A colleague’s ‘can’t fail’ worksheet, an adage by a famous writer, and even a good chapter in a book about writing simply cannot duplicate the magic—there’s really no other word for it—when writers simply write and share their writing in a supportive environment.

Bill Connolly, co-director of the National Writing Project at Rowan University

Join the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project on Saturday, March 7, 2015 as we host a writing retreat at Red Top Mountain State Park

We will meet at Group Shelter #1, a fully enclosed lodge with a kitchen and fireplace. The retreat will begin around noon with a potluck lunch.

Parking is $5/day; however, Georgians with public library cards can borrow a Georgia State Park “ParkPass” from their local libraries. ParkPasses are checked out like a library book and exempts you from paying the daily $5 parking fee at state parks. CLICK HERE for more information on the ParkPass Library Loan Program.

The workshop is FREE of charge and includes books and resources from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Educators will receive one PLU for ten hours of attendance. An additional PLU will be issued on completion of a project.

Dinner will be provided on Thursday, and a continental breakfast and lunch will be provided on Friday.

This workshop is made possible by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Conference for Holocaust Education Centers and through the generous support of the David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation.

CLICK HERE to learn more and register

Since the institute, these teachers have returned to their respective schools and shared their ideas and strategies for literacy instruction with colleagues and administration.

Jennifer Dail, Rob Montgomery, and Michelle Goodsite attended. At the meeting, they had an opportunity to meet with leadership from other NWP sites.

Rob and Michelle participated in a round-table discussion on how writing project sites are rethinking and refreshing the summer institute in response to new opportunities and changing needs. Site leaders shared strategies, ideas, and questions on a range of topics, including alternative funding structures, teaching and learning in the digital age, building leadership capacity, and responding to new standards.

Ideas and strategies generated from this year’s meeting are currently being implemented into planning for KMWP’s 2015 Summer Institute.

Through the KMWP ISI, teachers enter a community of dedicated professionals who are committed to the improvement of education through effective writing practices. Three core principles guide the work of the ISI:

1. Teachers are the best teachers of other teachers.
2. Teachers are writers who understand and improve their practice when they write themselves.
3. Teachers are leaders who can affect change in their classrooms and communities.

In this era of increased pressure on educators to test and perform to a set of imposed standards, the ISI provides an opportunity to experience the autonomy, respect, and true collegiality often missing in common professional development programs. It provides an environment that allows teachers to challenge themselves as writers, thinkers, and mentors, and to grow as a result.

“It was our idea that the summer institute should
develop a corps of teachers prepared to teach
other teachers. We saw these teachers as
experts who could be called on to serve with
authority in the struggle to improve the teaching
of writing in the nation’s schools. The summer
institute would serve as an invitation to this
endeavor.”

James Gray, Founder of the National Writing Project

The KMWP invites you to attend the 2015 ISI where we will reinvigorate the National Writing Project model of teachers-teaching-teachers by cultivating creativity, collaboration, and confidence. Come grow and flourish with us!

Please feel free to explore the link to our Summer Institute FAQ, and then, if it sounds right for you, complete and submit the application for the 2015 SI!

The 2014 Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project Literacy Conference

REIGNITING, REVITALIZING, RENEWING LITERACY

DATE: September 27, 2014

LOCATION: Kennesaw State University, English Building (see maps below)

START TIME: 7:30 am (program pickup/onsite registration/breakfast)

END TIME: 3:30 pm

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Dr. Sheridan Blau

Featuring Sessions by Local Educators on the Following Topics

Utilizing New Media — Edward Anderson (Georgia State University)

Redefining Technology — Deborah Aughey (Kennesaw Mountain High)

Writing with Multimodal Technology — Heather Barton & Tabitha Roper (Etowah High)

Out of the Box Teaching — Lindsay Bowley (Creekland Middle)

Writing with Animals — Holly Clayton (Creekland Middle)

Using Poetry to Build a Classroom Community — Claudia Daniels (Walden University)

Teaching Aesthetics — Tommy Jolly (East Paulding High School)

Interpreting Texts — Kyle Jones (Lanier High) & Nick Thompson (Lassiter High)

Digital Writing — Amanda Montgomery (Park Street Elementary)

Implementing Electronic Essay Graders — Sharme Ridley (J.C. Booth Middle)

Interactive Wax Museum — Mary Ann Stillerman & Kitty Drew (The Walker School)

Discovering One’s Personality Style and Unique Voice — Lynne Watts (Author and Retired Teacher)

Exploring Online, Collaborative Annotation Platforms — Derek Wright (Alpharetta High)

FLYER and MAPS

KMWP LITCON ’14 map

KSU map

The 2014 Youth Writing Academy sessions included:

Creative Writing for Middle School 

Creative Writing for High School

Write from the Beginning – essay writing for high school freshman and sophomores

and a NEW Young Authors Camp for rising 4^th and 5^th grade students

all sessions are from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (early drop off at 8:30 a.m. and late pick up at 1:30 p.m.)

We recognized these young writers at the annual KMWP Awards Event on June 25.

High School  - The Driveway by Bethany Bell – 10th grade (Teacher: Mrs. Hall – North Atlanta High School)

The contest is open to elementary, middle, and high school students in Georgia. For details view the CONTEST FLYER or visit the Writing Contest webpage.

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PRAISE FOR OPENLY STRAIGHT

“Openly Straight aims high and succeeds brilliantly. It’s
up-to-the-second contemporary, funny, unexpected, peppered with
terrific dialogue — and best of all, achingly honest.”
–Ned Vizzini

“An original, thought-provoking, hilarious story about the importance
of embracing your true identity, and the cost to yourself and others when you don’t.”
–Julie Anne Peters

“Openly Straight sports a sharp plot with a twist, sympathetic (and
totally hot) characters, and universal appeal. It’s a must-read for
openly everyone!”
–Lisa McMann

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AN EVENING WITH BILL KONIGSBERG

Kennesaw State University

1000 Chastain Road

Social Science Building

Room 1019 (located on the first floor)

November 12, 2013

7:00pm

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SPONSORS

Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project

KSU Master of Arts in Professional Writing

KSU Department of English

1.  Meet colleagues who share your passion for teaching

2.  Breakfast with fellows each morning with food and activities that center on literary and cultural themes

3.  Amass an arsenal of teaching strategies that work

4.  Recharge your soul’s batteries

5.  Explore the latest in professional reading paired with animated discussion

6.  Engage in spirited exchanges of methodology

7.  Pursue personal writing

8.  Partner with fellows in teaching demos

9.  Join a committed group of lifelong learners

10.  Formulate new approaches to your classroom and curriculum

11.  Compare curricular strategies

12.  Trace your personal history as a reader and writer

13.  Support your belief in the infinite worth of every student

14.  Explain your personal teaching philosophy

15.  Evaluate yourself in myriad ways

16.  Contrast your current teaching situation with past assignments

17.  Describe your classroom climate and how it weathers the storms of change

18.  Embrace opportunities to grow

19.  Think outside the box and cherish an uncommon core

20.  Revel in new ideas