In my work with teachers, and in our fellowship programs at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio, I become closely acquainted with kids who absolutely hate writing. What’s worse is that they believe they aren’t capable of it. Why? Well, mostly because they are unable to sit silently before a screen or page and push words out of the end of their fingers in a coherent fashion until every inch of white space is covered in…
Many children and adults will tell you that writing is quite literally out of their grasp. They can’t wrap their hands around it, and since this is how they learn best, writing remains beyond their reach. Many writers need to move, and they need their writing to move as well. They need to write out of their seats and on their feet, spreading their ideas across whiteboards and tables, lifting pieces of them up with…
These are my first and favorite conversations with writers at the start of a new year. Before we crack into our new notebooks, before the first genre studies begin, we take some time to talk about what it means to be a writer and what it means to live a writer’s life. Teachers often ask me how I manage to write every day, and I always say that this depends on what people think it…
Anyone can write, but few people write exceptionally well. Myself included. I’ve been blogging for nearly eight years now, but I’ve always defined myself as a teacher who writes rather than a writer who teaches. I make no apologies for this, and in fact, if I had waited until I felt confident in my writing skills to share my stuff with others, I never would have grown as a writer. I wouldn’t have learned half…
I am BEYOND EXCITED to be hosting this event with everyone at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio! For the last several years, our annual writing celebrations were inspired by the spirit and the structure of the unconference model. Writers of all ages shared their growing expertise by leading conversations and mini-sessions that featured their favorite strategies and resources. Some of my favorite Studio memories were made on these days. Now that we have our own…
I’m looking forward to blogging here with regularity again, and as I’ve been brainstorming ways to make the experience as manageable as it is meaningful, I teased out the following purposes and a structure. Every Monday, I plan to share a bit of what I’m reading each week and invite dialogue around the ideas that emerge. That exchange might happen in the comments here. It might also happen on facebook or Twitter, depending on how…
Read anything awesome over spring break? I did. My favorite read was actually a reread, and I have a feeling I’ll be referencing it deep into the future. Sunni Brown, Dave Gray, and James Macanufo wrote Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rule-Breakers, and Changemakers. If you’re responsible for helping people generate ideas and solutions in any capacity, you will love this book. You might also love the app, which I spent this morning test driving as well.…
I’m looking forward to blogging here with regularity again, and as I’ve been brainstorming ways to make the experience as manageable as it is meaningful, I teased out the following purposes and a structure. Every Monday, I plan to share a bit of what I’m reading each week and invite dialogue around the ideas that emerge. That exchange might happen in the comments here. It might also happen on facebook or Twitter, depending on how…
By day, I’m a consultant in school districts throughout Western New York. Summers, weekends, and evenings often find me writing and learning beside kids and teachers at the WNY Young Writer’s Studio though. I founded Studio five years ago, and we’re expanding our fellowship program, workshops for kids, and professional development offerings. Take a peek at what we’re up to this summer and join us!
Wellsville Middle and High School English teachers began inquiry work within collegial learning circles three years ago. What they accomplished for writers that year and what they’ve continued to accomplish as a result of their collegiality is nothing short of inspiring. These inquiry groups grew out of the staff’s desire to learn with and from one another. Like any staff, some have been more invested in this work than others, and like any investment, those…