She’s been a fellow of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio for three years now. Every August, she devotes a week of her life to the study of what learning communities are and how she’s grown as a result of her participation in ours. She comes back every other month throughout the school year. She visits [...]
Two years ago, a writer I know showed up to one of our Studio sessions looking pretty glum. As one of the editors of her high school’s literary magazine, she was nothing short of disgusted by the behavior that some of her fellow editors were exhibiting. Having crowned themselves the school’s elite writers, they had [...]
Over the last few years, I’ve come to realize that my greatest duty as a teacher in any capacity is to create the conditions that enable relevant (or at the very least meaningful) and engaging learning and work. These words possess a distinct and critical meaning, too.
This conclusion led me to another important discovery: I [...]
Over the last several years, I’ve come to rely on the ARCS framework, created by Communities for Learning, for nearly all of my professional planning. I use it to establish a baseline assessment of the groups I work with, to determine entry points into our work together, to strategically plan, and to assess the influence [...]
“Meaning, like beauty, lies both within and outside us. The same experience might be more meaningful for some students than others because of differences in their interests, personal experiences, readiness, and existing relationship with the teacher and with what is being taught. That said, as learners, we all derive greater meaning [...]
We crossed this bridge in Connecticut on Sunday night, landing once again at the Trinity Conference Center for our annual retreat. This is where my year ends and begins.
What will your legacy be?
This was the question that greeted me upon arrival my very first year, and it’s the one I return to now.
I’m wrestling with [...]
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.” –Winston Churchill
This is one of my favorite pictures from last week’s Studio sessions. It was just one small moment that tucked itself into a flurry of other activity, but this visual speaks volumes.
One of the interns in our program, Nate, is conferencing with two [...]
Photo Credit: Laura Stockman
Summer is a time unto itself. In our family, we draw deep boundaries around the months of June, July, and August. The rhythm of our life together changes, and while the pace never seems to slow, the content of our days becomes distinctly different. It’s a disruption I long for every year–one [...]
Wow.
I guess that certainly qualified as an extended hiatus. I don’t think I’ve ever been off the grid for quite this long, and I must admit: I really enjoyed my time off. My kids really enjoyed my time off too, I’m thinking.
That said, I’ve felt the effects of my absence here.
Blogging regularly inspires me to [...]
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been plowed over by all that is June.
This month saw the end of the 2009-2010 season of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio, highlighted by our Celebration of Writing and the publication of our first anthology (featuring 20 of this year’s 60 writers)! It’s also the end [...]