Packing Slip 
item |
Writing to Learn: The Maricopa Writing Project and the Writing Program Administrators' Conference |
contact |
Susan K. Miller (Mesa Community College) susan.miller@mcmail.maricopa.edu |
college(s) |
Mesa Community College |
discipline(s) |
English Composition |
summary |
I participated in the Maricopa Writing Project at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and in the Writing Program Administrators’ Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Both opportunities allowed me to research and practice methods for encouraging “writing to learn” in my own teaching. |
details |
During my summer project, I pursued opportunities that would teach me about encouraging “writing to learn,” both in my own teaching and so that I could share methods and ideas with colleagues in other disciplines. I participated in two experiences that allowed me to learn more about “writing to learn”: the Maricopa Writing Project at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (May 23-June 16, 2005) and the Writing Program Administrators’ Conference in Anchorage, Alaska (July 6-11, 2005). In the Maricopa Writing Project, I enrolled as a participant and experienced what it is like to be a “student” in a personal writing class. During the Writing Program Administrators’ Conference, I attended sessions about teaching and assessing writing. ------------------------------------------------------------ Outcomes: In a paragraph or two describe what worked well. Did you accomplish your objective(s)? Were you able to complete your summer project as written? If not, what did you modify and why? What did not go as well as expected, if anything? Were there any surprises? Note: Use the questions as guides for your outcomes. Do not include detailed list of workshops attended, speakers who presented, or a list of items you have seen, heard, or read. ------------------------------------------------------------ In my original proposal, I identified two separate goals for my project—to incorporate writing to learn into my own teaching and to help other faculty incorporate writing to learn in their subject areas. I was able to accomplish the objectives associated with the first goal, and I have begun to accomplish the objective associated with the second goal. For the first goal, I stated that I would like to learn methods to incorporate writing to learn into my own classes, both writing-intensive classes and other English/Humanities classes. Since participating in the Maricopa Writing Project and attending the WPA Conference, I completely rewrote my syllabus and assignments for the personal writing classes that I taught during the summer, the first-year composition classes that I am teaching this fall, and the Shakespeare on Film course that I taught during the summer and fall. I was able to structure the writing assignments so that students are able to use writing to learn methods to help them discover their own writing voice, and to learn about themselves as they determine how to share those experiences with others. I was surprised at how comfortable I became in the Maricopa Writing Project with writing about my own experiences and sharing that writing with others. I knew that I had a resistance to personal writing, and I also know that my resistance came across to my students in class. I am convinced that I cannot successfully teach students to write about their own experiences and learn about themselves unless I am willing to do the same. I have begun to write with my students in class, completing the same assignments they are doing, so that I model writing for them and participate in the class as a writer—not as an “expert” who is there to judge their writing. ------------------------------------------------------------ Professional Growth: Your own professional growth is a large part of your project. Your professional growth is important to you, your students, your college, and possibly other colleagues. How did project affect you professionally? What skills did you learn? What environments were you working in and how might your summer project influence your teaching or other responsibilities? Did you gain a different perspective? Was it professionally valuable for you? ------------------------------------------------------------ My summer project affected me professionally in three major ways. First of all, I practiced and participated in the Maricopa Writing Project as a writer, sharing my own writing with others and participating as a student in a class. I was reminded of how much I love to write and how valuable it is to share that writing with others. This experience will affect my teaching because I will practicing what I am asking my students to do, and I can back up my claims with evidence and examples from my own writing. Second, I was able to revisit the methods and assignments I use in my own classes and revise them to fit my new philosophy of teaching writing. I have completely restructured my personal writing class so that the assignments and methods of assessment fit the approach of writing to learn. I also revised the curriculum I use for first-year composition to include more discovery-based writing and personal writing. In addition, I revised the writing assignments that I use in my Shakespeare on Film class to encourage students to engage in writing to learn as they analyze and critique film adaptations. Finally, I was able to learn about sound methods for assessing writing. These methods involve students in the process of assessing and responding to work, and I learned about various methodologies for measuring student achievement in writing. ------------------------------------------------------------ Dissemination: How will you share this information with your colleagues, department, students, or college? ------------------------------------------------------------ I will share information that I learned from my project with my students through my classes. I teach my students the "Four Rules of Writing" that I learned in the Maricopa Writing Project, and the assignments and structure of the course fit my revised philosophy of teaching writing. I will share information that I learned with my colleagues and my department through the work we do on the composition and curriculum committees. In addition, I will be serving on the ESL Instructional Council this year, so I will be able to share information with faculty from other campuses as we revise the outcomes for first-year composition for international students. Finally, I will share this information through the lessons and assignments that I am writing in a composition textbook with my colleague, Shelley Rodrigo. We are writing a textbook that could be used for first-year composition classes, and I hope to incorporate many writing to learn activities in the text. Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback via the comments form below. |
web links |
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/fpg/ http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/learnshops/writing/index.php http://www.wpacouncil.org/ |
shareback |
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extra |
Last modified: Sep-05-2005 Date created: Aug-17-2005 Visitor count: 4121 Dublin Core Metadata record  This package is included in the Faculty Professional Growth Summer Project Reports special collection. |
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