Workshops! Wow!

In thinking about all the workshops I’ve participated in during this month at NIWP, I’m having a hard time not writing a lengthy letter of praise to each and every one of my colleagues. What an amazing collection of expertise, ideas, and personality I’ve been privileged to witness this month! I’m going to be a bit selfish with this reflection, and think about one thing I want to take from each person I watched present. Thanks to all of you, I will be a better person and presenter :)

Mercedes: an undeniable enthusiasm and belief that you can do it

Gloria: immersion in a subject to create an atmosphere for learning

Jill: a practical, optimistic, and innovative approach to negotiating the realities of testing in regard to student learning

Kelly: a passion for always keeping our activities grounded in and connected to what actually happens in the classroom

Warren: grammar is meaningful when it is infused in all aspects of writing instruction, not its own separate subject

Britt: use what students are already reading and engaged in as a way to springboard them to careful reading and meaningful writing

Tara: publishing doesn’t have to be time consuming in order to matter, and gives students a real rather than hypothetical audience for their writing

Lynne: strong, innovative, and interesting ways to help students be better writers and readers of their own sentences

Timothy: an strong reminder that everything is metaphorical and our students need practice in reading metaphors to be better readers of the world

And from everyone: a strong sense of professionalism, and a reflective and invigorated approach to the art of teaching! Thank you.