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.