Comments from Teachers Who Participated in the GVWP Demonstration Labs
The GVWP Demo Lab has re-awakened the writer in me! I had to read Creating Writers Through 6-Traits Instruction and The Art of Teaching Writing as part of my credential class on teaching writing. I remember coming in my first year of teaching wanting to use the great writing strategies and activities with my students, but then the demands of the pacing calendar and restriction to district curriculum quickly put the writer's workshops, author's chairs on the shelf. Throughout the next five years, I was encouraged by teachers in my department and site administrators to focus more on academic style writing using the district-approved Jane Shaffer program. Thanks to GVWP, I now know how to incorporate the 6-traits into academic writing, and I see how to use the engaging writing strategies I had always thought of as "creative" or "narrative" into students' writing of all genres.
I appreciated the time to collaborate with my colleagues about good writing strategies and enjoyed getting time to write myself. I was inspired by the eagerness of the students to write and seeing the quality of their writing improved using the strategies from GVWP. What I will take with me is how important it is for kids to write EVERYDAY. Furthermore, that it doesn't have to be a long extended writing assignment, but lots of shorter pieces so they can practice their skills on a regular basis. The strategies used in GVWP make writing accessible for all students because it pushes advanced students to think about their writing in new ways and supports struggling writers with scaffolding and meaningful, process writing, rather than just providing a formula to follow. — Kristin Baker
I love GVWP. Over the years, I have gained from every GVWP experience: book studies, demonstration labs, and especially the four-week summer institute.
This year's GVWP Demo Lab was another major landmark, another life-changing experience. I have gained so many strategies this summer! Working with Lori and Fiona has opened up a whole new world of insights and has greatly increased my desire to be an effective teacher in my classroom. Planning together and seeing the tightly-crafted curriculum plans in action has given me the courage and confidence to go out and try new strategies, and it has helped me set my sights on a new standard for skill and expertise.
I have immensely enjoyed this experience. I feel that even as a teacher in a curriculum-ruled system, I can make a dent with the things I have learned or been reminded of. Thank you! — Stephanie Berhorst
The GVWP Demonstration Lab was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed myself and learned a great deal. It was well worth my time! I teach in a Special Education classroom, and I usually teach summer school, but I kept hearing other teachers tell me that I should take this class. I'm so glad that I did. Now, I've been telling my husband (who is also a teacher) that he needs to attend the Demonstration Lab next year! — Julia Berryman
I appreciated the time to collaborate with my colleagues about good writing strategies and enjoyed getting time to write myself. I was inspired by the eagerness of the students to write and seeing the quality of their writing improved using the strategies from GVWP. What I will take with me is how important it is for kids to write EVERYDAY. Furthermore, that it doesn't have to be a long extended writing assignment, but lots of shorter pieces so they can practice their skills on a regular basis. The strategies used in GVWP make writing accessible for all students because it pushes advanced students to think about their writing in new ways and supports struggling writers with scaffolding and meaningful, process writing, rather than just providing a formula to follow. — Kristin Baker
I love GVWP. Over the years, I have gained from every GVWP experience: book studies, demonstration labs, and especially the four-week summer institute.
This year's GVWP Demo Lab was another major landmark, another life-changing experience. I have gained so many strategies this summer! Working with Lori and Fiona has opened up a whole new world of insights and has greatly increased my desire to be an effective teacher in my classroom. Planning together and seeing the tightly-crafted curriculum plans in action has given me the courage and confidence to go out and try new strategies, and it has helped me set my sights on a new standard for skill and expertise.
I have immensely enjoyed this experience. I feel that even as a teacher in a curriculum-ruled system, I can make a dent with the things I have learned or been reminded of. Thank you! — Stephanie Berhorst
The GVWP Demonstration Lab was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed myself and learned a great deal. It was well worth my time! I teach in a Special Education classroom, and I usually teach summer school, but I kept hearing other teachers tell me that I should take this class. I'm so glad that I did. Now, I've been telling my husband (who is also a teacher) that he needs to attend the Demonstration Lab next year! — Julia Berryman
Each time a take a GVWP class, I get many new ideas to use with my students...
I have seen this course help several students improve their self-esteem within writing. There are two types of students who typically take the summer courses, those that love to write and those who struggle. The students who love to write become more proficient and expand their capabilities in the use of computers along with writing. The students who come in reluctantly for any number of reasons are growing to be more positive in their writing. Their attitude has changed more towards "It's not so bad. I can really do this." Having the small groups gives me the time to really work with the students and give them that extra support. Just taking a course about writing would not give me the same benefits as I get with GVWP. I work best by doing just like the students. I am able to participate right along with the students in their lessons, and yet mentor them along the way. —Sasha Cope |
Participating in this GVWP Demo Lab has left me with a feeling of empowerment, motivation, and inspiration as a teacher. While rewarding, writing can be met with many challenges for both students and teachers. I came into this program with a feeling of apprehension with teaching the writing process. However, as the course nears an end I have feelings of utter excitement and feel I have an abundance of brilliant and innovative strategies to share and implement with my own students. I am confident my students will share in this experience with the same excitement! —Roop Dhaliwal
After participating in the Demo Lab I feel validated, empowered, and excited to implement this knowledge in my classroom. I now have a clearer vision of how the puzzle pieces of the writing process fit together to form the “whole picture.” The end result is a beautifully written tapestry of the writer’s own experiences.
— Lori Fishburn
After participating in the Demo Lab I feel validated, empowered, and excited to implement this knowledge in my classroom. I now have a clearer vision of how the puzzle pieces of the writing process fit together to form the “whole picture.” The end result is a beautifully written tapestry of the writer’s own experiences.
— Lori Fishburn
I am amazed by the passion of all the teachers that signed up for the demo lab. Everyone is passionate about the process in how we go about teaching writing to our students. I find that passion refreshing and contagious. I have learned that when you gather passionate teachers together, like what we have here, it becomes a central site of sharing experiences and collaborating ideas and lessons. The students are now the focus of our lessons, not what test they need to complete on Friday or for the district. It really is an environment that focuses on what is the best way to teach writing to students.
As I think about the new school year, I will focus on gathering more model samples of writing for my students as well as working backwards. By working backwards I mean I will look at what the outcome I want my students to achieve and then plan accordingly to help them meet that outcome. Before, I would just say, I want to work on a narrative piece, go through the outline, revise, edit and then grade. Where as next year, I will look for a sample model of what I want my students to achieve and create my lesson based on that sample model. Also, definitely implementing more technology in the classroom. Paul Fern has show me websites he uses with his students and that it is doable. It is going to be a priority for me to have my students post their writing online. — Sandy Lozano
This year I am teaching fourth grade and my students will have to take the State Writing Test in the spring. I have struggled in the past with how to actually teach students how to write. I decided to sign up for the Great Valley Writing Project Demonstration Lab to help me as an educator and to allow me to guide my students to become better writers. I was curious about the Six Traits and how I can incorporate this into my classroom, as well as the entire campus.
This class has taught me to allow my students to write freely and creatively. I have learned that it is okay to assign a word or prompt with very little direction and see what students produce. This is often when their best writing comes out. Word of the Day is a way for students to get their thoughts down on paper and not worry so much about punctuation and grammar. The word can also tie in to another subject for that day, or it can be a vocab or spelling word. Author's chair is another tool I will utilize in my classroom. Giving the students a chance to share with classmates gives them a sense of power that they need. It also makes them take ownership of their writings.
I have also deepened my understanding of the six traits and how they can be used in the classroom. Having a rubric with six different grading spots allows teachers to better understand where students need more help and guidance. Students also benefit from this. I would like to teach each trait to my students so that they gain a deeper understanding of the expectations and goals of each. Each trait is individually important and makes a published piece that much better.
Each day I came away from class with a new idea to take into my own classroom. From the "I'm Talking" poems to the short lessons using picture books to help inspire students; all are lessons I can take back with me to make my students better writers. I never realized how simple and fun writing could be until I enrolled in this class. With these ideas, my students will also find writing exciting, and I believe that they will enjoy becoming better writers.
I appreciate the teachers who inspired me to be a better teacher and for sharing their knowledge with me. This class has encouraged me to have more fun with writing and allow my students to pick topics that they enjoy. I am excited to see what they produce and how they develop as young writers. — Lisa Holcombe
As I think about the new school year, I will focus on gathering more model samples of writing for my students as well as working backwards. By working backwards I mean I will look at what the outcome I want my students to achieve and then plan accordingly to help them meet that outcome. Before, I would just say, I want to work on a narrative piece, go through the outline, revise, edit and then grade. Where as next year, I will look for a sample model of what I want my students to achieve and create my lesson based on that sample model. Also, definitely implementing more technology in the classroom. Paul Fern has show me websites he uses with his students and that it is doable. It is going to be a priority for me to have my students post their writing online. — Sandy Lozano
This year I am teaching fourth grade and my students will have to take the State Writing Test in the spring. I have struggled in the past with how to actually teach students how to write. I decided to sign up for the Great Valley Writing Project Demonstration Lab to help me as an educator and to allow me to guide my students to become better writers. I was curious about the Six Traits and how I can incorporate this into my classroom, as well as the entire campus.
This class has taught me to allow my students to write freely and creatively. I have learned that it is okay to assign a word or prompt with very little direction and see what students produce. This is often when their best writing comes out. Word of the Day is a way for students to get their thoughts down on paper and not worry so much about punctuation and grammar. The word can also tie in to another subject for that day, or it can be a vocab or spelling word. Author's chair is another tool I will utilize in my classroom. Giving the students a chance to share with classmates gives them a sense of power that they need. It also makes them take ownership of their writings.
I have also deepened my understanding of the six traits and how they can be used in the classroom. Having a rubric with six different grading spots allows teachers to better understand where students need more help and guidance. Students also benefit from this. I would like to teach each trait to my students so that they gain a deeper understanding of the expectations and goals of each. Each trait is individually important and makes a published piece that much better.
Each day I came away from class with a new idea to take into my own classroom. From the "I'm Talking" poems to the short lessons using picture books to help inspire students; all are lessons I can take back with me to make my students better writers. I never realized how simple and fun writing could be until I enrolled in this class. With these ideas, my students will also find writing exciting, and I believe that they will enjoy becoming better writers.
I appreciate the teachers who inspired me to be a better teacher and for sharing their knowledge with me. This class has encouraged me to have more fun with writing and allow my students to pick topics that they enjoy. I am excited to see what they produce and how they develop as young writers. — Lisa Holcombe
This experience has inspired me to approach writing with more excitement in my life and in my classroom. The fog has been lifted and I can now see a clear path toward making writing fun and effective for all of my students. We will learn to speak, write, and read about what matters most to each of us individually. Through making writing exciting and meaningful the learning process will be more joyful for all my students (and myself)!
I am thrilled to continue this journey in my classroom! — Julia Lewis The GVWP Demonstration Lab is nothing like what I expected it be. It is not like those university courses where you’re lectured to. In the Demo Lab, we get to see the practice in action in a live classroom, and we get to become part of the writing process. Now, I feel prepared more than before to guide my young writers through the writing process. Thank you! — Susan Lu |
The GVWP Demo Lab has been a wonderful experience. I definitely plan on modeling the writing strategies and having them written in a pocket chart for my students to refer back to as they are doing their writing. I am also really excited about using Active Listening: Honest Questions with my third graders next year. W.O.T.D is also empowering for students. It gives them a chance to find their voice and to practice their writing strategies every day. Interacting with the students, while they have been on their journey through the writing process, has inspired me to utilize what I have learned with my third graders next year. Thank you to Lori Stitt for being a fabulous mentor teacher!!! I wish you had been my first grade teacher!! — Shelly Raichel
As time goes by I find myself digging a little teaching groove. My students read and write and we do it same way everyday.
When I participate in a GVWP workshop I feel like someone has reached into my little groove, grabbed my hand, hoisted me out and offered me a delicious glass of cool refreshing lemonade. It is so refreshing to see how teaching and writing can be engaging, new and exciting.
As I speak to students and watch lessons I am filled with ideas about the possibilities for next year. Before the demo lab I couldn’t really see how technology fit with English aside from typing papers, submitting them online and sending an occational e-amil. Now I have learned how to write and publish online, not only on student created websites, but in picture books and prezi presentations. Very often it is the simplest ideas that click, like gluing handouts into a notebook and creating a table of contents. Why didn’t I think of that?!
The Great Valley Writing Project always offers easy, do-able strategies and activities. I just need to remember to keep coming back for more when I find myself settling into the boring groove. — Rebecca Sanders
After twenty-six years in education I was searching for inspiration to help young writers. Just like the children, I came to GVWP reserved and apprehensive. Watching the children learn and use new strategies in their writing has given me concrete tools and inspiration to launch a writing program in my classroom this fall. — Jennie Thomson
I always leave GVWP workshops feeling refreshed, energized, and excited about teaching. I come away with great lessons that I know my students will love, and I will love teaching. My students who participated gained so much, and really enjoyed their time here.
It's important to spend time with teachers who are passionate and believe in education. GVWP teachers spend their summers, weekends, and evenings researching classroom practices and perpetuating quality teaching. I valued the lessons and strategies for teaching writing, and I enjoyed being around people who are so positive about teaching and excited about writing. — Jenna Valponi
When I participate in a GVWP workshop I feel like someone has reached into my little groove, grabbed my hand, hoisted me out and offered me a delicious glass of cool refreshing lemonade. It is so refreshing to see how teaching and writing can be engaging, new and exciting.
As I speak to students and watch lessons I am filled with ideas about the possibilities for next year. Before the demo lab I couldn’t really see how technology fit with English aside from typing papers, submitting them online and sending an occational e-amil. Now I have learned how to write and publish online, not only on student created websites, but in picture books and prezi presentations. Very often it is the simplest ideas that click, like gluing handouts into a notebook and creating a table of contents. Why didn’t I think of that?!
The Great Valley Writing Project always offers easy, do-able strategies and activities. I just need to remember to keep coming back for more when I find myself settling into the boring groove. — Rebecca Sanders
After twenty-six years in education I was searching for inspiration to help young writers. Just like the children, I came to GVWP reserved and apprehensive. Watching the children learn and use new strategies in their writing has given me concrete tools and inspiration to launch a writing program in my classroom this fall. — Jennie Thomson
I always leave GVWP workshops feeling refreshed, energized, and excited about teaching. I come away with great lessons that I know my students will love, and I will love teaching. My students who participated gained so much, and really enjoyed their time here.
It's important to spend time with teachers who are passionate and believe in education. GVWP teachers spend their summers, weekends, and evenings researching classroom practices and perpetuating quality teaching. I valued the lessons and strategies for teaching writing, and I enjoyed being around people who are so positive about teaching and excited about writing. — Jenna Valponi
Do you write with or for your students, tackling the writing projects you have assigned? The Demo Lab has given me the opportunity to observe, participate, and assess students engaged in the writing process. Valuable lessons were created and taught to help the students (and myself) learn strategies empowering us to gain confidence in our writing abilities. For example, W.O.T.D. enabled us to explore words and meanings, write sharing ideas of what we know, as well as teach and model many craft lessons to introduce and reinforce the traits of writing. The modeling of the teachers in an active classroom and applying ideas from the text, Creating Young Writers, have given me tools to take risks and encourage my students and myself to be daily writers. — Julie Vander Molen |
Since participating in the Great Valley Writing Project, my whole perspective on teaching writing has been completely challenged in a good way. Before this experience, as a teacher, I was stickler when it came to grammar, conventions, and structure. Little did I realize that writing is so much more. These three writing devices are important, but they should not be the sole focus in editing and grading a student’s piece of work. From this class I have learned that my students need to be able to enjoy writing and need the opportunity to express themselves. Their creative should be what is driving and motivating their writing, not their ability or inability to use conventions correctly. The students must be given space to create first and then find ways to enhance their writing using the six traits. I have also learned more about the six traits and how beneficial it would be to grade according to these traits. By using a six traits rubric, I can easily point out the strengths in a student’s writing, and then choose a couple of areas that need improvement. I have also learned about a plethora of great picture book resources that not only foster the love of learning in children, but also can be great models of each specific writing device. Starting this next school year, I will be having my students write daily in their writing journals. I will be having a word/phrase of the day and an authors chair. I will then be allowing my students to choose their favorite pieces to share and turn into a formal writing assignment. Writing will not be the same for me or my students from this point on. We are going to enjoy it and celebrate it. We are going to be creative and supportive of each other's creativity. I am looking forward to this next school year! — Annette Van de Pol
The GVWP Demonstration lab is such a refreshing and wonderful program for teacher and student. For many of my students and myself, writing has turned into such a boring task when writing is supposed to be fun and creative expressive outlet. The program and the staff at GVWP has taught me how to make writing fun again.
Here at the GVWP Demo Lab, I learned many different methods and strategies on how to awaken a child's inner writer. Instructional strategies included, but not limited, to: Word of the Day was used as a daily exercise to "prime" student's writing; read-alouds by teacher were conducted to help students hear different writing styles; reflective writing on various books; and organizational skills using journaling helped students maintain all works in one quick and easy book. The program also addressed technology by successfully integrated computers and internet-based programs into the curriculum. In the computer lab, students accessed wikis for word processing, online publishing programs, online reference websites, and developed proper keyboarding form.
The GVWP leaders presented many wonderful ideas for me as an instructor to use in my classroom. This program has helped refine my vision of writing for my students and provide me tools on how I can implement better writing processes in my classroom. One of the more standout ideas I experienced was a fantastic word choice exercise called "I'm talking...". It's a poem structured activity that helps develop synonyms for adjectives. The student is asked to fill-in spaces with synonyms for an assigned adjective following the prompt "I'm talking..." to help broaden their understanding of a word in a very creative way. This exercise also utilized thesauruses, the use of a writer's reference tool that many students rarely use. I found this exercise a wonderful tool for English Language Learners and students with difficulty with comprehension.
Another fantastic idea that matched my vision is the use of technology, especially Storybird, an online publishing website with many picture galleries. I was delighted to find the positive response the students had when they experienced Storybird. Many students found the myriad of picture galleries interesting through peruse and excited to begin to write their stories. This excitement to write is sometimes rare in the classroom, and using Storybird helped spark these young writers.
It has been truly an enlightening experience for me at the GVWP 2012. This program has helped me be more focused by helping me address my own writing styles and my methods of teaching writing. I will definitely be walking away from this program with a "better bag of writing tools" and a more clearer vision of writing for my students. — Gabe Villanueva
Here at the GVWP Demo Lab, I learned many different methods and strategies on how to awaken a child's inner writer. Instructional strategies included, but not limited, to: Word of the Day was used as a daily exercise to "prime" student's writing; read-alouds by teacher were conducted to help students hear different writing styles; reflective writing on various books; and organizational skills using journaling helped students maintain all works in one quick and easy book. The program also addressed technology by successfully integrated computers and internet-based programs into the curriculum. In the computer lab, students accessed wikis for word processing, online publishing programs, online reference websites, and developed proper keyboarding form.
The GVWP leaders presented many wonderful ideas for me as an instructor to use in my classroom. This program has helped refine my vision of writing for my students and provide me tools on how I can implement better writing processes in my classroom. One of the more standout ideas I experienced was a fantastic word choice exercise called "I'm talking...". It's a poem structured activity that helps develop synonyms for adjectives. The student is asked to fill-in spaces with synonyms for an assigned adjective following the prompt "I'm talking..." to help broaden their understanding of a word in a very creative way. This exercise also utilized thesauruses, the use of a writer's reference tool that many students rarely use. I found this exercise a wonderful tool for English Language Learners and students with difficulty with comprehension.
Another fantastic idea that matched my vision is the use of technology, especially Storybird, an online publishing website with many picture galleries. I was delighted to find the positive response the students had when they experienced Storybird. Many students found the myriad of picture galleries interesting through peruse and excited to begin to write their stories. This excitement to write is sometimes rare in the classroom, and using Storybird helped spark these young writers.
It has been truly an enlightening experience for me at the GVWP 2012. This program has helped me be more focused by helping me address my own writing styles and my methods of teaching writing. I will definitely be walking away from this program with a "better bag of writing tools" and a more clearer vision of writing for my students. — Gabe Villanueva
As a previous (and future) teacher-participant at Great Valley Writing Project (GVWP), I’d like to applaud the leaders for the positive impact GVWP had (and is continuing to have) in the lives of our community’s children. Personally, I wish I had such a creative (writing and technology) outlet during my summers while growing up in Stanislaus County/San Joaquin Valley. I firmly believe all our area’s parents should seriously consider enrolling their children in GVWP and making themselves available to volunteer with their children if possible. By learning about the “Writing Process” with our children through the GVWP structure, I think we strive toward higher forms of learning together! Moreover, by being involved with our children’s educational activities, we’re showing them we value education in general and the “Writing Process” in particular. — B.D. Grewal