Our Saturday Seminars use a "lab school" model, in which teachers and students participate in the presenter’s workshop lesson together in small groups, generally including the following: mini-lesson on writing craft, study of a mentor text, demonstration of innovative and engaging pedagogical strategies, large blocks of time for students and teachers to write, and sharing writing in small groups or whole group.
Event Schedule:
- 9:30-10:00am - Registration in front of Sweeney Hall Courtyard
- 10-10:30am - Writing Games Warm-up
- 10:30-12:30pm - Saturday Seminar lesson led by Teacher Consultant
September 29: Secrets to Award Winning Middle School Stories from a Contest Insider
Middle school students love writing stories, but how can they up their narrative game? One approach we’ll take is to look at the handful of winning stories selected from two local middle school writing contests: the Stanford Anthology for Youth and the $1000 for 1000 words contest. What traits do these “mentor texts” - written by 10- to 14-year-olds - share that make them stand apart? And how can we connect our conclusions with the narrative and character work to help everyone write stories that win!
Jay Richards, SJAWP Teacher Consultant, teaches 8th grade at Central Middle School in San Carlos School District.. Jay is also the Editorial Committee Chairman in charge of judging for the local $1000 for 1000 Words fiction contest for grades 6-12
Saturday, October 20, 2018: Meaningful Dialogue and its Role in Effective Writing
In this workshop, we will engage in meaningful dialogue as we explore and discuss mentor texts, a way to elevate our own narrative writing.
Jacqueline Goodwin, SJAWP Teacher Consultant, teaches middle school at Renaissance Academy at Fischer in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District.
Saturday, November 10, 2018: Hey, you! Let’s talk! - Engaging Dialogue and Narrative Writing
The key to creating believable characters and engaging storytelling is great dialogue. In this workshop students and teachers will engage with mentor texts, participate in improv sketches, and craft dialogue to move stories forward and draw the reader into the story.
Brandy Jenson, SJAWP Teacher Consultant, teaches middle school at Crittenden Middle School in Mountain View Whisman School District.
Deals
Tuition discounts available for financial need. Please check online for details.