http://youthvoices.net/whatsup/all are more exciting than ever, and they include students from 6th -12th grades on a regular basis. We’d love to include your students as well. Please plan to join us via Skype this Wednesday to discuss the possibilities - or listen in at http://edtechtalk.com/live Join us at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times
More about EBSCO and Diigo (and BrainyFlix) on Wednesday's Teachers Teaching Teachers 9:00 PM Eastern / 6:00 PM Pacific
After 3 carefully planned, well-produced episodes, guest-hosted by Troy Hicks, we return with a bit of productive chaos this week on Teachers Teaching Teachers.We invited Maggie Tsai from Diigo, and even if she can’t make it we’ll be talking about the new Diigo V4.0, and how Diigo is working out with our students. Ron Burns from EBSCO will also join us. We’d like to continue the conversation about using databases for research, how to share research using Diigo and how to incorporate the EBSCO resources into these goals! Being big EBSCO fans, we always welcome any chance to learn more about upcoming changes and how to better use EBSCO.Joyce Valenza will also try to join us, since she started us on this question of how to use a social bookmarking site like Diigo with a library database like EBSCO.Joining in will be Jack Yu who creates his own brand of meaningful fun at BrainyFlix. Maybe there will be just enough serendipity for you to join us via Skype this week on Teachers Teaching Teachers. Just let Susan know in the chat room. Join us at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World TimesTroy Hicks and the Digital Writing Workshop (3rd in a series) on TTT tomorrow (Wed. 10.14.09) 9:PM Eastern / 6:PM Pacific
In this final episode of our three part series, please join Troy Hicks, author of The Digital Writing Workshop, and Director of the Chippewa River Writing Project at Central Michigan University, as we continue exploring the principles and practices described in the book.
For this third episode, we welcome three teachers to the conversation as they discuss how they teach students to craft their writing through conferring and response:
- Melissa Pomerantz of Parkway North High School in St. Louis, Missouri, will describe how she uses audio feedback to respond to students through virtual conferences.
- Heather Lewis of Waverly Middle School in Lansing, Michigan, will discuss how she guides students through the revision process with Google Docs.
- Joe Belino, a teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages at Montgomery County Public Schools in Gaithersburg, Maryland, will discuss the ways in which his students offer response to one another through the use of Google Docs.
On Tomorrow's Teachers Teaching Teachers: Troy Hicks and "Exploring Author's Craft in the Digital Writing Workshop"
In this second episode of our three part series, please join Troy Hicks, author of The Digital Writing Workshop, and Director of the Chippewa River Writing Project at Central Michigan University, as we continue a three-part series exploring the principles and practices described in the book. For this second episode, we welcome four Michigan teachers to the conversation as they discuss how they teach the craft of digital writing:- Dawn Reed of Okemos High School will discuss how students craft audio essays in the form of podcasts
- Aram Kabodian of MacDonald Middle School will share his insights on the process of composing digital stories and public service announcements
- Sharon Murchie of Bath High School will describe how she guides her students through the research process for creating multimedia senior projects
- Shannon Powell of Central Montcalm Middle School in Michigan will discuss her experiences as a new teacher as she has begun to use digital writing in her classroom, including her recent integration of “SSR with RSS” for a class of reluctant readers
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Paul Allison and Susan Ettenheim
Teachers Teaching Teachers: Choice and Inquiry in the Digital Writing Workshop September 30, 2009 9 PM Eastern / 6 PM Pacific
This week, please join Troy Hicks, author of the new Heinemann title, The Digital Writing Workshop, and Director of the Chippewa River Writing Project at Central Michigan University, as we begin a three-part series exploring the principles and practices described in the book. For this first episode, we welcome four teachers to the conversation as they discuss how they foster student choice and inquiry in their writing classrooms:
- Penny Kittle, Kennett High School in New Hampshire will offer perspectives on writing workshop principles and why we need to begin to focus on digital writing
- Sara Beauchamp-Hicks, formerly of Negaunee High School in Michigan will discuss her use of wikis and Google Docs to spur student inquiry
- Chris Sloan
of Judge Memorial High School in Salt Lake City will share insights on how students can make choices with RSS readers and blogging
- Shannon Powell of Central Montcalm Middle School in Michigan will discuss her experiences as a new teacher as she has begun to use digital writing in her classroom, including her recent integration of “SSR with RSS” for a class of reluctant readers
Open Mic
Here’s a few links to video and and mp3’s for the Open Mic sponsored by the Pied Piper Children’s Theater of New York City on September 26, 2009. It was lots of fun.All of Open Mic on audio:- http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/family/watch/v19135036m85QGNsY
- http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/family/watch/v19135126ADHXmjpS
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http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/family/watch/v1913526685TzNxS6
- on YouTube:
- on Veoh: http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/family/watch/v19135572GN4SRhSB
- on YouTube:
- on Veoh: http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/family/watch/v191356093hCt72dW
More about diigo, annotations and on-line, ongoing research on Teachers Teaching Teachers - Wednesday, September 23, 9 PM Eastern / 6 PM Pacific
Chief Diigo Ambassador, Maggie Tsai will be joining us Wednesday evening (tomorrow).About a month ago, we had a lively conversation about research and diigo: Teachers Teaching Teachers #165 - 08.26.09 - Meet Lisa Dick and George Haines: Talking about research and diigo. Now that some of the teachers who use Youth Voices have begun to use Diigo, we want to get together to talk about how it is going, and what our plans with students are with this bookmarking site. Please join us. Come talk about how you build your students’ research muscles, and how you use diigo. Join us at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World TimesSanda Htyte, WNYC Radio Rookies producer will join us on Teachers Teaching Teachers, Wed. Sept. 16, 9 PM Eastern / 6 PM Pacific / 5 PM Alaska
Teachers whose students post at Youth Voices are pretty excited about the “Mapping Main Street” collaborative project.“Mapping Main Street is a collaborative documentary media project that creates a new map of the country through stories, photos and videos recorded on actual Main Streets. We invite you to capture the stories and images of the country today. Use our Main Street map to find streets named Main close to your home or along the paths of your own travels. Go out, look around, talk to people, and contribute to this re-mapping of the United States.”Please join us at EdTechTalk this Wednesday, September 16 at 9:00 PM Eastern / 6:00 PM Pacific, to learn more about how we are working “Mapping Main Street into our curriculum. Also come to learn more about a wonderful youth development program, Radio Rookies and their Short Wave workshop, where “producers train students the basics of reporting, interviewing, and script writing, and in 1.5 months they produce a final story for the Radio Rookies web site.”Join our conversation with Sanda Htyte.
Sanda Htyte is Radio Rookies Associate Producer. She has been with Radio Rookies since interning at the Elmhurst workshop in summer of 2005. She is also a freelance video producer, director, editor and a CUNY Professor. While interning at Radio Rookies, Sanda was completing her MFA in documentary producing. Having studied both video and radio production at her Alma Mata, Brooklyn College, CUNY, she was asked to teach introduction to radio production as Adjunct Professor in Fall of 2006 as well as Spring 2007.
A couple of years ago Woody Woodgate, up in Alaska helped shape our curriculum toward place-based projects. His work with the students at the Marshall School was an inspiration. He helped amplify the voices of the young people in his classes so that all of us on the Youth Voices network could hear and respond! Some of our other guests will be a colleague of Woody’s from Alaska, Diane (Ginger) Crockett, and Chris Sloan will be joining us from Salt Lake City Utah. (Check out his students’ work on the Mapping Main Street site.) We would love to make similar connections with your students this year. Specifically, in the next couple of months, we are looking at braiding some or our “place-based” photography, stories, VoiceThreads, videos, podcasts… with the NPR-connected project, “Mapping Main Street.” It just seems to us like this could be an excellent opportunity for students to show off their home towns, their cultures, their stories — and to see what is similar and different from other youths’ Main Streets. We would love it if you could spare the time to join us on Wednesday at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times
Lennie Levin on Crossing to College on Teachers Teaching Teachers, Wed. 09.09.09 at 9:PM Eastern
If you are already using Youth Voices — or planning to soon, we would love for you to join us on Teachers Teaching Teachers tomorrow evening, 09.09.09 Please consider joining via Skype and at http://EdTechTalk.com at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays. We’ll be talking about the Youth Voices curriculum, guides, and more! Lennie Irvin, who will be having his first-year college writing students contributing to the “Crossing to College” group… AND you, we hope.Here’s more from Lennie on bridging from high school to college:http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/lirvin/0301site/EC5.html
What is College Readiness in Writing? and How Do We Get There?
Every year, we have far too many students like Ian. They aren’t the AP kids (though they might be), and they aren’t the students who fail our classes. They do OK, even sometimes receiving excellent grades in our high school classrooms. But when they get to college, they place into Developmental English classes, or worse (like Ian) they crash and burn and drop out of college. They fall off the bridge between high school and college. This site is devoted to local efforts to help more students graduating from high school place directly into college level writing classes, and importantly—do well in freshman composition. It is meant both as a resource and a professional community of practice dedicated to doing more to prepare our students for college and for helping these students do well once they are in college, for “college readiness” and “student success” in college are really two sides of the same coin.
The Three Frameworks of College Readiness
When we talk about “college readiness,” we can understand it within three frameworks. Each represents a significant part of what we mean by “readiness.”
Technical Readiness—Do students place into college level English classes? Refers to placement issues.
Writing Readiness—Are students’ writing skills and literacy practices able to handle college-level writing and reading assignments?
Student Readiness—Do students have the study skills, personal discipline and emotional readiness for pursing college-level work?
_Join us at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times
Meet Lisa and George on Teachers Teaching Teachers, 8.26.09 - 9:00 PM Eastern
We’ll also be talking with George Haines @oline73 George teaches 7th Graders out on Long Island. One of his sites, by the way is a Google Site, so there’s more to talk about there, since I’ve been building a prototype of what I want students to do. Anyway… George and I connected on Twitter because I was wondering about how to keep my up-coming curriculum focused on self-initiated, self-interested, self-sustaining inquiries.
At Youth Voices, we do a lot of work around this question. We’ve borrowed James A. Beane’s beginning point in his Curriculum Integration work. It’s from Beane that we got the idea to have students write “10 self and 10 world questions“ There’s been a lot of — “Well, maybe we need to do this or that instead.” — And I’m open to some of this, but I still find this simple beginning place to be incredibly powerful.
Getting back to George Haines, he has some ideas that he said were too long to put into 140 characters, ideas about how to kick off self-directed projects. So I invited him onto TTT.
In short we will be talking about research, annotating resources, sharing them in diigo, and we’ll be talking about why we do this self-motivated, “I-search” in the first place… and we’ll be meeting two new teachers. That’s the most wonderful part of this story. I’ve never met Lisa Dick or George Hines. Won’t you join us in meeting them on Wednesday, August 26.
Join us at http://EdTechTalk.com/live at 9:00pm Eastern / 6:00pm Pacific USA Wednesdays / 01:00 UTC Thursdays World Times
