Three Morehead Writing Project Site Leaders led professional development programs throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky this Summer. Much of this work was part of Kentucky’s Striving Readers Collaborative Literacy blog grant.
Outreach Co-Director Vickie Moriarity, who teaches seventh grade English Language Arts at Bath County Middle School, brought “Deeper Learning: Genius Hour, Makerspaces, and PBL” to Wayne County teachers. This six hour PD introduced the concepts of Genius Hour, Makerspaces, and PBL to grades 6 – 12 teachers. Teachers created working definitions and drew visual representations of each term, they researched and content specific teams worked together to develop a driving question that would pave the way for the use of makerspaces, PBL, or Genius Hour in their classrooms. Finally, teachers developed a pitch and a resource slide they shared with the group as to how they planned to incorporate their new knowledge into their classes next year.
Teacher leader Jennifer Kidd, who teaches kindergarten at Straub Elementary School in Mason County co-directed a two week Summer Institute for Jackson County Elementary School teachers. They focused on developing as both writers and teachers of writing including sharing best practices and demonstration lessons. In addition the Jackson Summer Institute helped participating teachers develop as teacher leaders and prepared a yearlong process to continue that work.
In addition, Kidd also worked with Clark County elementary teachers focusing on Writing Workshops and conferring with students. This work will also continue throughout the year to support the teachers’ work with their students.
Online Summer Institute Coordinator Liz Prather, a writing teacher at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, a magnet arts program at Lafayette High School in Fayette County, spent a morning with the Louisville Writing Project discussing the Project-Based Writing framework. Participants worked through the first four steps of the framework outlined in her book, Project-Based Writing, and shared how they could modify each deliverable to serve the needs of the students in their classrooms. LWP participants ranged in grade level from Kindergarten to secondary ELA.
The Morehead Writing Project develops teacher leaders through its Summer Institute and other special programs and grants, such as the recently completed College, Career, and Community Writers work at Fleming County High School. “We have an amazing group of teachers who bring personal teaching experience and National Writing Project training to offer transformative professional development,” said Morehead Writing Project Site Director Dr. Deanna Mascle. “One of the hallmarks of NWP work is our ability collaborate across grade levels and to bring educators from all content areas together to improve student writing.” Complete this online form to receive information about the 2020 Online Summer Institute offered by the Morehead Writing Project as it becomes available.