Empowering teachers as writers and mentors

Explore the connection between nurturing your own identity as a writer and becoming a more impactful mentor in the classroom. You will uncover your unique writing voice by crafting a narrative that resonates on a personal level. We will equip you with new strategies and insights to foster empathy, creativity, and mentorship in your writing instruction. Additionally, we’ll explore the evolving role of AI in the writing process. This course offers an invaluable opportunity for personal and professional growth.

In this course, you will…

  • By immersing yourself in the writing process, you'll discover the power of personal expression and creative exploration while developing understanding and empathy for your student writers.

  • We'll equip you with practical tools and strategies to create a vibrant writing-centered classroom. From protocols for giving feedback and conferring to frameworks for sharing and analyzing student work and much more.

  • Discover how technology can enhance creativity and streamline writing tasks, while also understanding its potential benefits and pitfalls for the writing experience.

Writer/Teacher Course Overview

January to May

Empowering teachers as writers and mentor

  • A few short welcome activities to orient you to the course and introduce you to the instructor. These will take about 15 minutes to complete.

  • This chapter will invite you to engage in a variety of reflective activities designed to find the stories that define you. Plan to give 30-45 minutes to each lesson, completing one per week.

    Live Meet on February 3: participants will share stories as a way to introduce themselves to the community.

  • This month is all about writing your first draft. You’ll develop a plan that gives you time and space to build a regular habit of writing. We ask that participants commit to a minimum of 30 minutes per week dedicated to writing.

    We’ll also provide a range of resources, prompts and food-for-thought to engage, stimulate and support you.

    Live Meet on March 2: Participants will reflect on their personal experience of writing to find connections and insight for classroom instruction.

  • You’ll keep writing in March and as you do, we’ll equip you with new ways for responding to each other’s writing.

    Live Meet on April 6 (or March 30 TBD): We finally share our rough drafts! In doing so, participants have an opportunity to practice new techniques for responding to one another’s writing with empathy and mentorship.

  • Each week, you’ll revisit your draft through a different lens, refining and elaborating to craft the mood and message you want to express.

    Live Meet on May 4: You will have the opportunity to experience both sides of a writing conference using our specially designed guide for providing high-quality feedback.

  • In this final month, the time commitment is less, but the risks are highest. We’ll ask you to accept your new identity as a ‘writer’ and put your story out into the world.

    Live Meeting on June 1: Our final meeting will be a chance to consolidate our professional growth and celebrate one another’s personal accomplishments.

How will your growth as a writer change how you mentor your students?

Are you interested in this course, but not ready to sign up now? Let us know so we can keep you in the loop!

Facilitator

Meet Your

Alex Papp

teacher/writer

Alex Papp is an educator whose passion and expertise revolve around recognizing and optimizing the intricate interplay between the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of learning. From his years in the classroom, Alex has learned that professional learning must offer ready-to-use strategies AND challenge educators to engage in profound personal reflection on their philosophies and practices.

With a bachelor's degree in special education and primary education, as well as a master's degree in curriculum design, Alex's formal education serves as a solid foundation. However, it is his two decades of classroom experience that give Alex an authentic understanding of the true challenges teachers face.

As a fellow at the National Writing Project, Alex embarked on his own journey of self-discovery through writing. There, he began to understand the transformative power of storytelling, the significance of crafting narratives that resonate, and the incredible joy that writing can offer. In 'Writer/Teacher,' Alex invites participants to embark on a similar journey, nurturing their growth as educators and writers.

Course FAQ

  • The course will run for one semester (or about 5 months). Each week, teachers should plan to spend 30-45 minutes engaging in the writing process. Each month there will be a one-hour live, online meeting with the group.

  • Participants need an internet-enabled device and the ability to access files on Google Drive.

    Live meetings will take place on GoogleMeet.

  • This course is designed for K-12 educators who believe in the power of personal development to transform their teaching practice (but will be most relevant for those teaching Grade 3 and above). It's for those who embrace a student-centered approach and recognize that teaching goes beyond academics. This course is for educators who hope to find personal value in the act of writing and wish to develop skills and strategies for inspiring and guiding their students. Whether you're an experienced teacher or just starting your journey, 'Write & Teach' offers a path to personal and professional growth while nurturing your identity as both a writer and a mentor.

  • We use a “pay what you want” model to ensure that the course is accessible to everyone.

    We can issues invoices for any amount to those who need documentation for reimbursement or school payments. If your school is able to pay, we suggest $350 per participant.