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minnesota writing project
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center for writing
mwp.umn.edu
Past news & events
2012 highlights
LSWP 2012 March Reunion Workshop
Despite blizzard conditions, several area teachers shared a cozy day of coffee, classroom ideas, and conversation at our 2012 March Reunion workshop.
Linda Glaser, our featured guest author, inspired us with stories of her own journey to become a writer, including her history with the National Writing Project from her time out in the Bay Area. She says the techniques she learned through writing project workshops are ones she still uses in her own writing process and ones she shares in workshops she conducts for other writers and teachers! Emma’s Poem is Linda’s latest non-fiction award-winning book.
LSWP 2012 cohort teachers on the move
Rebekah Lund, who teaches at Willow River High School, participated in the 2012 Minnesota Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute, July 9-27, 2012, at the University of Minnesota campus. Read her writing and teaching demonstration by going to the MWP 2012 ISI participants page, and clicking on the links.
Julie Stauber, Proctor High School, and Rene Montgomery, Cloquet High School, participated in a 5-week National Endowment for the Humanities-sponsored summer seminar in Bellingham, Washington, focused on immersion in four classic Native American novels. Stauber and Montgomery were two of fifteen educators around the nation selected to attend this seminar. They both highly recommend other educators take advantage of such rich and expansive professional development opportunities.
LSWP teacher receives UMD's Chancellor's Award
Susan Perala-Dewey, co-facilitator and founder of the Lake Superior Writing Project, received the 2012 Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Public Service in May for her work with area teachers through the LSWP and the College in the Schools program.
LSWP educators featured at MWP 2012 Fall Workshop
Linda Grover, UMD Professor of American Indian Studies and author of The Dance Boots, was the keynote speaker at the 2012 MWP Fall Workshop, which featured resources and classroom activities around Native American culture, history and literature. Linda’s talk was followed by a panel of LSWP teachers discussing possible adaptations of Linda’s work in the classroom: Pictured from the left are René Montgomery, Cloquet High School; Susan Perala-Dewey, UMD Writing Studies; Linda Grover; and Julie Stauber, Proctor High School.
2011 highlights
Participants from the 2010 institute returned for a reunion day filled with writing, activities, and reflection on March 5th. Linda LeGarde Grover, author of the Flannery O’Connor Award winning book, The Dance Boots, joined us for a rich conversation on including Native American culture, history, and literacy in our classrooms.
René Montgomery and Susan Perala-Dewey were selected to read their writing Friday, February 3, 2011, 7:30 at Stage North in Washburn, Wisconsin. "Around the Table" is an artistic collaboration of area artists themed around food.
Susan Perala-Dewey (ISI 2008), UMD, attended NWP’s Rural Sites Network Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, March 11-13th, where she attended excellent workshops and networked with writing project teachers from across the country. This year’s theme was centered on social justice and featured Lee Anne Belle. Lee Anne shared ideas for teachers based on her recent work, Storytelling for Social Justice: Connecting Narrative and Art in Anti-Racist Teaching.
Julie Stauber (LSWP 2010 and ISI 2011), Proctor High School, and Susan Perala-Dewey both presented at MCTE’s Literacy on the Lake conference on April 17th in Brainerd, Minnesota. Julie’s presentation featured her recent work using Photo Story to help students develop their own journal prompts using images and their unique life perspectives. Susan shared workshop ideas and activities from her work with College in the Schools.
René Montgomery (LSWP 2010), Cloquet High School, and Julie Stauber both attended the 2011 Minnesota Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute held on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. René reflects:
Participating in the Lake Superior Writing Project opened doors and worlds for me! The Lake Superior Writing Project helped validate the writer in me and gave me the confidence to apply to, and participate in, the Minnesota Writing Project. These programs were the best professional development I have ever had, and have helped me create a support network of teachers and writers I can work with to develop as both a writer and a teacher of writing. Teachers sharing with and learning from other teachers is always an invigorating and exceptional experience!
Bekah Lund (LSWP 2010), Willow River School, and Susan Perala-Dewey attended Worlds Apart but Not Strangers: Holocaust Education and Indian Education for All, July 17-23rd in Missoula, Montana. Bekah says:
It was a life changing experience. I learned the importance of teaching about the Native American experience. I am implementing new ideas and ways of thinking into my classroom that are directly influenced by what I learned, including stereotype explorations, conducting interviews with Native students, and integrating Native American literature wherever I can into my current curriculum.
Click here to see a video about this seminar.
René Montgomery and Susan Perala-Dewey presented “Night Flying Woman and Companion Texts: Using Native American Literature to Meet Minnesota Common Core in Language Arts and Writing Standards” at the MWP 5th Annual Fall Reunion Workshop on September 24, 2011.
