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By admin, April 8, 2011 9:44 pm

April 8, 2011

Written by Shannon Ruiz, UPWP Teacher Consultant

While visiting my parents’ home this week during our Spring Break, I
came across an assignment from my high school years. As I was not much
different from my own students, there was no header or date indicating
which class it was for or what year I wrote it. From what I could tell
it was from eleventh grade as other entries in the notebook were
talking about choosing my preferred college and “next year being my
last one.” The assignment uncannily forecasted my future teaching
high school in Northern Michigan, earning upper level degrees and
having a passion for examining education, poverty and crime. (It even
pinpointed the approximate date of my wedding to my husband.) The
simple slip of notebook paper refreshed my sense of what matters.

I was reminded of the reasons I didn’t choose a career in mathematics
or computer science as my parents, school counselors  and even
neighbors wished for me. I thought of the fortunate opportunity I have
each and every day to work with students at that same age I wrote that
assignment at and help them understand the value of communication and
what the implications of it are in the world at large. I was reminded
of the emptiness I would have felt in a position where I wasn’t able
to collaborate with other teachers and students and inspire students
to push harder and further in their own education.

This assignment and the recollections that it brought with it landed
at such a time when it has been particularly demoralizing to be a
teacher. Governors in our region have been attacking teachers for not
doing enough with budget cuts, for asking for continued collective
bargaining rights and for not solving the financial problems created
by others elsewhere. It has been hard not to let the negativity affect
the my morale both in and out of my classroom. In a society where
education is already undervalued and people believe that because they
have seen a teacher teach, that they understand the amount of time,
effort and attention that goes into teaching, it is increasingly
frustrating to see educators tied to the stake and made the sacrifice
for all the problems in our country.

Despite the continued attacks on teachers, our profession and our
motives for getting into it, one thing has continued to ease the
frustration and anger of being vilified by public figures: knowing
that teachers and what we do in the classroom matters. Despite the
economic climate of our community, or perhaps because of it, the
parents and students at our schools care about education. They
understand that graduating with a diploma is not easy for everyone,
that pushing through tough homework will pay off in the end and that
teachers are there to lead and help and they are there because they
care almost as much about their students as they do for their own
families.

Programs like the National Writing Project help to keep teachers
inspired with the vision of what teaching can be, rather than letting
them get bogged down by the stress and bureacracy of what teaching
frequently holds. Collaborating with other teachers who value
education, writing and improving the educational environment ensures
that we as a nation of students and innovators remains fresh. Funding
programs like the National Writing Project states that education
matters, that we are not satisfied with what is “good enough” and that
educators looking towards the future will help our communities
flourish.

Shannon Ruiz
Teacher Consultant
Upper Peninsula Writing Project

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By admin, April 8, 2011 1:15 pm

April 8, 2011

Written by Paula Diedrich, Upper Peninsula Writing Project Associate Director of Professional Development

The National Writing Project…WAIT. Don’t stop reading just because I used the word writing and you don’t consider yourself a writer.  The National Writing Project is so much more.  Each time I approach a fellow educator about applying for an NWP fellowship, I spend at least the first five to ten minutes explaining that is not “just about writing.”  Some days I wish the NWP was called something else.  The National Educator Advancement Program.  Or maybe the National Teacher-Leader Program.  Then again, maybe the National Educators’ Community Program.  All of these titles would work without scaring away those “non-writers.”

The NWP believes in teachers teaching teachers.  This results in a community of educators where all are respected for their knowledge, regardless of years of experience or advanced degrees.  I became a part of this community through my local site, the Upper Peninsula Writing Project, in 1999.  I am thankful my graduate advisor, Dr. Suzanne Standerford, directed our local site and suggested I apply.  I never considered myself a writer, though I knew I could write well enough to earn those coveted “A” grades on my paper when I put the time and effort into the writing, so I did the same as most potential applicants; I debated if I wanted to spend four weeks, four days a week, from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm, of my summer in a graduate course. If I had known then that the NWP would provide me with all the opportunities, learning, and support I crave as a life-long learner and educator, there would not have been a debate.

Since that summer of ’99, I have stayed connected to the UPWP and NWP. Because of this connection, I provide my students a challenging and rewarding school experience.  My most rewarding experience comes at the end of the year when my students look through their writing portfolios and can explain how their writing has improved, along with stating their strengths and weaknesses. Without the NWP, my knowledge of what makes a piece of writing better than another, would be limited.  I especially am thankful for my opportunities to learn, to understand and to share the NWP’s Analytic Writing Continuum.  This tool is part of a larger assessment system that each summer is used to study the effectiveness of NWP’s teachers on their students’ writing.

All the NWP Scoring Conferences I have attended are a highlight for me just like the 1999 Summer Institute I attended.  What a geek I must be to look forward to being in a room from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm for 3 days, scoring student writing from across the nation.  Really! Sitting in a hotel conference room, sometimes without windows, during my “free” summer months, shuffling scored and unscored papers is truly a highlight every summer for me.  And this year, I get to attend two of these NWP Scoring Conferences!  Why do I enjoy reading more student writing after a school year of grading the writing of my 130 students?   Because I learn.  I learn what makes a piece of writing better than another. I also learn from the other NWP teachers at the conference because we don’t just sit quietly at our tables scoring; we have meal and snack breaks where we talk teacher-talk.  Then we go out for dinner and continue our teacher-talk.  Not done yet, we go back to the hotel for more talk time.  My husband, as with most spouses of teachers, will attest that teachers live their life talking about “school.”  What I truly enjoy about my NWP colleagues is that we don’t have “bitch” sessions, we have positive conversations centered around our work.  We always are looking for the hidden gems in our work and our students’ work to help us improve.  Put me in any room full of NWP teachers and I will learn how to be a more effective teacher.

The NWP’s Scoring Conferences is just one opportunity where I am in a room which satisfies my craving to constantly improve.    What I know for certain is that unlike many other professional development options, the National  Writing Project is much more than improving writing.  It is about a community of positive teacher leaders always aspiring to advance their own learning, their students’ learning, and the entire educational system. It certainly is more than “just about writing.”

Because of my connection, I continually learn new strategies for reaching my eighth grade students and helping them become literate individuals.  I teach the hard parts and, with writing, it’s all hard.  Writing is the most complex task we ask our brains to complete.  I know when my student leave writing well, they are thinking well too.  They can look critically at their own words and the words of others.  In our classroom, our brains sweat, including mine.

Teaching

My real reason for applying was financial: graduate credits for free.  Married, living on a new teacher salary and having a young child helped me make the time to complete the application process.

Learning to look for the positives, includes looking at the positives of all our students and colleagues. We may not agree with others or the current situation but we can find the positive

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By admin, April 7, 2011 12:50 pm

April 7, 2011

Written by TC Colleen Martin

The UPWP Summer Institute was one of the most influential components of my teaching career! The family I built, the words I wrote, & the ideas I learned have transformed the way I view my life as a reader, writer, and teacher. Not only did I get the chance to spend 4 weeks of my summer in beautiful Marquette, next to the most inspirational and nautical creation, Lake Superior, but I also gained confidence as a writer with the help of my UPWP family. This encouraged me to enjoy time writing more frequently and to incorporate writing into my content-area Science classroom as a teacher. I will always remember the summer of 2009 as one that brought out some of my best aspects as a teacher and lover of reading and writing.

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By admin, March 20, 2011 7:49 pm

March 20, 2011

Written by TC Kara Graci, UPWP Tech Liaison

We recently posed the question: “How has the National Writing Project affected your professional life?” to Northern Michigan University Associate Professor of Education and Field Experience Director, Joe Lubig.  Here is what he had to say…

If it weren’t for the National Writing Project, Joe may have never stuck with education.  If it weren’t for staying in education, Joe wouldn’t have been able to have this conversation with our nation’s President

Have you had a similar experience?  Please send your testimony in writing or as video to kara.graci@gmail.com to use for promoting the Upper Peninsula Writing Project events!

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By admin, March 20, 2011 6:17 pm

Advanced Institute

Using a Mentor Text to Create a Digital Story

2 credits

May 14, 9:00 am-4:00 am; June 20, 21, 22 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Whitman Hall, Northern Michigan University

Participants will explore how to turn a mentor text from their classroom into a digital story.  This course will introduce Upper Peninsula Writing Project (UPWP) Teacher Consultants (TCs) to ways in which technology can be used as a tool to enhance writing. After the course, participants will have a multi-purpose digital story they can model with their students as an example to engage them in digital literacy as well as use it in classroom instruction as a mentor text.  Digital storytelling will provide UPWP TCs with ways to share their own writing and student writing from their classroom.

To apply: contact Mark Smith, masmith@nmu.edu

2011 “Supporting Writing in the Classroom”- ED 989: 1 credit

June 20-21 8:00 am-4:00 pm

This course will expose educators to a variety of strategies and resources for promoting writing and communication in the elementary classroom.  Participants will learn best practices for building a safe and welcoming writing community for teachers and students.  Non-threatening ways to model and plan for writing all year long will be offered.  Writing Workshop, the Writer’s Notebook, Learning Logs, Portfolios and cross-curricular writing will be examined. Expert texts, picture books, and children’s work will be showcased.  Evaluative tools and digital connections will also be presented.

Course Objectives:

The two objectives are: 1) to build awareness, knowledge and understanding of developing writing lessons/ projects in their classrooms; and 2) to assist teachers in taking advantage of using a writing classroom culture for their own professional growth and improve student achievement and participation in writing.  The course will be interactive, collaborative, and experiential.

For registration information, please contact Marquette-Alger RESA regarding their Summer Action in Education Institute, 906-226-5100

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By admin, March 20, 2011 6:00 pm

March 20, 2011

Written by Jan Sabin, Site Director Upper Peninsula Writing Project

The NWP Helps Rural Teachers and Students Find Their Voices

Please don’t ever make me sing the rainbow song!  That was a statement I made years ago at my first National Writing Project conference. I was a second grade teacher serving as a co-director of the Upper Peninsula Writing Project. I had been in the classroom for 20 years and had spent many hours sitting on the rug with seven-year-olds singing silly songs. It was not something I wanted to do at a NWP conference in a roomful of adults. I was there to find out how our site could provide experiences for our area teachers that would keep them connected and build a professional network.

So, how did I end up as a co-director of this writing project?  A class full of young learners was enjoyable but I needed more if I were to continue to grow as a learner, too. With a bit of nudging from a colleague, I applied for and was accepted into the Upper Peninsula Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute in 1997.

Those five weeks changed my whole world. I became a writer and a much deeper thinker about literacy and learning. And I kept coming back to UPWP functions; Saturday Sessions, summer retreats, spring kick-offs. I found my professional learning community and it felt good.

When changes in leadership happened, I was invited to step into the co-director role. Me?, I questioned. I was good at organizing and motivating teachers to take risks and participate in a write-around. I knew the important parts of a demonstration lesson and how to facilitate a meeting. I worked hard in my classroom providing real world lessons incorporating social studies and language arts. My second graders wrote sweet stories for writing workshop, and I took them to the Young Author’s conference. But what did I know about leading other teachers, especially high school English teachers?

Past UPWP Director Dr. Suzanne Standerford reminded me of the key principles of the NWP: that “to teach writing well, teachers must write themselves” and “teachers are often the best teachers of other teachers” along with “teachers must become and remain active members of a network of motivated, knowledgeable colleagues.” I had been doing all of these things. The NWP empowers teachers to look within themselves to learn how to improve their instruction and supports them in this process. It had empowered me!

In 2003, I accepted the role as co-director. Seven years later, leadership again changed and, out of loyalty, commitment and a deep sense of gratitude, I agreed to carry on as one of two of the site’s directors.

For the past eight Novembers,  I’ve had the privilege of traveling to a major city in the United States to gather with a special group of writers – educators from over 200 National Writing Project (NWP) sites. San Francisco, San Antonio, Nashville, Philadelphia, and other places have offered their rich landscapes and cultures as perfect settings. In 2010, Florida’s Walt Disney World was our host with over 1,400 teachers registered. NWP Executive Director Sharon Washington calls it “a culture of continuous learning.”

From the moment I enter the lobby of the hotel where the NWP’s Annual Meeting is held until the final session is attended, NWP’s magical synergy travels through me. Passionate talk about writing and reading and expanding thinking while learning new digital literacies
surrounds me. People with familiar faces reach out with hugs, and others with new smiles engage in dialogue on motivating young writers living in impoverished backgrounds and conversations on how to keep up with the technology our students are already using. Thoughtful planning of this three-day event connects various leadership networks. It is intentionally scheduled back-to-back with the National Council for the Teachers of English’s annual conference, too.

One might think a conference scheduled in Florida would allow a teacher to lie on the beach, basking in the sun. Not this conference! My first session looks at incorporating inquiry into teaching demonstrations. I’m intrigued. Finding new ways to offer guidance when coaching teachers in the delivery of their required lesson is something I have been exploring. Summer Institute participants often lack student work as evidence that a particular lesson resulted in expanded learning, or that it could use some tweaking for greater success. Four writing project sites shared their stories. My take away is that a demo needs to contain an inquiry question that pushes the teacher consultant to wonder: How do I know this is a successful lesson? What data do I have that shows this? What student work comes out of this? What does the research say about this practice? I look forward to digging deeper into integrating inquiry in our UPWP teaching demonstrations.

Next, I attend “Games for Education and Social Impact” led by Allen Gershenfeld, the founder and president of E-Line Media, a publisher of video games. Wow, he has my head spinning. Gershenfeld provides ten convincing reasons why video games teach storytelling (according to narratologists). I love his challenge: capture the motivation kids have for playing video games and funnel it into having them create original video games. This will naturally involve them in using and/or learning sophisticated 21st century reading and writing skills.

I collect flyers for the 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards contest to pass on to our middle and high school teachers. (Later, three of our local Gwinn High School students receive silver key and honorable mention regional awards. Their teacher Amy Laitinen is a National Writing Project teacher!)

In previous years, I was a co-director sharing my leadership role with two other directors. This year, I attend sessions looking through a different lens, one that leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed at times, that of a site director. Listening to other directors share their stories at the Leadership Transitions session gives me a greater sense of what tasks lie ahead for us as a Writing Project site and the leadership it will take to continually strengthen our site in improving the teaching of writing and learning in schools. Collaboration is key.

Accomplishing the work of a Writing Project takes a team of leaders. I am proud to say we brought eleven UPWP teacher consultants with us to Orlando. Our attendance is possible, partly, because the Upper Peninsula Writing Project, through local and federal grant monies, subsidizes expenses, and Northern Michigan University, along with our local school districts, realizes the value of this venture and supports us in multiple ways, too. Of the 11 National Writing Project sites in Michigan, ours serves the largest geographic area. It is critical that we continue to have opportunities like this so that we may return to our rural communities and connect with teachers across the Upper Peninsula region.

We meet Saturday morning before heading home to reflect on our experiences. Upon returning, we will share new resources and the latest research at staff meeting and grade level meetings. As a literacy coach in my district, I will incorporate new strategies in modeled writing lessons. Our UPWP workshop and conference offerings also will expand when we try new ideas gathered from our sessions. I feel grateful for this valuable opportunity. The magic of the National Writing Project’s Annual Meeting 2010 will continue long after I ride the monorail back to the airport. I wave goodbye to Mickey and Minnie feeling lucky to be a part of it all!

With the recent turn of events in the U. S. legislation the magic of the NWP is in jeopardy! My career as an educator is testimony to the impact that the National Writing Project makes. I urge our government to continue funding this collaboration of teachers across the United States. This message is able to travel across the digital divide due to the strength of the NWP network.  Honor it, nurture it, and help us keep it alive!

Originally posted by Jan Sabin at http://www.hamy10.wordpress.com

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By admin, March 15, 2011 10:07 pm

“This is a feel good place.” ~Debbie Goldsworthy

March 15, 2011

Written by TC Heather Hollands

Poets and storytellers head toward a lunchtime gathering place, where they will participate in an open mic reading. They see a sign outside the door, listing their names. Music draws them in, and they are seated at a specially set table for “Featured Writers.”

For most adults, public speaking ranks number one on their list of fears, even ahead of disease or death; however, these writers are fifth and sixth graders, and although some might feel nervous, they are eager to share their words. That’s why they have signed up to participate in Gilbert Elementary School’s Word…to the Mic program.

Fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Debbie Goldsworthy got the idea for Word…to the Mic while attending the National Writing Project’s Annual Meeting in Orlando in November. Over 1,300 teachers from around the country gathered there for interactive workshops, information sessions, and lively conversation about teaching writing. Debbie was taking notes about an open mic session for high school students held at a coffee shop in a larger city when she realized the idea would work in a smaller setting for younger students.

“Later, I came up with the name to describe how our words in writing go into the microphone for all to hear,” she said.

When Debbie returned to her school in Gwinn, she approached the principal and got support to hold a monthly gathering during lunch in the school library.

“There has never before at Gilbert been a venue for students to share writing or appreciate the ideas of each other,” she said. “This new opportunity allows them to have a voice and be noticed.”

Students can read at Word…to the Mic if they first apply and audition to be a featured writer. A few additional students from each grade are invited to listen and respond. Some teachers and other adults are invited as VIP guests, too.

Mrs. Goldsworthy starts the program by telling students, “It’s kind of like watching a show in a restaurant.” The room is set up to feel intimate with the idea that sharing writing in this way keeps it small enough to handle for shy readers; it’s not as intimidating as being on a stage with a gym full of people. The ambiance – from the marquee to the music, from the floral centerpieces to the microphone – is set to let the students know they are special and valued.

“This is not a contest,” Mrs. Goldsworthy emphasizes to the young writers, as she explains how the celebratory event will unfold. “Don’t worry about being the best writer.” She tells them their writing doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t even have to be finished – perhaps they are just looking for feedback.

“After each student reads, there is a time to ask a question or say something nice,” she adds, noting, “This is a feel good place.”

The first reader at this particular session on Friday, March 11, is fifth-grader Cydni. She starts on a shy note. “Do we have to use the microphone?” she asks.

“Yes,” answers Mrs. Goldsworthy, emphatically, “because this is Word…to the Mic.” She tells them this is good practice for when they have to give speeches.

Cydni gathers up courage, and shares two emotion poems: “Frustrated,” about getting too much homework, and “Irritated,” about bullying in the halls.  After she read her poems, Mrs. Goldsworthy asks for comments.

VIP guest Amanda Noel, a fifth-grade Writing Project teacher, says, “My favorite line is ‘blah blah blah-ing.’” Her comment validates Cydni, bringing a smile to the young girl’s face.

Fifth-grader Gavin reads a story called “The Cupcake Wars,” about fattening cupcakes in a battle against more healthful muffins.

“Sprinkles and jam were flying everywhere,” he says. Gavin speaks loudly, with onomatopoeic “BOOMS” and “BAM BAM BAMS” firing out of his mouth. As the audience claps, Gavin gets caught up in the emotion, and jumps and claps for himself. He says he likes to write stories about food.

Fifth-grader Heidi shares a story called “Sad but Funny Halloween” about a funeral on Halloween night. “When the zombies were done eating,” she says, “they started dancing some more. They loved the pop music, so they danced all night.”

Fifth-grader Ben reads, “The Fall of 2005: A Turkey’s Last Days.” He builds suspense in his story by saying, “Then I saw it, a bright fall turkey. It was hiding, scaredly, behind a mighty, strong, giant white pine…”

When Ben finishes reading, Mrs. Goldsworthy comments that she likes the part about the “hard metal arm of the tree stand.”

Fellow storyteller Gavin agrees, saying, “You have a gift.”

The final reader during this lunch break is sixth-grader Noah, who presents a six-page short story, “The Mouse and the Sailboat,” about a woodland mouse named Hezicciah.

“Right behind the clear, warm waterfall was a little sailboat,” reads Noah, “and it was tied on a sprouting willow in a crack in the rocky floor of the gray, empty cave.”

Later, he reads, “The next day, there was not a cloud in the sky, and he could hear the chickadees, and he could smell the smell of spring and anxiousness.”

When Noah finishes the story, the students clearly are impressed. “How long did it take you to write that?” someone asks.

“I don’t know,” Noah said with a shrug. “About a week.”

“Where did you get that idea?” asked Ben. “You’re a good writer!”

Mrs. Goldsworthy notes that at first Noah didn’t want to share his story, but she’s glad he did. She thanks the students for participating, they applaud, and Word…to the Mic concludes until the next gathering on April 15.

“The biggest highlight for me with this event is the fact that it has engaged students in writing,” Debbie said, “and it has engaged students in support of hearing the words of others.” As more students see their peers involved in sharing, more are willing to step forward.

She introduced the idea to the student body by having her students create commercials for the morning announcements. Some commercials were about how to sign up and some were about not being afraid to share your writing.

“My advice for teachers who may want to start this is to begin in their classroom by celebrating writing on a regular basis,” she said. “Have students come to the front of the room and read a part of their work.  Point out the good parts and ask questions. Sell the idea to your class first.  Have them be your ‘word of mouth’ for you.”

Word…to the Mic isn’t the only new idea Debbie gathered while attending the NWP conference in Orlando; she also collected information for starting a summer youth writing camp. She took many notes at a session on youth writing camps, and when she returned home, she applied for and received a $500 Excellence in Education grant from Great Lakes Center for Youth Development.

The “Writing in Unexpected Places” camp, for 4^th-6^th graders, will be held June 13-17. Each student will receive a copy of How to Write Your Life Story by Ralph Fletcher, and their very own special Writer’s Notebook. The camp will include field trips to the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, the new Marquette Regional History Center, and the historic Wells Fargo bank building.

Debbie is running the camp for free because she loves writing and wants to share that with area youth.

“I have taught for 26 years,” said Debbie, “and I still love what I do!”

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By admin, February 3, 2011 12:07 am

Summer 2011

Written by TC Heather Hollands

The Story Line was a region-wide public art project, directed by community artist Mary Wright, designed to display family stories about our ancestors who struggled and triumphed over adversity. The exhibit coincided with the world premiere in Houghton in Summer 2011 of Pine Mountain Music Festival’s “Rockland,” an original opera based on a true incident during a mining strike in Rockland in 1906.

The Story Line consisted of fabric panels, each showing the picture and the story of one of our forbears who overcame obstacles. This project was designed so that all age groups can participate. The stories were displayed in local communities, and surrounding the Rosza Center on the Michigan Technological University campus during the opera. They are now part of a permanent part of the Keweenaw Historical Park Archives and are available for viewing online.

Numerous UPWP Teacher Consultants and their students participated in the Story Line project.

The project was funded in part by the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  

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By admin, November 21, 2010 11:09 pm

UPWP Teacher Consultant Joe Routhier listens to new teachers discuss sucesses in the classroom.

November 21, 2010

Written by TC Kara Graci

The Upper Peninsula Writing Project recently hosted the first of three professional development opportunities geared towards new teachers. Entitled,“Networking through Professional Learning Communities”, this series aims to give new teachers the opportunity to discuss curriculum implementation, get ideas about how to address specific students’ needs, and gain insight from colleagues with experience in their subject areas (Johnson & Kardos, 2002). In these sessions, veteran teachers who have been actively involved with a variety of local districts and professional organizations and associations will facilitate discussions and offer additional support to new teachers in the region. The series is supported and designed by The UP Writing Project. The framework for the discussions is based in part upon the The National Writing Project’s New Teacher Initiative. The NWP believes that access to high-quality educational experiences is a basic right of all learners and a cornerstone of equity.

This month, the topic of conversation was building professional relationships and classroom management and communications. Paula Diedrich, UPWP Professional Development Coordinator led the group through discussions and offered her own tips and tricks for upcoming parent teacher conferences. The final two sessions are on January 19 and March 2, 2011.



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By admin, September 15, 2010 2:48 pm

Our Professional Development Form is now online!

If you have lead any professional development since Sept. 2009 (even leading faculty/dept. meetings) please fill out this simple form. The form is available on the wikispace for you to enter data any time you do PD. The Leadership Team truly appreciates your help. The data will be used in our Continuing Funding Application to help us maintain our grant funding.