Current classes

Spring 2008 | Summer 2008 | Scholarships

Spring 2008

January 12 - April 26

Teacher as Reader

OWP is pleased to once again offer the Teacher as Reader workshop. We are excited about the possibilities and invite you to join us for a book club with a difference.

Participants will meet with authors to discuss their works. In the past the class has met and talked with writers such as Louis Sacher, author of Holes and Small Steps and Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid’s Chair, and yet there are always surprises. Who knows what new author this year will bring? The course usually includes at least one YA or children's author, but that  always depends on the tour schedule of the writers whose new books have been released. We are currently negotiating to have an interview with Ann Lamott about her new book Grace Eventually. Many of you would be familiar with her book on writing Bird by Bird.

We will write in response to the works we read, discuss the works and our responses, analyze our own reading patterns, and practice reading techniques that can translate into K-12 classrooms. The first meeting (Jan. 12) and last meeting will be in Oxford, but from January to May, we will have five meetings in a coffee house adjacent to one of the two Books & Co in Kettering.

This two-credit-hour workshop can be used for the Writing Core or for the Reading Core of the OWP Master of Arts in Teaching. Cost will be $964.94 without Miami’s TEAM Scholarship or $482.47 with the scholarship.

If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Sharon Rab at sharonrab@woh.rr.com. To sign up for the workshop or for information about the scholarship, please contact Cassandra Thompson (thompscd@muohio.edu) in the OWP office (513-529-5245).

February 23 & 24

Writing Teachers' Retreat: Working Through the Process

“I am a teacher who writes. I want to be a writer who teaches.” - Linda Rief  

Are you looking for a way to be both a writer and a teacher? During this writing retreat, you will be given time to work on your own personal or professional writing as you practice strategies for generating ideas, drafting, revising, conferencing, and publishing. The resources and tools you use with your own writing can be transferred to your classroom writing instruction.

This one-credit-hour workshop, led by Marilyn Herring, Ursuline Academy, will meet in

Western Lodge, on Miami’s Oxford campus. The workshop will count toward the Writing Core or the Reading Core of the MAT. Cost will be $482.47 without Miami’s TEAM Scholarship or $241.24 with the scholarship.

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Summer 2008

June 16 - July 11

Teaching of Writing

Teachers from all grade levels come together in this annual four-week summer workshop to study contemporary approaches to the teaching of writing and to share with one another their best classroom techniques. They attend workshops and presentations given by outstanding OWP teacher associates (grades K-12) and return to the classroom with ideas, suggestions, and strategies for assigning, receiving, and evaluating writing. While at the workshop, teachers develop their own writing and editing skills and learn ways to implement Ohio’s Language Arts standards. Participants enjoy extended periods of free writing time, small peer editing groups, individual conferences with Miami faculty, and numerous special events, such as readings at Miami’s Art Museum, brown-bag discussions on special topics, book talks with teachers from their own grade levels, and open-mike readings.

Instructors: Mary Fuller, Miami University; Charley Hoce, National Trail Elementary School, Helane Adams Androne, Miami University; Lou Kroner, K-6 certified, Miami University

June 9 - July 18 (Online)

Teaching and Writing Poetry

This online class involves individualized writing and reading, as well as grade level discussion groups and personal E-conferences with instructors. The class will meet online, except for two days on Miami's campus–Friday, June 27 and Friday, July 18. Teachers will enjoy a presentation and reading by guest poet and teacher Sara Holbrook, as well as a working lunch with this expert consultant in improving communication skills in school through poetry.
Instructors: Mary Fuller, Miami University; Eula Jamieson, Sharpsburg ES

Young Adult Literature

This workshop is designed for teachers who are interested in integrating Young Adult literature in their classrooms. Involving individualized reading of YA books and discussions of teaching strategies, the class will meet online, except for two days on Miami’s campus – Tuesday, July 8, when participants will enjoy a presentation and working lunch with author Chris Crutcher, and on Friday, July 18.
Instructors: Linda Tatman, 7-12 certified; Sarah Hayward-McCalla, Lakota Ridge JHS

June 16 - June 26

Writing Your Life in Literacy, Teaching, and Learning

Write your life as a reader and writer, teacher and learner. What critical personal stories led you to read particular books, poems, and essays? What writing experiences hampered or spurred your growth and development as a writer? Answers to those questions can provide inroads to teaching students. Features of this workshop are daily writing time, conferences with instructors and peers, teaching demonstrations, and glorious serendipity and surprise.

Instructors: Tom Romano, Miami University; Angela Faulhaber, Colerain HS

Visual Culture and Difference: Reading and Writing Gender

As a learning community, we will explore creative and practical strategies for teaching gender awareness at all grade levels. Participants will examine the ways multi-cultural representations of gender are constructed by the interplay of words and images in picture books, young adult literature, and textbooks. This course will feed teachers' souls as both readers and writers.
Instructors: Gwen Etter-Lewis, Miami University; Jan McManus, St. James of the Valley School

June 30 - July 10

Writing and Drama

Bring reading and writing to life through drama! This highly interactive workshop will explore the integration of drama in your classroom while meeting state standards and engaging students. Whether you’re a drama aficionado or an amateur, this workshop is sure to offer new ideas and activities to supplement your curriculum.
Instructor: Sarah Domingus, West Carrollton MS; Michelle Lavey, Bradford ES; K.C. Weaver, Oakwood HS

Writing in Response to Reading

Teachers will explore a variety of approaches for using writing to respond to reading. Participants will work with both informal and formal written responses as they exchange practical ideas and strategies. The focus will be on using written response as a way to encourage inquiry and create a student-centered classroom. Teachers will study the purpose of using writing with reading and work on personal or professional writing.
Instructors: Beth Rimer, 7-12 certified; Sally Lundgren, Finneytown HS

July 14 - July 24

Managing the Paper Load

In this workshop K-12 teachers will explore how to manage responding to students' writing. Participants will learn current technology to help with their work and enjoy presentations from veteran teachers who have found ways to manage time and cut their loads. Discussions will move from responding to and grading student work to larger issues such as time management, personal choice, and control.
Instructors: Susan Jones, Cline ES; Amy Young, Talawanda HS

Implementing Reading and Writing Workshop

This course is geared for teachers who are interested in learning more about the integrated workshop approach to teaching reading and writing in the elementary and secondary classrooms. The class will focus on workshop structure, management, conferencing, and how it all ties in with the Ohio Standards. Teachers will observe workshops in action and develop their own mini-lessons to use in their classrooms.
Instructors: Jama Overfield, Cherokee ES; Kristin Patton, Lakota Ridge JHS

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Teacher Education Access at Miami (TEAM Scholarship)

The TEAM Scholarship at Miami University provides a 50% tuition and fee reduction for all OWP workshops and classes. The TEAM Scholarship, available to K-12 educators, will reduce the cost of a three-credit OWP workshop from $1340.73 to $670.37.

Any educator who meets the following requirements will automatically be eligible for the 50 percent scholarship:

• Educator is a full time teacher or administrator in an Ohio school district or school (public, private or charter).
• Educator holds a provisional or professional license or holds a standard certificate issued by the State of Ohio.
• Educator is a resident of the State of Ohio.
• Degree(s) or course(s) or continuing education workshop(s) is part of the educator's approved professional development plan.

For information about how to apply for the 50% reduction (TEAM Scholarship), you need to visit www.muohio.edu/eap/teamscholarship.

OWP Scholarships

OWP and WINS Scholarships are awarded on a competitive and limited basis. Priority is given to those applying to the four-week Workshop on the Teaching of Writing. To apply for a scholarship, complete the questions below in detail and email your response to Monica Fisher, fishermv@muohio.edu, by March 31, 2008.

1. What skills, perspective, or expertise will you bring to the workshop?

2. What do you hope to gain from this workshop?

3. How will you share your learning with other educators when you leave the
    workshop?

Be sure to include: name, address, phone, email address, school, district, grade level/subjects, years of teaching experience, and workshop for which you are applying.

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