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 [...]
Writers in the Schools is a proud sponsor of the Houston Arts Partners inaugural conference, Shaping the Future of Education & Creating 21st Century Leaders, taking place on September 13, 2011 at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston as part of National Arts in Educations Week. The conference will bring together a diverse representation of 300 educators, administrators, researchers, [...]
By jrwatson5
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Also posted in art, creativity, teaching, writers in the schools
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Tagged Arts, Education, Houston, houston arts partners, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Professional development, training, workshops
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WITS welcomes new and returning writers to the 2011-2012 school year with two exciting afternoons of training on Friday, August 26th, and Saturday, August 27th. Renee Watson, author, actress, and teaching artist for Community Word Project, will kick off orientation with a workshop on Talking Back to the World: Empowering Students to Define Themselves through [...]
If you’re a teacher trying to figure out her first-day-of-school writing prompt, visit the Northern Nevada Writing Project (NNWP) for some wonderful, interactive writing lessons that will get you off to a brilliant beginning. The NNWP WritingFix page is set up for teachers and features many helpful ideas, routines, and practices for the writing classroom. [...]
By Marcia
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Also posted in education, inspiration, publishing, teaching, writers in the schools
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Tagged Classroom, Education, Educators, K through 12, Lesson plan, student, teacher, Teaching Resources
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Writing biographies is fun! Many children love researching the lives of people that they admire and then producing mini-books about them. I’ve also found that children respond with delight when they use the 3rd person to describe themselves or write the biography of imaginary characters! Here is an example of a boy whose autobiography was [...]
One of my favorite lessons to teach this year was the Companion Poem. I based the lesson idea loosely on William Blake’s companion poems from Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. In these two books Blake included some poems by the same title and generally about the same topic, but written from different perspectives. [...]
It’s common to have students with writer’s block. They sit and stare at the paper. They fidget and talk to friends. They complain they have no ideas. Teachers use many strategies to get the “reluctant writer” to start writing. This summer my teaching partner and I are using what we call the “Brain Pop” to [...]
Want to have some fun? Choose 2 items that are the same color and write a story or poem using both of them. If you need a jump start, read Joe’s story inspired by yellow. Cheez-It and Goldfish Once there was a Cheez-It that met a goldfish. He winked and said, “Hi, good looking.” She [...]
Dr. Seuss used to say, “I like nonsense. It wakes up the brain cells.” This summer I am challenging myself to make up more of my own “jabberwocky.” I’m taking lessons in this from my own students. Uninhibited writers are experts at experimenting, taking risks, and acting crazy. My 2nd graders are willing to push [...]
One popular WITS writing activity for elementary school students is based on Ruth Gendler’s The Book of Qualities. Gendler got the idea for her book when she was a young girl. She made up a story about a store where they sell qualities such as courage, excitement, and joy instead of products such as milk, [...]
As I walked towards the front entrance of E.O. Smith Education Center to observe WITS Writer Deborah Wiggins, I sensed love in the air. On this Valentine’s Day, Wiggins’ writers were preparing to work when I slipped through the classroom door. An international performance poet with a commanding stature, Wiggins is a take charge teacher [...]
By jrwatson5
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Also posted in art, creativity, education, event, imagination, inspiration, national poetry month, poetry, spoken word, story, student, teaching, writer, writers in the schools, writing, writing prompts
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Tagged Annise Parker, deborah wiggins, public poetry, valentine's day prompt
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Soon schools, libraries, and community centers around the country will display the official 2011 National Poetry Month poster unveiled by the Academy of American Poets last January. You can download a full-size pdf of the poster by clicking here or request a free copy to be sent to you while supplies last. Writers in the [...]
By jrwatson5
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Also posted in art, creativity, education, event, inspiration, poem a day, poetry, teaching, writers in the schools, writing
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Tagged Academy of American Poets, Arts, national poetry month
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Join Writers in the Schools (WITS) at this year’s Museum Educators Open House January 22, 2011 from 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. WITS will demonstrate innovative approaches to teaching creative writing. Come visit our booth at the Museum of Natural Science for giveaways and learn more about getting a WITS program at your school. This free [...]
This semester, as part of an academic program I am in at the University of St. Thomas, I am working on 100 hours of community service and WITS graciously allowed me to volunteer for them. As my school year winds down – or speeds up seeing how many paper assignments I have – and my [...]
By jrwatson5
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Also posted in education, essay, Houston, story, student, teaching, writer, writers in the schools, writing
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Tagged After-school activity, discovery green, University of St. Thomas, volunteering
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The 2010 WITS Writer Orientation featured special guests Michele Kotler and Keith Kaminski from the Community Word Project (CWP) in New York. Our friends at the CWP have given a great deal of thought to preparing writers to teach in classrooms. We at WITS Houston invited them down to see what it was all about. [...]
