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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.

Trenton Lee Stewart in Houston This Sunday

Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for Young People
Trenton Lee Stewart
 
Meet the author!
TRENTON LEE STEWART
Sunday
April 29, 2012
3:00 pm (doors open at 2:30 pm)
Johnston Middle School Auditorium
10410 Manhattan Drive (77096) See map here

FREE!

For more information, click here.

To enter a drawing for a free signed book or poster by Trenton Lee Stewart click here.
To download an activity guide, click here.
Find the event on facebook.facebook

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas BenedictCool 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.”

The series, which includes The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma, and The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict’s Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums, has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has spent more than 85 combined weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The stories follow four gifted kids, Reynie, Katie, Sticky, and Constance, through page-turning mysteries, mindbending brain-teasers, and inventive journeys.

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.
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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

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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

WhereHouston 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.

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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.

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.

learning-to-read-by-saundrag-via-flickr.jpg3. 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

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.