Professional Development Spotlight: Reimagining Writing Instruction

In August, the English Department participated in a workshop led by Dr. Stephanie Jones, professor at the University of Georgia College of Education and co-leader of the Red Clay Writing Project. Professor Jones brought her expertise and experience to the workshop in an interactive way that was both engaging and informative. She provided opportunities for the English teachers to devote uninterrupted time to the craft of writing—a task that often gets set aside during the hustle and bustle of the school year. Dr. Jones followed up these activities with pedagogical explanations of how they could be implemented with our students. For example, we had the opportunity to write about a summer memory we didn’t want to forget, a special place, and an aspect of nature. In addition, we were prompted to revise some of the texts several times, or as Dr. Jones said, “re-vision” them. In modeling different ways to approach the process of writing from both the practical and theoretical sides, Dr. Jones provided us with concrete exercises we can integrate into our teaching and much food for thought as we look ahead to the new school year and continue contemplating how best to enable our students to grow as writers.

There were several specific takeaways that resonated with the group. One included a system of giving feedback revolving around the acronym BEAP, which stands for bless, express, address, and press, and helps foster a balance between praise and constructive criticism. This topic also led to a fruitful discussion about grading, assessing, and the effects they have on writing and creativity. Another example was the concept of helping students work through all aspects of the writing process and shifting away from too much emphasis on grammar rules and conventions. Further, there was an activity in which we took a story we had written and then re-examined it by zooming in and viewing it through a more detailed lens before zooming out and seeing the bigger issues and themes within.  This is just to name a few, but the overall effect was that each individual teacher was able to bring something different away from the workshop. 

On a personal level, I took away both general insights and specific activities that I plan to implement in the upcoming year. These sentiments were echoed by other teachers in the department, for instance, Mr. Arbor stated, "Stephanie Jones brought a wealth of experience, creating a two-day workshop that fostered our creativity and collegiality. Instead of making us passive recipients, she modeled the sort of teaching that I hope to provide." Similarly, Ms. Massey described it as “an excellent workshop on writing and reflection that was both personal and professional, providing insights on how to design creative and safe spaces for our students to feel confident in on their journey as writers."

Ultimately, this professional development writing workshop encouraged us to improve how we as teachers instruct our students and help them become better, more confident writers. Furthermore, it allowed us to reconnect after the long summer break—thus serving as a great kick-off to the new school year. We are grateful to Darlington and the Thatcher grants for this opportunity.