What is the role of writing? Few things we can imagine are as controversial and bridging, broad and specific, constricting and freeing as writing. In practice, writing is in everything we do, but it is becoming less of a focus and harnessed skill among youth. This is not to say that youth do not write - they do - but the variety, skill, scope, purpose, and joy of writing tend to wander aimlessly in the ether of the digital world. Unfortunately, this is not unique to youth. Even the most seasoned and thoughtful teachers can lose sight of the authenticity and power of writing in their own classrooms, in their own literacy lives.
This workshop is not a fix-it session. Rather, it is a regrounding in the things we already know and love about writing in our own experiences. We want to come together and shape what writing can be in our classrooms despite the pressures, structures, and expectations that are constantly vying for our attention and compliance. The workshop itself is the first stage of collaborative work that we hope revitalizes writing in your classrooms, giving you a platform from which to build. The second part carries past the session and offers an opportunity to engage with a community of teachers who want to share their work and learn from others, cultivating a writer’s community. ALL teachers across ALL subjects and grades are invited to this workshop and community participation. Writing is not just for some, it is for all.
In this session, you will:
Explore foundations and qualities of authentic writing.
Identify barriers and limitations classroom contexts on authentic writing.
Outline and draft possible authentic writing implementations in classrooms (small, medium, large sizes/scales).
