National Writing Project Workshop Three

NWP: Hearing LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer)
voices in the classroom

Description of the session: The shift from being passively sympathetic to issues of diversity to become actively engaged in promoting understanding goes beyond courage and determination. It takes familiarity with possible teaching resources. The facilitators of this session will not only share the critical stance in addressing issued with diversity but also their approach to LGBTQ issues though young adult literature, empathetic writing and other strategies to awaken and develop critical literacy in students.


How do we start the discussion with kids?
 Include GBLTQ issues in the curriculum
 What does it mean to be a male? A female? And trying to talk about what the marriage institution is, interrogating traditional gay stereotypes of the typical “male” and “female” identity;
 Schools need to be ready to how to explain a GBLTQ curriculum
 It’s the most readily discriminated against issue
 Discuss the violence of the issue and the implications of what gay bashing entails and talk about media literacy and the absence of GBLTQ abuse and violence
 Discuss the word “faggot”. “gay” and the implications of using this word so much..
 Teach against the typical gay, male and middle class stereotype where gay is equated with effeminate etc.
What is the one thing you can do in your classes?
 Teach pre-service teachers – good curricula for that
 Look at our own biases toward curricula,

 Watched video of Ian Steele – gay youth that was tormented and eventually killed himself;









What can we do??
 Questions that can be used to question LGBTQ texts and students:
1. What happens to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender character? For example does the character die at the end (stereotypical from the 70’s and 80’s) or find a “living solution” to problems that he/she faces?
2. How do readers feel about gay characters? What leads them to think about these thoughts? Often gay and lesbian characters in literature are drawn in order to evoke sympathy or empathy – how does this happen and why? Is sympathy productive?/critical emotional engagement in this context?
3. How do other characters react to the LBGTQ characters? What do they say/do?
For example, are there only two options? – homophobe and supporter, both stereotypical binary responses – or are reactions more complicated? Sometimes supportive and sometimes not?
4. What roles do adults play in the LGBTQ characters like? Does the parent reject outright? Accept unquestioningly? Does the adult –parent, teacher, “other” connect to the lesbian/gay character in some way? How? Are adults even in the center of the text anywhere?
5. What role do institutions play in the LGBTQ characters life? For example, what does school mean to the character? How does the institution of school support or reject the character? What about the role churches, extra-curricular groups, jobs, etc. play or don’t play?
6. What does the text say about justice, citizenship, and democratic responsibilities? If we want our students to be part of a democratic nation, how do LGBTQ characters negotiate their space in a democracy? How to do non-LGBTQ characters do it? What options does this text present to students, teachers, adults, etc?

Website of materials for discussing LGBTQ curricula- book lists, blogs, articles and discussion:
 http://sites.google.com/site/henkinbanks/home
 www.safeschoolscoalition.org
 videos we watched are on google site as well

Elementary text we read:
 In Our Mothers House by Patricia Polocco
 Great text that discusses two gay moms, how they handled adversity, not a preachy text but a nice memoir, great for teaching character descriptions, good story to talk about adoption, but beware a little stereotypical gay

National Writing Project Workshop Two

Workshop Two: Resiliency and Reform: Strange bedfellows in the era of high stakes

 For this workshop we began by interrogating our assumptions of what resiliency meant – we brainstormed, shared and then discussed the term in its usage as it concerned schools. We thought resiliency id bouncing back – I heard this the most.
 We read a poem and discusses issues of barrier to resilience and how high stakes testing has stifled it.
 We shared stories of students who were more resilient than others and what characteristics made them resilient. We discussed how they had hope, were positive, and had supportive parents, but more than this they exhibited perseverance more so than other children that made them exceptional.
 I will attach the sheet for the main ideas of resiliency, creating a context for resilience, and the essay we examined.
 Overall, I think this workshop was significant because it led to meaningful discussions about social justice, the perseverance of kids, high stakes testing, and ways in which teachers cope with all the issues they face on a regular basis. I think we discussed them to come to the conclusion that the problems with education rest in the social and cultural context it is situated in and teachers and parents who persistently expect more, will see more even of the most disadvantaged students.

National Writing Project Workshop One

Workshop One: Creating and Implementing Young Writers Workshops

1. Ideas – workshops for students:

 Digital storytelling is a great way to get students interested in writing- using cameras and their own photos as well as audio-anthologies creates spaces for students to express themselves
 After school issues of major concern – forms should go home with parents at the start; have a orientation session and make sure parents know its not a babysitting session – make sure they know what is expected of them.
 Forms – have students sign a FERPA release, release for photos and material to be used in NWP ideas, workshops etc., be aware of students with allergies and know all information about kids before you begin. You might want to consider making a brochure and advertising to parents and students many months before the program begins.
 Some workshops give students a jump drive, bag and tshirt for a summer workshop. The programs they discussed were University based. The Delaware writing project used the campus because they had access to printers, computers, they hear from librarians, professors, authors, they learn how to write an application for an essay to apply, they talk to the admissions office etc. Their writing workshop ran 225 dollars for two weeks or Delawares program was 375 for 3 weeks
 Ideas about writing prompts – incorporate music! Use freeplaymusic.com, - this is free and download audacity – this is a free podcasting program, used wordle, and a wordwall, make the area inviting and use sounds, objects and unique ways to get students to think about their writing use cliffhangers, an authors chair (tracy’s idea), get authors to come in and read to them, incorporate different literature,
 Have students design a final book and put their pictures and poems etc.in the correct manner, maybe even have students sign each others books.
 Funding – look at minigrants – specifically go on the NWP website and search for the Marshall Plan as well as the Rural sites network and the Holocaust grant. One writing program uses universities to get computer lab and some green space – they are saying its better to get away from the school so they don’t feel like they are there all day long.. Some workshops have mentor teachers that work over the summer. They start the day much like the summer institute with writing prompts and take breaks to eat snacks. They incorporate trips as well – one was mentioned to a cemetery, and other closer by places..
 I brought up how they incorporated social justice issues – they have scholarships for disadvantaged kids but doesn’t cover transportation, they also said the digital stories themselves bring about great issues they grapple with.
 Overall, creating your own workshop can be done, there are people from other workshops to support you, there is much work at the beginning, but it will be stronger and stronger each year.