Here is the information about Rip the Page! A Workshop for Kids and Parents from the Esalen website:

Weekend of April 13-15, 2012

Rip the Page! A Workshop for Kids and Parents

Karen Benke

“This is an imaginative writing weekend for children aged eight to fourteen and their parents to loosen up on the page while experimenting with zany poem-making prompts, dares and double-dares, and truths and lies,” writes Karen Benke. “This experience can un-stick ideas, dreams, and stories. We will erect a fun and safe tent of wonder in which to unleash the dreaming and doodling sides of our minds as we put the zing back in our writing and capture images guaranteed to connect to our hearts and voices. This is a creative writing play-shop where the punctuation police are left behind and best-guess spelling is more than fine. No grades. No gold stars. Just plenty of encouragement and quirky experiments involving magic word tickets that you’ll make and take back home. No prior experience is necessary. All materials are provided. Simply arrive with a willingness to surprise yourself and a fast-moving favorite pen. On Saturday afternoon, we’ll be joined by singer/songwriter, Scott Grace, who will create on-the-spot songs using our poems and literary creations.” 

Please note: This workshop has the following schedule. Friday: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 3:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday: 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Reservations Information (Accommodations & Pricing)

When we think of big cities, we think of tightly packed, vertical apartments, clustered skyscrapers, and commuter-filled trains. But to the residents of Beeville, TX, the “big city” means the colossal sprawl Houston. During our wonderful visit to Beeville, we found that our students’ initial interest in us centered on our metropolitan origins. For many of them, Houston is a mythical land accessible only by traveling sports teams, a land filled with shopping malls, upscale restaurants, and, strangest of all, professional writers.

“Are you a real writer?” students asked. When we showed them our books or told them about our projects, many seemed to be in awe.

Perhaps this is part of why the students at Moreno Middle School, where the three of us spent two intensive days teaching creative writing, were so engaged. “They never write that much for me,” one teacher told us. It was clear, however, that many of the students had a genuine interest in writing, and were excited to meet adults who had prioritized it in their lives.

We worked with the students to develop an understanding of the key elements of narrative and poetry. We collaborated on story arcs and invented our own cities, some even stranger than Houston. We were truly impressed by their quick grasp of writing concepts like imagery and simile, as seen in this poem by Ms. Mertz’s student, Ysidro:

City of Gold and Silver

Through the walls of gold

you can feel the cool breeze of the morning

the ground still wet from the morning dew

as you look off the diamond balcony you can see

the houses made of gold and silver

with light posts still glowing with embers

the sun is like an orange small and still

as you walk down the stairs the library is still and calm

you slowly walk in the city of gold and silver

with the strange markings on the walls

everyone still sleeping except for the old man

the old man sitting on a gold rocking chair cursing at the

wind

as the day goes on the city turns brighter

than the sun itself and after the hours of sun

night falls with a still glow and the city of gold and silver

is still bright.

This poem testifies to the dedication and talent of Moreno’s teachers, who made us feel welcome in their classrooms and even thanked us during a school assembly. We left Beeville feeling a little sorry to go and hopeful for another chance to leave the big city and return.

By Ryler Dustin, Jesse Donaldson, and Becca Wadlinger, Writers in the Schools

Writers in the Schools thanks Tracy Saucier and The Joe Barnhart Foundation for making this experience possible.

For the last 40 years the Coretta Scott King Awards have been given to African American authors and illustrators for their outstanding contributions to children’s literature. The books chosen promote understanding among races and uphold the American Dream. The Awards commemorate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

For past winners from 1970-present, check out this list.  The 2012 winner is Kadir Nelson’s Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans, published by HarperCollins.  The story and the artwork in this book are  stunning.  Go get your copy today and help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Awards in Children’s Literature.

What: Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop

Where: Kenyon College, Gambier, OH

Cost: $2,275 includes tuition, accommodations, meals, and activities. Need-based scholarships available.

Contact: (740) 427-5207 or youngwriters@kenyonreview.org

Photo by ortizmiddleschool via Flickr

Schools across the nation are signing up for Digital Learning Day, a national campaign that celebrates innovation in the classrooms on February 1st. On this day, administrators, teachers, parents, and students everywhere will unite to discuss the ways in which technology has revolutionized the curriculum and exchange ideas on how to improve computer literacy.

Started by the Alliance for Excellent Education, Digital Learning Day empowers members of the education community with a number of resources and tool kits that are available on the group’s website. Their professional development offerings include interdisciplinary lesson plans, digital learning examples by district, and webinars.

Individuals are encouraged to participate in this free event no matter what their technical skill level. Best of all, colleagues who spread the word about Digital Learning Day can win a $100 grant for their classroom. Be the first Houston school to get on board with Digital Learning Day by signing up today!