National Writing Project (yes we still can :)

I continue evolving due to what has shaped my past and that which continues to change in the world around me. What a thrill to be on the cutting edge of literacy instruction. About three weeks ago, I spent time considering my responsibility in the world of reading and writing at the NWP Annual Meeting (almost parallel to the NCTE conference as usual). Brilliant teacher leaders from all over the country getting together to change the world (or at least for now, the writing curriculum in schools). I’ve been going for the past four years, and both just keep getting better!

First, there was Digital Is, an NWP Technology Initiative event, which I have been part of since this summer. As I think back to the sessions I attended, the one which stood out to me most was called the Global Kids/Teen Second Life/Africa “I Dig Science” discussion. I was inspired by some fresh ideas afterward, especially ideas centered around finding more creative and academic uses for Skype in real world (local and global community), and then replicate others’ experiences in a virtual world. I also enjoyed all the conversations that ensued on “learning ecosystems.” There was this cool, low tech activity in which teachers were challenged to making an invitation. We had to think of stakeholder who were not part of the conversation but we believe should be. My partner and I made an invitation to Powerful People and sent it to AISD Central addressed to the superintendent.  What a blast

The time to reflect in Philly made me realize that this point in my life involves the most symbiotic relationships I’ve ever been in simultaneously. A theme of  the learning ecosystem keeps resurfacing. For example, I was recently hired to work as a member of the Technology Liaisons Network Leadership Team. We spent a full day in a National Tech meeting planning the next Urban Sites conference (Portland, OR in April). As a result, I befriended Clifford Lee and not Facebook befriended, but actually got to share lesson ideas, talk policy, urban schooling, hot topics, etc. This teacher also is a UCLA doc student (doing research with Ernest Morrell, yes, seriously). I got spent time with  JR Sheetz, Felicia George, Paul Oh (coordinator of the technology liaison program for the NWP). The topics we discussed around the dinner table were hot: Technology in the ELL classroom, cyberspace projects connecting youth voices. It’s as if this moment in time were all designed to revolve around the facilitation and cultivation of learning through reading and writing and helping fellow teachers do that too. Connecting with each other and maintain those connections is my new big question. How can I make my learning ecosystem more sustainable? Both in my classroom and within my little learning community?

Then, there was the actual annual meeting, which provided an amazing array of workshops and panel discussions. Billy Collins, who read many of his poems aloud, including my favorite, Forgetfulness, inspired me to write for fun again.  He asked us to write, the prompt was simple: What do you need to write? I reflected on locking the door, turning off the phone, and other simple things. It was refreshing and necessary.

The really awesome news is that Richard Sterling, College Board, Department of Education coming to film interviews of me, my best friend who teaches next door Jenn Woollven, and our students January – integrating Technology into Writing Instruction using social networking will be the focus. I’m not sure of the details yet but am eager to find out. It’ll also be exciting for my students to get interviewed and then see themselves in a short film! When I asked Richard about the prospective audience of this piece he simply, “Well, the Department of Education to start with.” Wow.

Moral of the story? It’s an exciting time to be alive in this ever changing world of teaching and learning. I’m honored to be part of it and thrilled about the changes to come. If it weren’t for this ecosystem of resilient teachers, it would seem difficult and painful. Luckily, I get to be part of something bigger.

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