Calling all recruits!

Pass along your passion and drive, and recruit others to join the pack. Share highlights from this summer’s experience by sharing your experience, or better yet, let your colleagues show them the way as they narrate reflections on their experience:

Another one bites the dust

Another summer writing institute has come to a close. As we have blogged here together, your ideas and words have created the connective fabric that keeps the writing project thriving at Kennesaw State University. Thank you for all the hard work, determination, and pride you put into your work here.

As you begin a new school year, consider how you might return the investment that teachers in the writing project have made in you. Whether you present your teacher research at a conference, put in place an action research plan, lead professional development in your school, or write with your students, the good work you do each day is a continuation of the hard work that began this summer.

We Are The Diamonds

We Are The Diamonds Video

Daily Log for June 29, 2010

Log for Tuesday, June 29th
A Hard Day’s Write at KMWP

It’s been a hard day’s night, each fellow living in a fog
It’s been a hard day’s write, “Pop Music” gives us Tuesday’s log
But when the breakfast is through, there’s reading coaching to do
It makes us feel so bright…

You know we work all day to grapple grammar to write our things
And it’s worth it just to hear Helen say, “Noden’s gonna make us grammar kings.”
Writing pleas guarantee, our congressmen will agree
To fund the N-dubya-P

When thoughts roam, mentor texts anchor me tight
With my tome, typing at the speed of light, light

Owww!

It’s been a hard day’s write, and I’ve been working like a dog
It’s been a hard day’s write, I should be sleeping like a log (with Gerard)
But when my stories accrue,  my an-thol-ogy debut
Will make me feel alright
You know I feel alright
KMWP is  alright…

Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project Final Reflections

Each year near the end of a KMWP Summer Institute a final narrative, in-depth reflection from each fellow provides the ISI Leadership Team another opportunity to understand how our site’s goals will be improved by learning from the newest fellowship.

We ask you please to respond to three of the following prompts and give Amy Byram a print copy Thursday morning, July 1, 2010.

1. What have you learned about yourself as a writer?

2. What have you learned about inquiry and research during the SI that you might transfer to your school and classroom?

3. Describe a connection between something you have written and something you have read since the Institute began.

4. How will you use what you have learned about yourself as a writer to improve your teaching of writing?

5. What aspect of collaboration have you learned or grown to understand better through participation in the KMWP?

6. Analyze your insights as a learner and a teacher during this experience in the KMWP SI. Write about yourself as a teacher; as a writer; as a KMWP community participant.

Metaphors Are Bridges to Learning

View the powerpoint, Metaphors are Bridges, which supported  my teaching demonstration, or read my research. Let me know how it works for you.  I’d love feedback.

It’s the “why” not the “how”

As we round out our final week, I wanted to leave you with a few thoughts about technology and writing. But first…

A Journal Prompt: Before reading, write 3 one-paragraph definitions of language. Each of the following sentences should begin one of the paragraphs:

• Language is like a tree.
• Language is like a river.
• Language is like a building.

Excerpted from Neil Postman’s, The End of Education

Read, Think, Write, Repeat

Here is the PowerPoint presentation for Read, Think, Write, Repeat that drove my teacher demo about blogging in the composition classroom; it includes a few facilitator notes for discussion.

I’m open to questions and suggestions!

Monday: Observations…talk about pop music

Welcome back my fellows to the show that is quickly coming to an end

Janis starts the day step inside for a ride

Becky shows that music is a vehicle for all… so climb aboard and  take that Journey out of REM to a place where good people go and all the little ants march to crisp apple an d melting chocolate.  We must be out of our minds as I think about the time I drove in your car rushing on a  jewel encrusted magical mystery tour past big yellow taxis.  Truckin’  toward the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.  It’s all part of our rock ‘n’ fantasy.

Come, friends, who write like Kathleen

Truce to navigation

Take another station

Let’s vary piracy

And all join the GCTE

Welcome to the jungle of proposal writing time,

write your proposal like an advertisement and you will do just fine.

Shoobie doobie do wop
Kitty Drew made it
Pop pop shoo wop
Activate it

Pop corn

Pop Ups

Post it notes

New York, Ecuador, Paris, Cleveland
Everybody talk about KMWP man
Talk about, pop up books
Talk about, pop corn
Hot hot hot hot  pockets

New York, Ecuador, Paris, Kennesaw
Everybody talk about book club
Talk about, committees
Talk about, anthology
Good good good good reads

All around the world
wherever you are
write in the street anything you like
write it in your car in the middle of the night
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

Morning Log, June 28, 2010

God Bless KMWP

(In honor of the upcoming holiday and with

thanks and apologies to Lee Greenwood)

If tomorrow all the work was gone

I’d worked on ‘most the night

And I had to start again

With my notes and my book light,

I’d thank my lucky stars to be

Standing here today

‘Cause this class has taught us writing

And you can’t take that away.

I’m proud to be at KMWP

Where it’s tuition-free

And I won’t forget you guys who tried

To take this course with me,

And I’d proudly stand up next to you

Defend our presence here today

Aint no doubt, I love this class

God bless us here today!

Thank the Good Lord Brynn and Kristy

Can cook as well as write,

Friday’s food was so delicious–

Their duet poem just right!

Becky’s quick reminders

About the E-Anthology–

Ole’ fashioned notes that should be sent-

Without technology.

I was thrilled to be with Marla

Exploring writing persuasively,

The game Four Corners helped us all

To see it visually.

We know writers don’t just write

From experience, but from empathy,

Aint no doubt, I love this class

In spite of technology!

If tomorrow I have new students

Some quite young or maybe old

Children’s books are the way to reach them

Jessica ‘n  Kristy have foretold.

“If You Give A Mouse A Cookie,

Grapes of Math; Eat Shoots, and Leaves

There’s a kid’s book for every writing skill

You or I could ere’ conceive.

Janis spoke to us of metaphors

That work culturally

Improve our scores, and help kids write

Amazing poetry!

All these strategies that we have learned

Will stand us in good stay

Cause there aint no doubt Summer Institute

Is here for good, Always!

Janis Hill