Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

The Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ Institute (JESI), 2009

Teaching Clear Writing: Reflections

Thanks again to Sister Seitz and to all the participants. Below are some reflections on the workshop.

Some participants indicate that they plan to use some worksheets or specific techniques that they learned (attributing information, summarizing, writing thesis statements) in their classes. Others feel gratified by a review of grammatical and usage principles that they either had forgotten or had never learned.

If given the opportunity to offer this workshop at Carrollton again, I think that participants would get even more from the workshop if I include the following:

• Methods for quick, yet meaningful, assessment of student writing.
• Grids (analytic and holistic) for evaluating writing at different levels.
• Methods to make the learning of writing "fun," especially for teachers of younger children.
• Additional worksheets that teachers can simply copy and use in their classes.
More time spent on Williams.

I might have offered a workshop more tailored for specific needs if I had seen, before the workshop:

• Copies of written assignments that teachers give students, such as writing assignments in religion or social science classes.
• Copies of students' actual writing.
The expectations that the teachers have from the workshop.

The three hour format (three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon) seemed to work well. The energy level of the participants was high. The long lunch break allowed participants (and me!) to unwind and gear up for the afternoon.

The technology support was superb, and it was wonderful that the participants brought their laptops.

All in all, I believe the workshop was a success. I certainly enjoyed preparing for it and teaching it; the participants seemed to get a lot out of it.

I hope we can repeat this event with even more positive results.