Winter’s End Professional Development Day

Saturday, March 27, 2010
Busch Campus Center
604 Bartholomew Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854

This free professional development day is only for registrants from the Midwinter Writing Conference X held on February 6, 2010. Registrants will receive an invitation via email and must RSVP by Sunday, March 20.

Check-In/Exhibits    8:00am - 8:45am
SESSION 1            9:00am - 10:30am
Break/Exhibits      10:30am - 11:00 am
SESSION 2:          11:00am - 12:30pm
Lunch/Exhibits      12:30pm - 1:30 pm

Attendees may bring a lunch or purchase lunch from one of the five vendors in the Campus Center (Moe's Southwest Grill, Burger King, Gerlanda's Pizza & Deli, Szechwan Express, Gerlanda's Coffee).

SESSION 3:           1:30pm-3:00pm

Certificates of Participation will be distributed, and evaluation forms collected in the International Lounge after the last session.

SESSION 1                                        9:00am - 10:30am

The Habitual Surprise Party: Poetry in the Classroom (ES, MS, HS)
BJ Ward, Keynote Speaker from 2/6/10

Discussion of the pleasures to be had when students are encouraged to use poetry like a shovel, not a tray. Utilizing prompts by contemporary American writers and the resultant student poems gleaned from New Jersey public school classrooms over the last year, he will explore how writing poetry can be a way for students to discover what’s latent rather than convey what’s apparent. You will walk away with ideas for specific exercises to tap your classrooms’ inner audiences, allowing students to discover things they didn’t know about themselves.

G3 - Getting a Grasp on Grammar: Exploring the Purpose of Grammar Within the Context of Writing (MS, HS)
Sarah Guenter, West Milford Township School District

Participants in this workshop will receive practical strategies on how to help students discover a purpose for the study of grammar as they explore different language varieties. In addition, teachers will receive a series of mini-lessons and helpful websites that will help students develop their language/grammar skills within the context of writing.

Assessing Assessments: Helping Build a Community of Independent Learners through Rubrics (ES, MS, HS)
Diantha Acevedo, Paramus Public Schools

Without personal value, there is no intrinsic motivation to learn, experience, or remain open to new adventures. By focusing on the process of writing rather than the final product, teachers can provide meaningful activities that answer their students’ queries, fairly assess their development, and build a community of independent learners. This presentation focuses on the wealth of student growth, self-reliance, and autonomy that can be fostered through a Writer’s Workshop model. Participants will reflect upon product-versus-process as well as standard-versus-progressive rubrics.

The Traditional Research Paper vs. the Multigenre Research Paper: Narrative Thinking and Writing with Student Voice in Research Papers (ES, MS, HS)
Debra Ann Del Sardo, Passaic School District

This session will introduce participants to the advantages of the multigenre research paper, in which students create informative, narrative products that permit their voices to emerge. Multigenre assignments result in writing that is original and authentic, thus avoiding plagiarism and formulaic writing. During the process, students are immersed in the processes of metacognition, synthesis, and internalization of facts – insuring their in-depth comprehension of their selected topics.

Vintage Texts, Novel Voices: Responding to Literature via Wikis, Podcasts and Discussion Boards (MS, HS)
Sara Bauer and Joy Mazur, Morris Hills Reg. District; Kristy Lauricella, Summit Public Schools

Making several of the "big shifts" advised by Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, three instructors share how they frame reading assignments and shape writing projects that call upon students to strengthen their writers' voices. Participants will learn about six innovative approaches to help students reach authentic audiences as they articulate their understanding of classic texts. Through micro-lessons, participants will leave the workshop with strategies for shaping imaginative and meaningful responses to literature.

SESSION 2                                    11:00am - 12:30pm

Incorporating the Perspective of “Other” in Students’ Writing (ES, MS, HS)
Jessica Constandelis, Kittatinny Regional School District

The medium of text is an excellent venue through which students can learn to identify and juxtapose themselves with the perspective of “Other.” This teaching demonstration focuses on widening the lens through which students (and teachers) view their lives to incorporate the perspectives of those with backgrounds and experiences unlike their own. Participants will leave with numerous writing exercises and texts to facilitate the widening of the critical lenses through which they view literature.

Using Mentor Texts to Weave Together Reading and Writing Workshops (ES, MS, HS)
Lisa McTague, School District of the Chathams

This workshop focuses on using mentor texts in both reading and writing workshops. In this hands-on session, participants will learn how to select an appropriate mentor text and discover genres/skills they can teach using that mentor text. Participants will leave with resources that will help them in selecting their own mentor texts, as well as guidelines for running effective reading and writing workshops.

Grammar: Helping Students Make Meaning of Text Through Grammatical Structures and Concepts (ES, MS)
Kristen Seker, Hillsborough Township School District

One of the challenges teachers face while teaching writing is the concept of teaching grammatical concepts so that students gain a solid understanding of their use and function. Traditionally, grammar has been taught in isolation, through a system of skill/drill activities. This workshop will share effective ways to teach grammar skill through the context of authentic reading and writing activities.

Motivating Expository and Narrative Writing Using Multiple Modalities: Literature, Technology, and Themes (ES)
Dr. Lesley Morrow, Rutgers University

The presenter will share ways to motivate children to write. Carefully selected pieces of expository and narrative children's literature will be shared to motivate writing, themes that provoke interest will be discussed, and technology such as online discussions, email pen pals, and observing videos of themselves taken by the teacher as they work to critique their discussions about each others' writing. Samples of children's work will be shared, and attendees will participate by trying some of the ideas.

Drowning in Red Pen: Strategies for Meaningful Responses to Help Students Write Effectively (ES, MS, HS)
Jamie Marootian, Pascack Valley High School District

Studies show that teachers spend a large amount of time correcting and revising student writing, yet colleges and employers articulate that students are not proficient writers. This workshop explores research on why current practices of providing feedback to improve student writing are ineffective and offers strategies, activities, techniques, and tips for both the progression of writing skills and teacher efficiency.

Educational Writer-ship: Leading the Improvement of Writing in Your School (Supervisors, Principals)
Jennifer Edge, Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District

School leaders have the capacity to affect the quality of writing instruction. A school leader's belief about how students learn to write has an impact in how teachers are able to meet district and state standards in language arts literacy. Participants will learn more about how the National Writing Project at Rutgers can meet the needs of school leaders and their teaching staff.

SESSION 3:                                         1:30pm - 3:00pm

Connecting Reading and Writing through Mentor Texts (ES)
Lynette Santiago, Hillsborough Township School District

When instructors use mentor texts to teach author’s craft, students have high-quality models through which they can develop their own writing voices. Different types of texts can be used—from poetry to fiction to nonfiction—for a variety of purposes. This session will supply a theoretical foundation for the importance of using mentor texts to aid instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to explore several lessons and will leave with book titles to pair with a variety of topics.

Creativity and Argument: The Skills that Bind (MS, HS)
Amanda Eckstein, Morris Hills Regional District

Students are often excited when encouraged to write creatively. When, however, we attempt the necessary business of teaching persuasive writing as it is accepted on standardized tests, our students’ faces fall. Any style of writing can be a vehicle for presenting a valid argument. This presentation aims to bridge creative and academic writing by demonstrating that we are not limited to presenting argument in the traditional format.

Integrating Writing into Guided Reading in Quick and Meaningful Ways (ES, MS)
Sara Gagliano, North Plainfield Public Schools

Writing is a powerful tool for helping students improve their reading comprehension. This workshop will focus on writing activities to introduce during guided reading practice. These techniques are brief permitting extension of students’ thinking and interaction with multiple reading groups during a class session. Participants will receive over 20 research-based writing activity ideas, several graphic organizers, and an extensive list of writing prompts to support critical thinking in students’ reading and writing.

That's Not Proper English! (MS, HS)
Beth Borrus, Piscataway Township School District

Many of our students who speak non-standard English, especially African American Vernacular English, experience negative responses to their home language in the school environment, affecting both their self-esteem and academic performance. Excessive correction in the classroom threatens to silence these students. This presentation explores research which demonstrates that acceptance of non-standard forms is the most effective means of encouraging students to use standard English in appropriate situations, and offers teachers innovative strategies for promoting formal English in student writing.

Word Choice: Making Writing Powerful (ES, MS)
Shelly Baltin, Passaic City Schools District

Since writing well has become a focus in every subject, educators must be prepared to teach writing and understand the elements that make writing effective. Perhaps no aspect of the craft is as important as word choice. Our aim is to help our students to use language effectively for the long haul. Participants will learn what constitutes effective word choice and leave the session with strategies for using mentor texts to assist this process.