The Power of Writing: A Reflection of ISI

In ISI on Writing Workshop

by Bill Valley, TC 2010

Busy, incredibly busy
Learn, experience
Drink in every innuendo
Every phrase, new concept, and thought
Relishing the voice of sparks flying
Of what was said? I didn’t quite get that?
Wondering how this applies to my classroom
On new ideas in a crescendo of complete harmony
“I got it! I got it!” embarking on a new idea…

We new Fellows come with excess baggage
Loaded with thoughts
Pregnant with our fixed ideas
Wanting to share our best practices
Boast of our kids’ writings
Embolden to articulate our students’ works
Questioning the new ideas, concepts, trains of thought
That don’t quite sound right to our ears.
“What was that? What was that?” smashing preconceived ideas…

I stand alone in our group questioning my very being
Embarrassed to shame
Enlightened to hope
Stinging reality I am trapped in Standardized Testing
In the same old tired strategies
Driven by governmental mandates
Realizing I own the fact my teaching (methodology) misses the mark
Students don’t own their learning; or even care.
“It’s a failure! It’s a failure!” wondering why I even teach…

Suddenly, through time our thoughts begin to gel
Awed in inept wonder
Inspired in our very hearts
Writing we rise from the ashes a member of IWP
On the shoulders of the greats we read
Rejoicing in the words of the writing process
From Atwells, Fletchers, Katie Wood Rays
Co-Facilitators who foster Voice and Content and Craft
“We are writers! We are writers!” teaching with power –

Professional members of NWP!

Summer Reading for You and Your Students

Based on the events of September 11, 2001, Love is the Higher Law, David Levithan’s newest novel, is the undeniable literary grandchild of John Hersey’s nonfiction masterpiece Hiroshima. Dually founded on the brutal, chaotic physical and emotional aftermath of history-altering days, Love is the Higher Law and Hiroshima are captivating accounts of the frank and bittersweet details of each respective anthropological catastrophe. As well, both texts employ character-specific chapters to recount that individual’s thoughts and well-being; this collage of characters’ perceptions and conditions works to communicate to readers the commotion and turmoil of the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months following these turning-point days of personal and world history.

Chronicling the “before,” “during,” and “after” of 9/11 in the lives and relationships of three New York City teenagers, Love is the Higher Law is told through the male and female protagonists’ raw, poignant voices in independent, episodic narratives. While you may first notice the dramatic, panoramic photograph of the Tribute in Light radiating from the cover of Love is the Higher Law, the contents of David Levithan’s 2009 work of fiction also delivers. Levithan’s incorporation of conversations and e-mails between characters, intimate places and realities known only to New Yorkers in the attack’s immediate aftermath, the new-found meaning of song lyrics, and the uncertainty of “getting back to life as usual” combine to satisfy, and illustrate, the promise of the book’s abstract, beatitude title.

Reviewed by Alena Bogucki, TC 2007

This Week at the Indiana Writing Project

This last week of June and first week of July finds the Indiana Writing Project's summer activities in full-swing.

Left - Comp Camp teacher Christie Dalton (TC 2008) listens as two students participate in Share Time. This summer, the elementary Comp Camp is being taught by Christie Dalton, and Maria Holden (TC 2001); the middle and high school Comp Camp teachers are Jenny Smithson (TC 2003) and Betsy Duckworth (TC 2008). On Friday, July 2, students' friends and families will enjoy the Celebration featuring read-alouds of students' published writing.

For more information about Comp Camp and to see students' writing published in an online anthology visit the IWP website.


Below - Fellows in this year's IWP Summer Institute are visited by teacher consultants and Open Institute participants during the Brown Bag Lunch on Wednesday, June 30.

Summer 2010 Advanced Institute: Teaching with Technology

During the week of Monday, June 14, through Friday, June 18, the first of this summer's IWP Advanced Institutes offered teacher consultants the opportunity and support to explore various technologies and incorporate these new tools into their lessons and classrooms for the coming school year. "Teaching with Technology" was attended by Becky Thibodeau (TC 2005) and Gail Gayda (TC 2009), and was co-taught by Casey McCardle (TC 2008), Matt Hartman (TC 2007), and Alena Bogucki (TC 2007).

Throughout the week-long workshop, attendees learned about and experimented with blogs, Prezi, PowerPoint, Google Calendar, Weebly, and delicious. Here are links to some of the projects created by the "Teaching with Technology" participants: check out Becky's innovative Movie Maker log, and website; and, see the neat wordle art on Gail's blog, and the class website she is preparing for the new school year.

"Teaching with Technology" Advanced Institute
Front Row - Gail (TC 2009) and Becky (TC 2005)
Back Row - Alena (TC 2007), Casey (TC 2008), and Matt (TC 2007)

Computers and Writing 2010: "Virtual Worlds"

On Saturday, May 22, and Sunday, May 23, six representatives of the Indiana Writing Project (Matt Hartman, TC '07; Robin Sowder, TC '02; Barb Miller, TC '09; Jodie Scales, '09; Alena Bogucki, TC '07; and, Carrie Milliner, TC '01) attended the annual Computers and Writing Conference, which was held this year at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. During the two days, IWP teacher consultants participated in a variety of workshops, demonstrations, and discussions focused on new technology and applications for such programs within elementary, secondary, and higher education; the Computers and Writing program may be viewed here.

Buckwell University's Eric Faden began his lunchtime presentation with an amusing clip entitled "A Fair(y) Use Tale," which features soundbites and clips from Disney films to educate the audience about copyright laws and fair use guidelines.

If you are interested in collaborating to create a program session for the 2011 Computers and Writing Conference, "Writing in Motion: Traversing Public/Private Spaces," at the University of Michigan, contact IWP Site Director Linda Hanson.

Comp Camp

The spring 2010 IWP Comp Camp concluded on Saturday, April 24, with a Young Authors Celebration. In addition to hearing readings by the Comp Camp authors, family and friends in attendance also enjoyed participating in a miniature writing marathon based on notable and historic sites across the Ball State University campus. Students received their own print copies of the group anthology at the celebration, and will also have their writing published in an online anthology.

Above - Spring 2010 Comp Campers

Visit the Indiana Writing Project website to get information about registering for future IWP Comp Camps. The upcoming summer 2010 Comp Camp will occur Monday through Friday, June 21 through July 2. Elementary-age students in grades 2 through 5 will attend camp from 9AM-12PM, and the camp for middle and high school students will occur from 1PM-4PM each day.

IWP at the 2010 NWP Spring Meeting

From Wednesday, March 24, through Friday, March 26, the Indiana Writing Project was represented at the 2010 National Writing Project Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. by IWP Site Director Linda Hanson, IWP Co-Director Linda Walker, and local teachers Barbara Miller(TC 2009) of Cowan High School and Alena Bogucki (TC 2007) from Alexandria-Monroe High School. Once at the Spring Meeting, the IWP representatives were joined by Kristin Katsu, a Teacher Consultant from the Hoosier Writing Project and a Language Arts teacher at Noblesville High School.

One of the main objectives of the NWP Spring Meeting was to share with legislators the unique impact the National Writing Project has on teachers, students, and learning. On Thursday, March 25, the delegation from Indiana shared the accomplishments and efforts of the six Writing Project sites across Indiana in the offices of U.S. representatives Brad Ellsworth, Andre Carson, Joe Donnelly, Mark Souder, Mike Pence, Dan Burton, and U.S. senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh.

Pictured from left to right:
Alena Bogucki (IWP TC), Barbara Miller (IWP TC), Kristin Katsu (HWP TC),
Indiana 7th District Congressman Andre Carson,
Linda Hanson (IWP Site Director), and Linda Walker (IWP Co-Director)

During the Spring Meeting keynote on Friday, March 26, Katherine Schultz, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, shared the research behind her 2009 book Rethinking Classroom Participation: Listening to Silent Voices. The final day of the NWP Spring Meeting wrapped up with a selection of roundtable discussions focused on issues related to the classroom practice, core standards, partnerships between sites and schools, research, professional reading, and the history of the National Writing Project.