In order to continue serving Houston’s low income students, WITS has reduced fees to levels used in the 1990s. Interested parents, teachers, and school administrators can find out more about this opportunity here.
Writers in the Schools (WITS) Celebrates Kids–in their own Words
Category Archives: education
5 Reasons to Get WITS in your School
WITS Writer Dr. Melanie Malinowski and her student Deandrea Stevens at this year's Blooms reading.
5) Students gain self-esteem through authorship and public performances.
4) In 10 years of data, WITS students show marked improvement in literacy skills and higher standardized test scores.
3) We tailor the project to match your students’ needs and your school’s budget.
2) WITS in-services and professional development workshops have changed teachers’ lives.
1) WITS is ranked the #1 literary program in Texas by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Call Writers in the Schools today at 713-523-3877 or email Long Chu at lchu@witshouston.org to sign up for the 2011-2012 school year.
Through the Eyes of an Intern: My Summer at WITS
When I applied to intern at Writers in the Schools (WITS), I wasn’t exactly sure what I would learn. As an education major, I had no
background in creative writing and very limited experience with non-profits. I wondered what sort of insights would I gain from working with WITS. Two short months later, I am leaving 1523 West Main with an armful of incredible experiences and valuable lessons learned.
Getting to be a fly on the wall at the WITS office this summer, I was given an authentic experience of the non-profit world. I was invited to sit in on meetings, converse with the WITS staff, and participate in the summer programs. From those opportunities, I have learned about non-profit structure and some of the challenges of non-profit involvement in education. I now have a true appreciation for the “behind the scenes” work of non-profit programming and am grateful for the effort that non-profit organizations put into positively affecting the community.
Interning with WITS has also influenced the type of teacher I will be in the future. Before WITS, I really hadn’t given much thought to the involvement of creativity in the classroom. That’s what the art and music teacher focused on, right? After observing the Summer Creative Writing Workshops this summer, experiencing how the students became so engaged and excited about learning and teachers who were passionate about authentic learning experiences, I will never again disregard the importance of creativity and imagination in the classroom.
I realized that when a teacher’s emphasis is moved from student performance to student experience, engaging students with opportunities to explore and create, authentic learning is the natural result. The teacher is also provided with an incredible platform to get to know a student through their artistic expression, enriching the student-teacher relationship. Through WITS, I have gained this understanding, which will affect not only how I teach, but also the students that I teach.
I am honored to have been welcomed into Writers in the Schools this summer. I am grateful for my experience of working for an organization with true passion for quality fine arts education and belief in the importance of every person’s story. Thank you WITS, for the lessons I have learned and the experiences you have given me. You will always be a part of my story.
By Megan McKitrick
[Megan McKitrick was the 2011 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program Intern at WITS. She is a rising junior at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.]
Kids in 2014 Won’t Experience…
Image via Wikipedia
TIME Specials recently posted an article called Top Ten Things Today’s Kids Won’t Experience. I laughed when I read things like Camera Film, Landline Phones, and even Getting Lost! #3 on the list is Real Books (and of course, the door-to-door encyclopedia salesman). Josh Sanburn explains that the way we consume reading material has changed forever–the sales of eBooks beat out hardbacks for the first time ever this summer!
In its teaser for the Top Ten List, TIME refers to Beloit College’s Mindset List, which is aimed at helping teachers understand the new cultural references that kids use and the old ones that make no sense to them. The Beloit list mentions cursive, which is interesting, since this week Indiana became the first state to announce that schools would no longer be required to teach children cursive.
The times they are a-changin’ (another reference that kids these days won’t get).
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
WITS is Hiring Creative Writing Teachers
Photo by Yvonne Feece
WITS is looking for 10-12 writers who can teach the joy of creative writing to young people. Employment is part-time, typically 2-6 hours of teaching one day a week from September – May. A yearlong commitment is required; however, writers who are selected to be on the WITS roster are not guaranteed immediate teaching opportunities.
The pay is $55 per teaching hour. In addition to teaching, the job duties include preparing lessons, responding to student work, and compiling anthologies of student writing at the end of the school year.
We are looking for writers and educators with teaching or mentoring experience who can convey their passion for the written word in ways that are relevant for Houston-area children. In particular, we are seeking bilingual writers, but others are encouraged to apply as well.
Visit our website for the full job description.
If you are interested in teaching with WITS, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and 10-page writing sample to mail@witshouston.org or mail to:
Jack McBride, Program Director
1523 West Main
Houston, TX 77006
To be considered for the 2011-2012 school year, applications must be received by August 5, 2011. Applicants who are selected to teach with WITS must attend mandatory WITS orientation and training on Friday, August 26, and Saturday, August 27, 2011.
Please feel free to e-mail or call 713-523-3877 with any questions.
Immigrant Children Tap Into Creativity
Studies have shown that creativity is higher on average for first and second-generation immigrants and for bilinguals than for others. Experts think that these groups share the ability to adapt and to be flexible.
WITS has designed numerous projects to tap into the creativity of first and second-generation immigrants and bilinguals, including the very popular Song of Houston Project with the Houston Grand Opera. During 2010-11 school year, WITS worked with children of immigrants at Kaleidoscope Middle School where the youth made films based on Sandra Cisneros stories. At Collins Elementary School, Catholic Charities sponsored a WITS project with children of immigrants that took place after school and was designed to improve literacy and language skills through creative writing. As part of that project, Travelers Insurance did a book drive, and each participating child received a dozen books.
See the film made by Kaleidoscope 7th graders here.
Read about our project with Catholic Charities in the article, “The Joy of Self Expression”, published by the Midtown Paper here.
If you work with first or second-generation immigrants in Houston and you would like to nurture creativity, give WITS a call at 713-523-3877.
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
Parallax Fiction and Poetry Contest
High school students, enter to win a $25,000 scholarship to Idyllwild Arts Academy and get published in Parallax Magazine. The deadline is July 15, 2011. For more information, click here.
Silly, Violent, and Gross
Image via Wikipedia
I used to go into classrooms with a very clear idea of the poems and stories I wanted the students to create. I imagined beautiful, lyrical language, deep emotional revelations, memorable, personal themes.
Then I started reading some of the research about boys and writing. I learned from experts such as Ralph Fletcher and Peg Tyre that I needed a new set of expectations and strategies to reach most of my boy writers.
I took away some valuable pointers, including allowing boys more choices when it comes time to write, advocating for boys with poor handwriting to get access to keyboards, and appreciating that my boy writers have more fun and produce better writing when they are allowed to be silly, violent, and gross.
Here is a good example of a boy who writes best when he’s talking about something he cares about: horror movies.
When I saw the movie “Chucky,” it creeped out my mom, but I liked it because it was cool. Chucky is a doll with stitches all over his face. He seems like a regular doll, but he isn’t because if you take the screws out, there are no batteries, just flesh. The doll came in a box, but it escaped. The boy who bought it looked for it everywhere. Then Chucky jumped out. The whole movie is about Chucky hunting down people. The first time a scary part came, I screamed like I was going to be killed. Chucky looked like he was going to cut my hand off. I thought if he looked at me again, I would run to my grandma’s house. But I survived. I watched the movie every day for awhile. My mom would jump at the scary parts and run to her room. I like horror movies. They don’t give me nightmares. They give me ideas to scare my brother.
By Nick, 10
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
School’s Out!
Image via Wikipedia
I love the feverish energy at the end of every school year. It’s fun to watch the kids’ excitement build to a wild pitch as they run through the halls and shout, “School is almost out! School is almost out!”
This week HISD students are enjoying end-of-the-year parties and graduation ceremonies. Friday is almost here!
Here is one third grader’s description of the last 10–actually 11–seconds of school. In her story “School’s Out,” Isabella uses the “count-up” writing technique to create anticipation before a big moment, the last bell of the year.
School’s Out
It’s the very last day of school. Everybody, I mean Every body was silently counting in their heads and hoping 10 was all.
You see, it was the last day of school.
One, wondering how long this would take.
Two, silently praying for a good summer.
Three, still praying.
Four, oh my gosh, I’m getting impatient.
Five, really just 5 seconds left in class.
Six, unbearable to speak, only the clock ticking can be heard.
Seven, deep breathing heard along with the clock.
Eight, deep breaths. Huuu Haaaa.
Nine, sucking in stomachs.
Ten, about to run outside, but the bell didn’t ring.
Eleven? Oh well, one second off.
Rinnngggggg! Yaaaa! School’s OUT! Everyone runs outside to the playground. Summer has started!
By Isabella B. Mueller
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
Ken Robinson: Why Creativity Is As Important as Literacy
Sir Ken Robinson is an author, speaker and international advisor on education and the arts. He argues that our current schools are killing the creativity in our children, and he explains why an entire overhaul of the education system is necessary.
This week the Texas Senate will continue debating the controversial bill that will cut public school financing. There are many things at stake in this bill, including major reductions to the arts programs.
As we confront a threat to the arts in the face of state-wide spending cuts, Robinson makes a crucial argument for why creativity matters as much as literacy. Check out this video of Robinson’s TED talk on YouTube.
The First Rule for Writers: Read
Image by life serial via Flickr
Zadie Smith, a British novelist whose first novel White Teeth was an instant bestseller when published in 2000, shared with Guardian some of her rules for writers, and I was struck with her first one:
When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.
As a mother, teacher, and writer, I want my children and students to love writing as much as I do. Sometimes, though, I fall headfirst into the black hole of assessments and testing. I become obsessed with achievement as the district or the state defines and measures it. I immerse myself in “best practices.” I lose sight of the simplicity of Zadie Smith’s first rule for writers: read.
When I realize I’m in this black hole, I head directly to the library. I browse the shelves for a good book to share with my students. Then, I choose one for myself. When I read for pleasure, I remember what I loved as child, which always allows me to write in more profound ways than a test question ever will.
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
Our Summer Camp Made “Best of Houston” on AOL
This week AOL named the six best summer camps in Houston, and ours made the list! Here’s the write-up:
Once upon a time there was a summer camp that inspired a passionate love affair with writing. And every
camper lived happily ever after. For ages 4-18.
Check out the Summer Creative Writing Workshops sponsored by WITS and Rice University.
The Museum of Tomorrow
Writers in the Schools (WITS) takes pride in its groundbreaking relationships with local museums. For over two decades, we have fostered important collaborations between writers and artists in places such as the Menil Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston, Orange Show, Blaffer Gallery, Contemporary Arts Museum-Houston, Museum of Printing History, Rothko Chapel, the Houston Children’s Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Craft.
We welcome AAM (American Association of Museums) participants from across the United States to the 105th Gathering to Focus on Museums Meeting that is taking place in Houston, TX, from May 22-25th. The theme of this year’s annual meeting and expo is the “Museum of Tomorrow”and the tag line is “Where Ideas Live.” We love that!
WITS writer Olga Feliciano and Trey Demas from High School Ahead Academy view photographs from the exhibit "The Whole World Was Watching" on view at the Menil until September 25th. Photo by Yvonne Feece.
Writers in the Schools can testify to the crucial role that artists and writers play in co-creating innovative spaces “where ideas live.” Every year we bring thousands of young writers into museums for inspiration. A beautiful example of collaboration was last week’s The Watchful Eye Reading at the Menil Collection where WITS students read aloud poetry and prose inspired by the Civil Rights exhibit The Whole World Was Watching. Award-winning journalist and author Mignette Patrick Dorsey delivered a moving keynote speech, and many people in the community were moved to tears by the young people’s words about the black-and-white photographs they had seen in the museum.
We applaud AAM for bringing together more than 5,000 museum leaders to brainstorm the “museum of tomorrow.” For more information about the presence of WITS in museums, please visit our website.
by Marcia Chamberlain, Writers in the Schools
Related articles
Writing Contest for High School Students
Contests often help motivate young writers, especially in the summer when there are no school deadlines. This prestigious one sponsored by The Nation will get your high school student thinking!
Here is the information from the website:
Nation Student Writing Contest, 2011
We are looking for original, thoughtful, provocative student voices to answer this question: What do you think is the most serious issue facing your generation?
Essays should not exceed 800 words and should be original, unpublished work that demonstrates fresh, clear thinking and superior quality of expression and craftsmanship. We’ll select five finalists and two winners—one from college, one from high school. Each winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a Nation subscription. The winning essays will be published and/or excerpted in the magazine and featured at TheNation.com. The five finalists will be awarded $200 each plus subscriptions, and their entries will be published online. Entries will be accepted from May 15th through June 30th, 2011. A winner will be announced by September 24, 2011.
Eligibility
The contest is open to all matriculating high school students and undergraduates at American schools, colleges and universities, including those receiving high school or college degrees in the year 2011. Submissions must be original, unpublished work. Each entrant is limited to one submission. Entries will be accepted through June 30, 2011. Submissions can be e-mailed to studentprize@thenation.com. Please include the essay in the body of the e-mail. All e-mailed submissions will be acknowledged. Each entry must include author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address and short biography and school affiliation—and say “student essay” in the subject line. Please email studentprize@thenation.com for questions. Anyone having participated in The Nation internship program as well as previous winners are ineligible.
Students Respond to Civil Rights Exhibit Tonight at the Menil
Dan Budnik photograph, The Menil Collection
WITS invites you to The Watchful Eye Reading, at 7PM tonight at the Menil Collection, 1515 Sul Ross. Writers in the Schools (WITS) has developed a unique program (initiated with the support of The Menil Collection in 1989) in which students visiting the museum write poetry and prose inspired by the work on view. WITS is one of many community nonprofits commemorating the 50 year anniversary of the Freedom Rides through the Freedom Now Project, Houston’s effort to retrace the Civil Rights Movement through educational programs and initiatives. At this event, The Watchful Eye, students will read their work inspired by the photographs in the Civil Rights exhibit The Whole World Was Watching. Award-winning journalist and author Mignette Patrick Dorsey will deliver the keynote speech. Following is a poem written by Brittany who tells us what courage is in her own words.
Power
I am very brave
Who or what can
Stand in my way?
I am fighting for my rights.
I know right from wrong.
I am a black man
With a lot of power and
Might in my hands and
Yes, I have many worries.
I might not be understood
But I know my place in this
World. My eyes hold a lot of
Things. My future is in my
Dreams, and I’m happy to
Know where I stand.
By Brittany, 12th grade
