photo by SugarCubeVintage via flickr
College Students: Become a WITS Intern
Writers in the Schools (WITS) Celebrates Kids–in their own Words
Author Archives:
Students Will Rock the Menil
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On Thursday, May 17th, at 7pm, Writers in the Schools (WITS) students will share their art-inspired creative writing at the Menil Collection. This reading, called The Watchful Eye, will feature stories, essays, and poems that come out of a collaborative project called Writing at the Menil. The event is free, and the public is welcome.
Calling Houston Young Writers
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Summer is coming. Have you made your plans? There are still spaces available in the Writers in the Schools (WITS) Program.
Who: Middle and High school students
What: Summer writing workshops
Where: Bellaire High School
When: June 11-29, 9 am -12 noon
Why: Because you have a story to tell
How: Click here to sign up today
In the Creative Writing Camp, you explore different literary genres (poetry, fiction, essay, drama) with friends. You learn about craft and revision in one-on-one conferences with published authors. Through multi-disciplinary projects combining text and art (such as painting, sculpture, or music), you will also find new ways to address a particular audience. At the end of the three weeks, you will publish your best work in an anthology and celebrate!
- Write your own poems and stories, real or imaginary.
- Compose an essay or a manifesto.
- Perform your play.
- Discuss your revisions with published writers.
- Spend your Fridays on the Rice University campus.
- Gather material and gain the skills to write a great essay for college applications.
- Visit a real publisher.
- Publish your work in an anthology.
- Make friends with other writers.
Click here to find out more from a Rice News story. This summer program is sponsored by Writers in the Schools (WITS) and Rice University’s School Literacy and Culture Project.
Space is very limited. Click here to enroll.
5 Poems by Kids about Finding a Peaceful Place
“The Maple” by artist Mandy Budan
Students understand that poetry can serve as a kind a solace. Writing about a personal “paradise” puts these young poets in touch with the true meaning of home.
- Paradise by Kevin
- New Mexico by Liliana
- Dear Joseph by Amelia
- Midnight World by Huyunnsun
- The Time of Green Moons by Jacob
Trenton Lee Stewart in Houston This Sunday
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Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for Young People invites you to an afternoon of mystery and fun with Trenton Lee Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of The Mysterious Benedict Societyseries. He comes to Houston to read from his newest book in the series,The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict, which, according to a starred Booklist review, “gives readers a reason to fall in love with the series all over again…[with] adventures, danger, cleverness, dry wit, and good-hearted characters at the center of the action. . . . Two hundred years after Dickens’ birth, this orphan story plays notes in a familiar key but creates its own memorable tune.”
Bring Me the Happiness
Photo by Kate Brennan
The dream of freedom
Is the dream I seek
To escape these four
Walls which surround me.
To finally be able to dream
And think that I can make
All my dreams come true.
The dream of freedom means
No more threats
No more harassing words
No more “I am not the same.”
No more shame for not being like you.
This dream seems like it’s too far away
But bring me freedom!
Bring me the happiness of the day
When no living human will be ashamed
Of the way they look or feel.
Just bring me the dream of freedom
That one day is almost here.
Let it begin today.
by Kelly, 6th grade
Click the link (above) to listen to the poem read on KPFT radio by Alex Puente, 4th grade, and Kennedi Foust, 2nd grade, both students at Parker Elementary in Houston.
This poem is featured as part of the 2012 A Poem A Day campaign, a National Poetry Month celebration by Writers in the Schools (WITS) that features a different poem by a WITS student every day during April. Click here to learn more.
WITS Students to Read with Pat Mora at DIA
Don’t miss Dia de los Ninos at Discovery Green on Saturday, April 21st, from 10 am to 1 pm. Authors Pat Mora, Gwen Zepeda, and Xavier Garza will read their work. Three WITS students from Helms Elementary will perform their writing with Pat Mora, renowned author of The Desert is my Mother and other books. There will be free WITS writing workshops and arts and crafts. Everything is free. Click here for more information.
Celebrate Earth Day with Writers in the Schools
Houston school children will celebrate Mother Earth at A Light in the Forest this Sunday afternoon at the Houston Arboretum. Please join us!
Who: Talented students from HISD schools
What: Come hear students from the WITS program read their nature-inspired poems, essays, and stories in celebration of Earth Day.
When: Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Where: Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, 4501 Woodway Drive (map)
Cost: FREE and open to the public
Sponsors: Shell Oil Company, Texas Commission on the Arts, City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Kroger, The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation, Copy.com, and the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center.
A Poem a Day, As You Like It
April is almost here. This year there are more ways than ever to get your daily poem. Pick your favorite. Celebrate National Poetry Month your way.
- Receive the WITS poem every morning in your email.
- Bookmark this page and return for daily inspiration.
- Free bookmarks will be distributed by Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library, the Houston Zoo, Copy.com, Houston Visitors Center, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Half Price Books, Hotel Indigo, and other local businesses and organizations. If your group wants to participate, let us know.
- Tune in to Houston’s KPFT 90.1 FM at 3:58 pm in the afternoons to hear a WITS student poem read by a student from Parker Elementary.
- Add the WITS blog to your feed reader.
- Leave comments on your favorite poems for the author to enjoy.
- Get the Poem a Day widget. Choose the look you like, and add it to your blog, website, or Facebook page. It takes less than a minute to install.
- Write a poem a day.
- Share poems with family and friends.
- Follow us on twitter – witshouston
- Join our page on facebook
- Add us on Pinterest – WITS Houston
- Shop at the new HEB Montrose grocery or Georgia’s Market Downtown. You will find poetry in all the right places.
- Find poetry events in your neighborhood, across the US.
5 Amazing Odes by Kids
I put the PRO in procrastination
Odes are poems that celebrate a particular person, place, or thing. Writing an ode is an easy way to ease kids into the art of writing poetry. Click here if you’re a teacher or home-school parent wanting to know more about how to teach this writing lesson.
- This Pen by Stephen
- Ode to Drizzling by Fadila
- Ode to the Color Black by Maya
- Hail to Sand by Nyasha
- Ode to Procrastinators by Orly
Tonight: Space City Slam Finals
Tonight at Baker-Ripley House (Neighborhood Center, Houston) the slam team for teens will be selected. Winners of this event will become the official members of the Meta-Four Houston team and will represent Houston at Brave New Voices 2012.
5 Ways Parents Can Encourage a Reluctant Reader
Once a child has the motivation to learn to read, you as a parent are in the clear. Sometimes a reluctant reader might need a little nudge to discover the brave new world offered by reading. Here are some suggestions.
1. Let your child choose his or her own books at the library. If your child chooses Captain Underpants, swallow your pride and check out that book. A child who falls in love with reading will most likely continue to enjoy it for many years to come.
2. At the library, you should choose a few books for your child as well. Do a little research ahead of time or ask your librarian for suggestions that respect your child’s ability and interests.
3. Model nuanced reading for your child. Release your inner actor and read with gusto! New readers are so consumed with sounded words out and learning new vocabulary that they often lose track of the story.
4. Read aloud together. Reading together is a wonderful social activity at any age. You and your child share the experience and can discuss or refer back to it later.
5. Encourage your reluctant reader with positive feedback. Given the right reasons, every child can be excited about reading–and writing too. Let your child’s interests lead the way.
[photo by saundraG via flickr]
College Students: Become a WITS Intern
Summer 2012 Internships
College students, if you are interested in:
- creative writing
- K-12 education
- early childhood education
- arts education
- community service
then we have some good news for you.
Writers in the Schools is recruiting one full-time and several part-time interns to serve as summer workshop assistants. Interns will work in a variety of areas, gaining experience in creative writing instruction, early childhood education, non-profit administration, and arts education.
Each summer Writers in the Schools and the School Literacy and Culture Project (Rice University) sponsor the Creative Writing Camp. Nearly 1,000 children in grades K-12 participate in the workshops, which provide a supportive environment where children write stories, poetry, essays, and plays. Children are divided into small groups by age, and they get to work with teachers as well as writers. The low teacher-student ratio ensures individual attention.
Teaching Assistant Internship (part-time, June 1 – 29, 2012)
Adolescent Literary Arts Curriculum Intern (full-time, June 1 – July 26, 2012)
Deadline to Apply = April 13, 2012
Master of All
Smile
Play
Breathe
Master of All!
by Sai, Kindergarten
Start Your Own Writers in the Schools (WITS) Program!
Writers in the Schools (WITS) at AWP 2012 in Chicago – Join the Movement!
The Writers in the Schools (WITS) Alliance will present an exciting series of panels, meetings, and events at the 2012 AWP Conference in Chicago. Here is a schedule of all the WITS happenings. We will be in the Bookfair the entire time. Come say hello at Booth #609. See you in Chicago!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Membership Meeting
Wednesday, February 29th, 4:30 to 5:45 PM
Joliet, Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor
Writers in the Schools (WITS) Alliance invites current and prospective members to attend a general meeting led by Robin Reagler, Executive Director of WITS-Houston.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Celebration in Any Language: Teaching Bilingual Students
Jack McBride, Alise Alousi, Merna Ann Hecht, Milta Ortiz, Cara Zimmer
Thursday, March 1st, 9:00 to 10:15 AM
Location: Grand Ballroom, Palmer House Hilton, 4th Floor
As student populations become increasingly diverse, most writing teachers work with bilingual students. We face specific challenges in creating an inclusive classroom community but ultimately celebrate linguistic difference through powerful writing and creativity. Panelists will discuss strategies for reaching all students, the challenges in navigating multiple languages in one classroom, and successes in creating a safe place for students to tell their own individual stories.
What You Need to Know Before You “Stand and Deliver”: K-12 Teaching 101
Rebecca Hoogs, Cecilia Pinto, Valerie Wayson, David Hassler, Cecily Sailer
3:00 to 4:15 PM
Location: Empire Ballroom, Palmer House Hilton, Lobby Level
Standing in front of a classroom and delivering inspiring and effective lessons doesn’t just happen. And just because you’re a great writer doesn’t mean you’re ready to be a great teaching artist in a K-12 classroom. But this panel will help you understand the path to becoming the teacher you want to be, that your teachers expect you to be, and that your students deserve. We’ll share tips and tricks of the trade and offer concrete advice for how to get the experience you need to succeed.
WITS Alliance Reception
Thursday, March 1st, 7:00 to 8:15 PM
Location: Hilton Chicago Hotel, Astoria, Hilton Chicago
Friday, March 2, 2012
Finding a Common Language in the Public Schools
Long Chu, Renée Watson, Giuseppe Taurino, Keith Yost
Friday, March 2nd, 1:30-2:45 PM
Location: Private Dining Room 1, Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor
WITS organizations have deep artistic roots, and may approach the teaching of creative writing in ways public school administrators and teachers misunderstand or find irrelevant to their concerns. How do we make the case for WITS programs as valuable partners in meeting schools’ goals for student learning, but still remain true to our artistic identity? This panel of school administrators and WITS leaders share real world ideas to strengthen outreach to school partners.
The Wired Writing Classroom: The Marriage of Technology and Teaching
Cecily Sailer, Jeanine Walker, Janet Hurley, Jim Walker, Bertha Rogers
Friday, March 2nd, 3:00-4:15 PM
Location: Lake Huron Room, Hilton Chicago, 8th Floor
With an endless supply of evolving technology, how can educators capitalize on innovative web platforms and social media to augment classroom teaching, inspire students, and showcase their work? In this panel, several administrators from writers-in-the-schools organizations share multi-media projects that marry technology and traditional teaching methods. These stories of “teachnology” touch upon best practices while considering questions of safety and authenticity.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Low Res, Full Res, No Res: The Poet and the Terminal Degree
Christopher Salerno, Amy Gerstler, Bob Hicock, Timothy Liu, Robin Reagler
Saturday, March 3rd, 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
Location: Wiliford C, Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor
This panel will address what about the different MFA/CW program models is transcendent, what is common, and what is hindrance. We’ll discuss ways poets use, ignore, dismiss, or are damaged by aspects of each. What intersections are there amongst the MFA options? How does one take ownership of their track? Is an MFA necessary? Panelists will discuss why they did (or did not) pursue their particular terminal degree, and how those experiences inform their teaching practices in these programs now.
Marketing the Literary, or Putting some Poetry into your PR
Robin Reagler, Alison Granucci, Tree Swenson, Kristine Uyeda
Saturday, March 3rd, 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM
Location: Boulevard Room A,B,C, Hilton Chicago, 2nd Floor
For many writers, the business of promoting literature does not come naturally. Many literary organizations are led by writers for whom marketing is unfamiliar terrain. But some programs are finding surprising ways to connect with a larger public through low-cost campaigns to promote individual writers, literary arts education programs, memberships, and donations.
Crisis Economics for Nonprofits
Amy Swauger, Rebecca Hoogs, Michele Kotler, Melanie Moore
Saturday, March 3rd, 3:00 – 4:15 PM
Location: Grand Ballroom, Palmer House Hilton, 4th Floor
How are some nonprofits thriving in the current economy while others struggle to keep the doors open from one day to the next? The panelists in this session, who represent presenting organizations, literary publishers, and writers-in-the-schools programs, discuss their strategies for weathering the financial storm by identifying different sources of funding, collaborating with other nonprofits and for-profit partners, and finding ways to maintain programs and services while cutting costs.
