syllabus
calendar
blackboard
student.email resources

last.updated 3.28.06

 

WAC Workshop & Professionalization

Purpose

As Soven argues, being involved in the profession of language arts is an invaluable experience for these teachers. By being part of the community–through listservs, through conferences, through workshops–you have the opportunity to stay current with the latest pedagogical practices and political issues, and, more importantly, to contribute to these discussions. In today's class we will partake in a professionalization workshop and discuss the various ways that you can become involved locally and nationally.

Before Class

WAC Workshop

The graduate students will lead the rest of us through a Writing-Across-the-Curriculum Workshop.

Abstract

Writing Across the Curriculum is a useful method for integrating the writing process in most any classroom.Ê This concept is frequently employed by a number of local higher education institutions and is beginning to be integrated across the secondary level as well; therefore, this workshop is designed to address instructional strategy development for secondary non-English educators. Ê In this one hour writing workshop, participants will hear from number of presenters on the general terms pertaining to WAC, its myths and benefits, designing assignments, and how to implement them in the classroom. Ê During the introduction, Lynetta Halat will discuss WAC, Writing to Learn, Writing in the Disciplines, and Process Writing and how each can be implemented to achieve learning goals.Ê Following the introduction, Anthony Garcia will discuss the myths and benefits attached to WAC and comment on current trends in education.Ê Ê Participants will have an opportunity to see a number of examples of sample assignments and gain advice on how to present them to the classroom.Ê Heather Scott will discuss the various dimensions of writing assignments including: "Aspects of good assignments, working backward, and you don't have to be a grammarian." Ê Emily Hanson will discuss using the peer review in WAC, and methods for responding to student writing.Ê She will also explain methods for assessing student progress and how the rubric can be employed to achieve this goal. Ê Each participant will be provided with a "WAC Pack" featuring WAC information including note-taking guidelines, templates for creating good assignments, sample assignments, and resources. Ê Participants will not only benefit from this workshop by attaining a better understanding of the basic tenets and terms behind the WAC pedagogy and an understanding of why writing in every classroom is important, but they will also understand how to evaluate students work for progress and implement the peer group as a tool in revising work.Ê In order to practice these skills and to gain insight by actively participating in the workshop, participants will work together to create an effective assignment.

Discussion–Open Q & A

  • We will use this opportunity to to discuss professional activities, such as conferences, writing articles, and leading workshops. This time can also be used to pose questions about subjects that we covered or ones that we did not cover.

Guest Speaker–Debra Weller

  • Debra Weller will talk to us about the Tidewater Writing Project which is housed at ODU's campus. This will be a great opportunity for you to participate after you have taught for a few years.