Workshop Session 1

Workshop Session 1

Steve Zemelman
Katy Smith
    National Louis University – Illinois Writing Project
Room:  Redbird D
Audience:  General

Reading, Writing, and Action – Some Strategies for Getting Started
Launching an inquiry project with social action involves a careful balance of teacher-guided structure with student choice and decision-making. Good teachers are often tempted to plan out every step in a complex classroom project – which can be an overwhelming job. However, student choice of issues, research strategies, and action plans not only increases engagement but enables students to learn the challenges and processes they’ll need to understand as active citizens on their own. This work goes beyond traditional “service learning.” We’ll help teachers with ways to get started and to use instruction strategically to help students begin to take charge, guide their own learning, problem-solve, and develop meaningful actions in their school or community.

Workshop Session W2

Carolyn Walter
Elizabeth Kahn
Tom McCann
    Northern Illinois University
Room:  Redbird C
Audience:  Middle/High School

Real Issues, Real Interest
The session will engage participants in discussions about contemporary issues and compare their interchanges with those of high school students.  The session discussion parallels work with teachers and students at several schools (urban, rural, suburban) to learn first-hand about the issues that deeply concerned learners and engaged their discussion, writing, and research.