At Wes-Del Elementary, "Writing is..."

 
Here are beautifully reflective descriptions and analogies on what writing means to the campers, assistants, and facilitators of the summer 2012 Comp Camp at Wes-Del Elementary, which was led by TC Shirley Thacker ('07).  

"Writing is as fun as swimming." - Bray W. 

 

 "Writing is like a heart. . . both are beautiful." - Jaci K. 

"Writing is like the color to my artwork." - Brylee K.  

"Writing is. . . as fun as candy, but still being healthy." - Allen S. 

"Writing . . . like throwing a baseball. It's sometimes easy, 

and you always have a target." - AJ  N.
   

"Writing is wonderful . . . like sunshine." - Kylie A. 

  "Writing . . . like a fuzzy, furry rabbit. I like them both." - Alexandra R. 

 

"Writing is as fun as reading." - Chantel S.

 

"Writing is like being on an island resort. . . fun, fancy, and enjoyable." - Breanna C.

 "Writing is as fun as going on vacation." - Taylor B.

 

"Writing is like a quilt. . . it takes a long time to make." - Allie B.

 "Writing is like pizza. . . I love them both." - Gracie B.

 

"Writing is like making a hamburger. . . each step is like 

adding one of the toppings." - Jared D. 

"Writing feels as good as sinking a basketball in the hoop." - Joel D.

 "Writing is like being in a swimming pool. I love them both." - Lauren K.

 "Writing is like a seed . . . it sprouts and grows 

until it becomes something new." - Lauryn J.

"Writing is like dancing.  It's fun and I love doing it." - Mady J.

 "Writing is like opening presents at Christmas." - Natalie R.

"Writing is as fun as dance." - Paige T.

 "Writing is a precious gem beneath the earth.  You must search for it, dig it up, 

cut it, and polish it before it's complete." - Mr. Waylon Shaffer, student teacher

"Writing is a refuge when I'm weary. A quiet place to escape 

from all the outside noise." - Mrs. Monica Denney, 4th Grade Teacher

 "Writing is food for my soul, energy for my run-down battery." 

 - Mrs. Shirley Thacker, NBCT 

Submitted by Shirley Thacker, TC '07

Summer Writing Camps

YOUTH WRITING CAMPS, JUNE 18-29, 2012

This summer the Indiana Writing Project is offering Youth Writing Camps (“Comp Camp”) for elementary and secondary students. Both camps are for two weeks, June 18 – 29.

Camp for Elementary Students Youth Writing Camp for elementary students (who will be entering grades 3-6 this fall) will take place Monday – Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., June 18 - 29. All classes take place at Ball State University, in Room 284 of the Robert Bell building.

Camp for Secondary Students Youth Writing Camp for secondary students (who will be entering grades 7-12 in the fall) will take place Monday – Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., June 18 - 29. All classes take place at Ball State University, in Room 284 of the Robert Bell building.

Tuition Writing Camp Workshop: $100.00 (fee includes tuition, workshop materials, snacks, a certificate & souvenir and a published anthology)

Registration 
Download a registration form and mail it in with payment to secure a spot for the next camp session. Each camp is limited to the first 20 students to register and pay the camp fee! 
http://iwp.iweb.bsu.edu/camps/compcamp.htm

About Comp Camp
At Comp Camp, students: 
- improve their writing skills, 
- meet new friends, 
- become published authors, and 
- celebrate their accomplishments with friends and family!

Students learn from experienced and effective classroom teachers and have access to computers at Ball State University. They participate in a creative workshop experience writing stories, poems, and essays taking a close look at the power of word choice, voice, organization, sentence fluency, organization, and presentation. Students develop their writing skills as they spend time immersed in the writing process and receive personalized feedback through participation in peer response groups, teacher conferences and author's chair.

The Effects of Writing Workshop on Our Colleagues

Writing workshop, Composition Camps, and the work of the Indiana Writing Project are not just transformative and empowering for the young writers we teach. Below is a reflection from seasoned classroom teacher Mr. Michael Evans who was energized and inspired by time spent in his school's Comp Camp.

        I have always enjoyed writing: other people’s writing.  From the time I first learned the alphabet and how letters were used to form words that I could read, writing was important to me.  From reading the Sunday funnies and comic books, to writing stories using weekly vocabulary words and participating in spelling bees, I have appreciated how others, real authors, could fit letters together to form wonderful, meaningful, motivating words.  I always wished that I could do it myself.  Yeah, I had written some kid stuff to entertain my friends, but nothing I thought was any good.  I certainly didn’t think of writing as a valid cross-curricular tool that could help my own students learn about engineering and technology.

When IWP Teacher Consultants Barb Miller and Stacey Chester suggested that I might like to attend the Cowan Composition Camp, my first thought was “oh, no.” But I had already used up all my excuses when attendance had been previously suggested and there was no alternative this time but to shrug my shoulders, dust off my pencil, and go.  I’m glad I did!  Not only did I discover a new way to use the writing I was already doing in class to benefit language arts, but I also found ways to benefit my students and my content.  I actually broke through a barrier that I didn’t know existed as cleanly as a new chick breaks through its shell.  I thought English classes were taught the same way as they were when I was in class back in 1959 - 1964.  Was I wrong!  Along the way I met some very talented and deep thinking students. Listening to their sharings of concerns and imaginations was one of the best parts of my experience.

Michael H. Evans

Technology Teacher

Cowan Jr/Sr High School

 

Upcoming Comp Camp Opportunities for Your Children, Your Students, and You

Indiana Writing Project's spring 2011 Comp Camp begins on Saturday, February 12, and will occur from 1PM-4PM on Saturdays until April 16. The camp is for students in grades three through six. For a registration form and further information, visit the "Writing Camps" page of the IWP website.

If you are interested in teaching Comp Camp in the future, please contact IWP. In the spring and fall, camp runs for ten Saturdays and is specifically geared towards students in third through sixth grade. During the summer, Comp Camp occurs daily for two weeks; separate camps are offered for students in grades three through six, and grades seventh through twelve.

Fall 2010 Comp Campers and Teachers

Youth Writing Camps in the News

Shelbyville High School's second annual writing camp, led by Robin Sowder (IWP TC '02), was featured in the above Shelbyville News article entitled, "Happy Campers: Teens Seek Extra Writing Lessons".

The inaugural elementary- and secondary-level Comp Camps held in Alexandria Community Schools were featured in a story in the Anderson Herald Bulletin.

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.

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.