Thank you all for another great conference! See you in 2018!
Please find links to presenters' materials in the program below.
Online registration for the 2017 conference is now closed; however, you may still pay in person on the day of the conference by check, purchase order, credit, debit, or PayPal. Walk-ins are welcome.
For questions concerning registration and/or payments, please contact our treasurer, Olga Polites, at [email protected] or 856-904-5913.
For questions concerning registration and/or payments, please contact our treasurer, Olga Polites, at [email protected] or 856-904-5913.
18th Annual New Jersey Writing Alliance Conference
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Rutgers University—Livingston Campus
Letting Go--Empowering Student Engagement
The annual NJWA conference focuses on the pedagogical, institutional, and economic issues that we face as teachers of high school and college writing, and presents a unique opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. This year’s conference considers ways to engage students in the writing process while empowering them to develop their own voices as writers. In addition to the keynote speaker, the conference will feature four sessions of interactive presentations, hands-on workshops, and discussion-based forums. Participants will receive a certificate for six professional development hours.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Rutgers University—Livingston Campus
Letting Go--Empowering Student Engagement
The annual NJWA conference focuses on the pedagogical, institutional, and economic issues that we face as teachers of high school and college writing, and presents a unique opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. This year’s conference considers ways to engage students in the writing process while empowering them to develop their own voices as writers. In addition to the keynote speaker, the conference will feature four sessions of interactive presentations, hands-on workshops, and discussion-based forums. Participants will receive a certificate for six professional development hours.
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7:45-8:30AM
REGISTRATION: LIVINGSTON STUDENT CENTER (LSC) CONCOURSE
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
8:30-8:45AM
WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Lynda Dexheimer and Michael Goeller, Associate Directors, Rutgers Writing Program
Amy Woodworth, President, and Roberta Reavey, President-Elect, NJWA
8:45-9:30AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright, University of Minnesota Duluth,
Chief Reader of the English Language and Composition Exam, Educational Testing Service, College Board
Dr. Wright will discuss the necessity of analytical/argumentative thinking and writing, as well as offer an educator’s insight into the effective ways of teaching writing strategies that will lead to success in a variety of areas beyond the AP Exam, while preparing students for the rigors of college writing beyond the composition classroom.
SESSION 1: 9:45AM - 10:30AM
A. Tillett 103C, Using Students' Technology Habits to "Hack" Essay Writing--Joe Kille (Pennsville Memorial High School)
By observing students' technology habits, classroom teachers can drive differentiated writing instruction and encourage better use of text-based evidence, analysis, counterclaims, and rebuttals in classroom writing assignments. Using the Toulmin Logic framework, paper and digital work can scaffold the essay writing process, allowing advanced students to more completely and efficiently develop their claims. As well, these segmented pieces can be used to teach the basics of essay writing to struggling students in a manner that more closely mimics the steps through which they process information on their personal devices. The presentation will include paper examples as well as digital Google Forms and Documents as exemplars that can be modified later depending on your curriculum.
B. Tillett 251, Narrating the Moviegoing Experience: Reframing Film for First-Year Composition—BethSara Swanson and Ray Dademo (Monmouth University)
Our workshop invites participants who are interested in exploring new pedagogy that aligns the use of film with the goals of first-year writing courses. Replacing the textbook with a contemporary genre films –George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) in one case, and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook (2014) in another –we have designed semester-long writing courses that navigate three distinct phases of the moviegoing experience: deconstructing the visual rhetoric in the film's marketing materials, applying semiotic analysis to interpret the film through discrete critical lenses, and synthesizing the critical conversations among amateur and professional critics in order to predict the film's potential for cultural consecration. We will share all facets of course development, including syllabus planning, film selection, assignment creation, and evaluation.
C. Tillett 103A, Raising the Bar Sky High: Teaching Writing as a Process at the Newark Street Academy—Shelagh Patterson (Montclair State University)
In “Raising the Bar Sky High: Teaching Writing as a Process at the Newark Street Academy” Dr. Shelagh Patterson will present a curriculum she developed for the Newark Street Academy (NSA), a City of Newark initiative to provide youth who have dropped out of high school with the skills needed to get back on a college or workforce path. Dr. Patterson will use her experience teaching for the NSA to argue for raising the bar, rather than lowering the bar, for students who have not traditionally excelled in the classroom. After the presentation, there will be time for a robust conversation to explore the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.
D. Tillett 252, Student Engagement Through Active Learning: Using Drama and Improv To Teach Writing Developments--Carol Bruzzano (Montclair State University, William Patterson University) and Laura O’Meara (William Patterson University)
Participants engage in three drama and improv strategies for understanding and applying elements of argument and description. Specifically, participants will engage in collaboration and movement to explore alternative perspectives for developing rebuttals and improving description in academic argument.
E. Tillett 253, "But where did you actually say that?" Engaging Students With Their Own Writing As Text--Jennifer McBryan (Stevens Institute of Technology)
This 45-minute workshop explores techniques, lesson plans and an overall course outline designed to teach students to examine their own writing as text. Students are asked to define an abstract term on the first day of class and then must continually revisit their first-day definition throughout the semester, defending or complicating it in light of what they have read. The sequence culminates in a research project that brings their new understanding of the concept to bear on a scientific or cultural phenomenon of interest. This assignment sequence highlights for students the importance - and the difficulty - of writing what one actually means, as, invariably, students believe they have defined the term in ways that in fact they have not. It also introduces them to the academic "I," the complexities of incorporating textual evidence in one's writing, and the research process.
F. Tillett 230, Memoir Essay Writing: An Exercise to Reinvigorate the Academic Essay and Composition Classroom--Alexandra Della Fera with students Miko DiGiacomo, Colleen Larranaga, Samantha Leszcyncki, Brianna Pantoja (Passaic County Community College)
Through the exercise of memoir essay writing, students are able to not only discover a powerful writing voice, but they also transfer creative writing skills that ultimately strengthen their academic essay assignments. The memoir essay reinvigorates a student’s interest in and motivation for writing well in the academic writing classroom. In this presentation, four student panelists will join their professor and share their experiences.
Della Fera-Presentation
SESSION 2: 10:45 - 11:45AM
A. Tillett 103C, Learning to Write as if No One is Reading--Jay Armstrong (Robbinsville High School)
Writing is a messy process. Yet messiness is something rarely praised in school. This workshop will explore the tenets of messy writing while exploring effective pre-writing and writing strategies help teachers cultivate environments of vulnerability and authenticity. Participants will actively engage in a variety of pre-drafting and drafting strategies that help motivate reluctant writers and celebrate the joy of writing. Furthermore, this workshop will show how the Write-a-Thon event at Robbinsville High School offers students an authentic writing experience and how you can facilitate a similar event at your school.
B. Tillett 103A, Can You Hear me Now? Using Audio Tools in the First-Year Writing Classroom--Sarah Ghoshal and Elizabeth Martin (Montclair State University)
Have you ever had that student in class who always participates and speaks well, but when you read their writing it doesn’t have that same eloquence? Much educational research has focused on student learning differences. Some students learn most effectively using visual cues while others respond well to audio feedback and instruction. In addition, writing instructors often lament the amount of time it takes to leave effective written feedback on student essays. Not only can the use of audio in the classroom benefit students, but audio feedback can also be a powerful time-saving tool for the harried instructor. Professors Ghoshal and Martin will discuss and model various uses of audio feedback and instruction in the First-Year Writing classroom, detailing approaches like commentary on student essays, one-on-one conference techniques, and recording and transcription for composing. These approaches aim to help students with learning differences and from all backgrounds succeed in college writing.
C. Tillett 251, Formalizing the Informal: Using Pre-Formal Writing Assignments to Enculturate Undergraduate Composition Students into Professional Discourses—Lynda Dexheimer, Donald Dow, and William Magrino (Rutgers University)
Beyond requiring respective drafts as part of the revision process, we recommend writing instructors explore other genres and arenas of writing for assignments that help students develop larger projects incrementally and also expose students to writing as an on-going process in disciplinary or professional life. Our goal for this panel is to situate classroom writing as part of a larger continuum of textual production and to demonstrate use of pre-formal or informal writing assignments as feature of compositional pedagogy in basic, advanced, and professional writing contexts.
D. Tillett 103B, Stations and Collaborative Groupings: Creating an Active Learning Experience--Leslie Puente-Ervin (Willingboro HS English Department Chair)
This presentation will illustrate how to plan, facilitate, and manage daily, student-led stations. The audience will learn how to organize stations using data, develop station activities targeting specific literacy skills, and efficiently evaluate student mastery of skills.
E. Tillett 253, A New Approach to Dual Enrollment College Composition Courses—Michael Goeller (Rutgers University), Ruth Yeselson (Piscataway High School), Caren Stephenson (Piscataway High School), Dana Maulshagen (Rumson-Fair Haven High School), Jack Shea (Rumson-Fair Haven High School), and Jessica Loux (East Brunswick High School)
How can teachers involved with dual enrollment raise quality, improve credit transfer, and reduce the gap between high school and college expectations (without hurting their students’ GPAs)? The presenters--college administrator, high school teachers, and English department chairs--will discuss their experiences in developing a unique dual enrollment writing program offered by Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where high school students can gain college credit for Expository Writing at the end of the course, with college administrators directly overseeing the grading. Meanwhile, students receive high school grades that are determined by their hard work and commitment to learning, and they are inspired to reach above and beyond their normal commitment to English class. Dual enrollment in this form might present a new model for the high school capstone that could take the place of AP English and help to motivate changes in the curriculum to incorporate more nonfiction readings about ideas.
F. Tillett 230, Q&A with Keynote Speaker Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright
Attendees are invited to participate in a smaller group discussion with Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright where they can ask questions and seek her advice/expertise on the AP English Language and Composition course and exam or other aspects of student writing.
11:45AM - 12:30PM
LUNCH
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
SESSION 3: 12:45PM - 1:45PM
A. Tillett 103C, Material Culture: Empowering Student Engagement through the “Stuff” of Life--Christopher Tirri (Rowan University)
As instructors, we may often experiences moments of disconnect between we what think students want to write about and what they actually want to write about. Creating a unit themed around material culture with a personal narrative as the “final product” provides a perfect entry point for students that also addresses our concerns about increasing their engagement and teaching the academic “I." This particular blend of content and genre enables students to draw from their personal experiences with meaningful everyday objects, to see those experiences as both valuable and authoritative, and to develop their own authorial voices. This unit can also translate to any grade level: while the basic requirements of a personal narrative remain the same, the grade level can help determine the level of rhetorical insight, self-awareness, and difficulty of the associated readings.
B. Tillett 252, Introduction to Multimodality: Composing in the Classroom—Dayna Arcurio (Montclair State University)
This 60-minute presentation—and interactive workshop—provides a foundation for understanding core concepts associated with multimodal composition, for teachers and students at any grade level. The presentation guides the beginner through key concepts, the function of multimodality as part of composition and the writing process, provides sample assignments and rubrics (i.e. sliding scale and point-based criteria), and tutorials on free, web-based programs for composing with multimodality.
C. Tillett 251, Real World Writing: Engaging First-Year Composition Students—Noel Belinski, Jennifer Mantle, Linda Sacks, and Lynn Siracusa (Monmouth University)
The panel will discuss ways in which the participants engage 21st year students in serious reflection on the world around them and their place in it as future college graduates. Within the classroom, instruction can support freshmen, who quickly realize that strategies they used in high school may not be adequate to meet the challenges of an unfamiliar genre – academic writing. Research suggests that students who are willing to view themselves as novices and who understand the larger purpose of writing (not just fulfilling an assignment) are more likely to improve their writing skills. Reading and writing assignments that focus on the question of what is an educated person help students consider their goals, priorities, and responsibilities for their own education.
D. Tillett 103A, One-on-one Writing Instruction: Comparing the Pedagogical Methods of Tutors and Classroom Instructors—Deborah Scott and Jude Miller (Rowan University)
The dynamic between educator and student varies, depending on whether the teacher also functions as the student’s classroom instructor. Points of variation include close reading of texts, awareness of broader issues in the student’s writing, authority, and the power of the grade. These factors, taken together, shape the kind of work accomplished during the tutorial session. In order to explore how these dynamics differ, panelists will provide a brief sample student textual analysis paper. They will ask members of the audience to compare how they would guide the student’s revision if they were the classroom teacher or an outside tutor. They will discuss how to maximize the effectiveness of both kinds of tutorial session, given the advantages and limitations of each and participate in a discussion of best practices when responding to student writing in a process-based program--focusing specifically on the distinction between written comments on students' work and feedback provided through conferences.
Jude Miller's Presentation
Deborah Scott's Presentation and Bibliography
E. Tillett 253, Making English Language Learners' Self-Assessments Effective: A Discussion—Agnieszka Goeller, Qisi Zhang, and Nela Navarro (Rutgers University)
Self-assessment, whether of performance on tasks or of improvement over time, is difficult for English Language Learners (ELL) for a variety of reasons--some obvious and some not. Is it worth doing then in the writing classroom? How can it be an effective teaching tool? This panel discussion, led by writing instructors of international students in the Rutgers Writing Program, discusses the pitfalls and benefits of self-assessment in the context of college writing using examples from classes serving ELL’s.
F. Tillett 204, Writing Program Roundtables--Geri Gerard (Brookdale Community College), Ed Jones (Seton Hall University), Amy Woodworth (Rowan University), Mike Goeller (Rutgers University--New Brunswick), Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Monmouth University), Nina-Louise Alsbrook (Passaic County Community College), Jennifer Martin (Salem Community College)
Curious about the writing students do in their college composition courses? In this session, participants will rotate through stations featuring representatives from first-year writing programs at various New Jersey two- and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will get to see course texts, sample syllabi and assignments, and even student writing from these various programs, and will have the opportunity to ask questions and chat with faculty from the college writing programs.
Seton Hall College English I Syllabus and Essay Assignments
Sample Student Research Paper with Student’s Revision Comments, Rubric, and Metatext—from the Basic Skills Section of College English I
SESSION 4: 2:00PM – 3:00PM
A. Tillett 253, We Beseech the Lessification of Splendid Wordifying: Helping Students Build Content Over Style—Thomas Cossentino, Debra Keates, and Jacqueline Loeb (Rutgers University)
Most students think "good writers" and "bad writers" are just born that way. The premise of this collaborative workshop is that effective scholarly writing is not a hermetic gift--it is an acquired skill whose first principle is to communicate ideas. We will workshop samples of student writing and assignment prompts ranging from middle school through college, with the goal of sharing best practices to help students prioritize critical thinking over style, and to revise promising moments for more meaningful, nuanced content.
B. Tillett 103C, "I, Too, Sing America..." ESL & Mainstream English Experience—Christine Kania and Pam Vance (Hunterdon Central Regional High School)
This workshop offers strategies for successfully combining ESL and English classes for both short and long-term projects that promote academic rigor and provide rich, multicultural experiences. What started as a simple Langston Hughes poetry activity for one set of classes turned into increased collaboration, integrated curriculum, and even more combined ESL and mainstream English classes. The presenters will share their materials and the strategies that led students to profound experiences with poetry, collaborative research, improved reading and writing, delivering presentations and receiving feedback, and, most importantly, breaking down barriers and forming relationships.The workshop's content will enable English and ESL teachers of all levels to think in new ways about what they already do and show how minor adjustments and willingness to take risks can make materials more accessible and learning more social, productive, and engaging.
C. Tillett 251, Using the Power of Multimedia to Improve Student Writing—John DeLisle (Hunterdon Central Regional High School)
By leveraging Web 2.0 tools to develop multimedia products, students are able to hone their writing, speaking, and technology skills in provocative and thoughtful ways. While the Internet certainly causes distraction in our students’ lives, it is also a powerful communication tool that enables them to voice their ideas to the world. This presentation will share ideas for multimedia assessments with various modes of writing, how to teach digital writing and presenting, and how the digital approach ultimately improves student writing.
Materials for John DeLisle's Presentation (Zip file)
D. Tillett 230, Writing as Pattern Making: Teaching Students to Use Strategic Repetition--Mark DiGiacomo, Ph.D. (Rutgers University)
This presentation will provide practical techniques for teaching students to take ownership of their writing process. Many students enter college believing that they should avoid all repetition in their writing. This belief, however, can be a significant roadblock as students work toward developing the argument-driven papers required in college. By teaching students to see writing as an act of pattern making, and reading as an act of pattern identification, we can help them liberate themselves from summary and develop greater intellectual independence.
E. Tillett 204, From High School to College: Roundtable Discussion on Grading Writing—Shelagh Patterson (Montclair State University), Jacqueline Regan (Montclair State University), Christopher Caulfield (St. Peter’s Prep), Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo (Jackson Liberty High School, Monmouth University), Laurie Hunter (Freehold Regional High School District, Brookdale Community College)
Join us for a roundtable discussion with an eye towards bridging writing instruction between the high school and college levels, as well as a discussion of what we can learn from each other teaching on multiple levels. By examining grading rubrics at each level, we hope to create a rich discourse on the way we establish and write grading criteria in our classrooms. Together, we can collaborate on ways to empower our students by giving them voice in the creation of the rubrics by which they will be assessed. Bring your stories, expertise, questions about teaching writing in the K-12 classroom, the college writing classroom and what they may have to do with each other—and most importantly, bring your grading rubrics.
Round Table Handout
Round Table Rubrics (Zip File)
F. Tillett 103A, Ask a High School Teacher!--Kaitlyn Miller (East Brunswick High School), Leslie Puente-Ervin (Willingboro High School), Kim Rogers (Matawan Regional High School), Michelle Wittle (LEAP Academy, Camden), Sage Hedges (Manchester Regional High School)
This panel presents college teachers of writing (and interested high school and middle school teachers) the opportunity to ask a panel of high school teachers of writing questions about curriculum, students, and the overall environment that shapes their teaching conditions, such as high stakes testing, top-down curricular requirements, course sequencing, competing priorities, etc. Panelists represent a diverse group of schools from across the state. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the realities of high school writing instruction, both its joys and challenges.
3:00PM - 3:15PM
Distribution of Professional Development Certificates
& Conference Evaluations
LSC CONCOURSE
Thank you for attending our annual NJWA conference!
NJWA Officers and Committee Members
President
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
Past President
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo, Jackson Liberty High School
President-Elect
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Treasurer
Olga Polites, Rowan University and Cherokee High School
Secretary
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Webtender
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Conference Site Coordinators at Rutgers University
Michael Goeller and Alessandra Sperling
Conference Program Committee
Michelle Rubano (Chair), Delran High School
Michael Goeller, Rutgers University
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo, Jackson Liberty High School
Petrina Pappas, Lawrence Middle School
Shelagh Patterson, Montclair State University
Olga Polites, Rowan University and Cherokee High School
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
NJWA Steering Committee
Connie Chismar, Georgian Court University
Michael Goeller, Rutgers University
Jessica Hausmann, Georgian Court University
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Ed Jones, Seton Hall University
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo, Jackson Liberty High School
Petrina Pappas, Lawrence Middle School
Shelagh Patterson, Montclair State University
Olga Polites, Cherokee High School and Rowan University
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Michelle Rubano, Delran High School
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
Special thanks to our Rutgers University colleagues!
We owe special thanks to the Rutgers Writing Program, the events staff, the student workers, the technology specialists, the staff in publicity and public relations, and all of the wonderful folks in facilities and food services. You all have made Rutgers a wonderful host institution!
REGISTRATION: LIVINGSTON STUDENT CENTER (LSC) CONCOURSE
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
8:30-8:45AM
WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Lynda Dexheimer and Michael Goeller, Associate Directors, Rutgers Writing Program
Amy Woodworth, President, and Roberta Reavey, President-Elect, NJWA
8:45-9:30AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright, University of Minnesota Duluth,
Chief Reader of the English Language and Composition Exam, Educational Testing Service, College Board
Dr. Wright will discuss the necessity of analytical/argumentative thinking and writing, as well as offer an educator’s insight into the effective ways of teaching writing strategies that will lead to success in a variety of areas beyond the AP Exam, while preparing students for the rigors of college writing beyond the composition classroom.
SESSION 1: 9:45AM - 10:30AM
A. Tillett 103C, Using Students' Technology Habits to "Hack" Essay Writing--Joe Kille (Pennsville Memorial High School)
By observing students' technology habits, classroom teachers can drive differentiated writing instruction and encourage better use of text-based evidence, analysis, counterclaims, and rebuttals in classroom writing assignments. Using the Toulmin Logic framework, paper and digital work can scaffold the essay writing process, allowing advanced students to more completely and efficiently develop their claims. As well, these segmented pieces can be used to teach the basics of essay writing to struggling students in a manner that more closely mimics the steps through which they process information on their personal devices. The presentation will include paper examples as well as digital Google Forms and Documents as exemplars that can be modified later depending on your curriculum.
B. Tillett 251, Narrating the Moviegoing Experience: Reframing Film for First-Year Composition—BethSara Swanson and Ray Dademo (Monmouth University)
Our workshop invites participants who are interested in exploring new pedagogy that aligns the use of film with the goals of first-year writing courses. Replacing the textbook with a contemporary genre films –George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) in one case, and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook (2014) in another –we have designed semester-long writing courses that navigate three distinct phases of the moviegoing experience: deconstructing the visual rhetoric in the film's marketing materials, applying semiotic analysis to interpret the film through discrete critical lenses, and synthesizing the critical conversations among amateur and professional critics in order to predict the film's potential for cultural consecration. We will share all facets of course development, including syllabus planning, film selection, assignment creation, and evaluation.
C. Tillett 103A, Raising the Bar Sky High: Teaching Writing as a Process at the Newark Street Academy—Shelagh Patterson (Montclair State University)
In “Raising the Bar Sky High: Teaching Writing as a Process at the Newark Street Academy” Dr. Shelagh Patterson will present a curriculum she developed for the Newark Street Academy (NSA), a City of Newark initiative to provide youth who have dropped out of high school with the skills needed to get back on a college or workforce path. Dr. Patterson will use her experience teaching for the NSA to argue for raising the bar, rather than lowering the bar, for students who have not traditionally excelled in the classroom. After the presentation, there will be time for a robust conversation to explore the benefits and drawbacks of this approach.
D. Tillett 252, Student Engagement Through Active Learning: Using Drama and Improv To Teach Writing Developments--Carol Bruzzano (Montclair State University, William Patterson University) and Laura O’Meara (William Patterson University)
Participants engage in three drama and improv strategies for understanding and applying elements of argument and description. Specifically, participants will engage in collaboration and movement to explore alternative perspectives for developing rebuttals and improving description in academic argument.
E. Tillett 253, "But where did you actually say that?" Engaging Students With Their Own Writing As Text--Jennifer McBryan (Stevens Institute of Technology)
This 45-minute workshop explores techniques, lesson plans and an overall course outline designed to teach students to examine their own writing as text. Students are asked to define an abstract term on the first day of class and then must continually revisit their first-day definition throughout the semester, defending or complicating it in light of what they have read. The sequence culminates in a research project that brings their new understanding of the concept to bear on a scientific or cultural phenomenon of interest. This assignment sequence highlights for students the importance - and the difficulty - of writing what one actually means, as, invariably, students believe they have defined the term in ways that in fact they have not. It also introduces them to the academic "I," the complexities of incorporating textual evidence in one's writing, and the research process.
F. Tillett 230, Memoir Essay Writing: An Exercise to Reinvigorate the Academic Essay and Composition Classroom--Alexandra Della Fera with students Miko DiGiacomo, Colleen Larranaga, Samantha Leszcyncki, Brianna Pantoja (Passaic County Community College)
Through the exercise of memoir essay writing, students are able to not only discover a powerful writing voice, but they also transfer creative writing skills that ultimately strengthen their academic essay assignments. The memoir essay reinvigorates a student’s interest in and motivation for writing well in the academic writing classroom. In this presentation, four student panelists will join their professor and share their experiences.
Della Fera-Presentation
SESSION 2: 10:45 - 11:45AM
A. Tillett 103C, Learning to Write as if No One is Reading--Jay Armstrong (Robbinsville High School)
Writing is a messy process. Yet messiness is something rarely praised in school. This workshop will explore the tenets of messy writing while exploring effective pre-writing and writing strategies help teachers cultivate environments of vulnerability and authenticity. Participants will actively engage in a variety of pre-drafting and drafting strategies that help motivate reluctant writers and celebrate the joy of writing. Furthermore, this workshop will show how the Write-a-Thon event at Robbinsville High School offers students an authentic writing experience and how you can facilitate a similar event at your school.
B. Tillett 103A, Can You Hear me Now? Using Audio Tools in the First-Year Writing Classroom--Sarah Ghoshal and Elizabeth Martin (Montclair State University)
Have you ever had that student in class who always participates and speaks well, but when you read their writing it doesn’t have that same eloquence? Much educational research has focused on student learning differences. Some students learn most effectively using visual cues while others respond well to audio feedback and instruction. In addition, writing instructors often lament the amount of time it takes to leave effective written feedback on student essays. Not only can the use of audio in the classroom benefit students, but audio feedback can also be a powerful time-saving tool for the harried instructor. Professors Ghoshal and Martin will discuss and model various uses of audio feedback and instruction in the First-Year Writing classroom, detailing approaches like commentary on student essays, one-on-one conference techniques, and recording and transcription for composing. These approaches aim to help students with learning differences and from all backgrounds succeed in college writing.
C. Tillett 251, Formalizing the Informal: Using Pre-Formal Writing Assignments to Enculturate Undergraduate Composition Students into Professional Discourses—Lynda Dexheimer, Donald Dow, and William Magrino (Rutgers University)
Beyond requiring respective drafts as part of the revision process, we recommend writing instructors explore other genres and arenas of writing for assignments that help students develop larger projects incrementally and also expose students to writing as an on-going process in disciplinary or professional life. Our goal for this panel is to situate classroom writing as part of a larger continuum of textual production and to demonstrate use of pre-formal or informal writing assignments as feature of compositional pedagogy in basic, advanced, and professional writing contexts.
D. Tillett 103B, Stations and Collaborative Groupings: Creating an Active Learning Experience--Leslie Puente-Ervin (Willingboro HS English Department Chair)
This presentation will illustrate how to plan, facilitate, and manage daily, student-led stations. The audience will learn how to organize stations using data, develop station activities targeting specific literacy skills, and efficiently evaluate student mastery of skills.
E. Tillett 253, A New Approach to Dual Enrollment College Composition Courses—Michael Goeller (Rutgers University), Ruth Yeselson (Piscataway High School), Caren Stephenson (Piscataway High School), Dana Maulshagen (Rumson-Fair Haven High School), Jack Shea (Rumson-Fair Haven High School), and Jessica Loux (East Brunswick High School)
How can teachers involved with dual enrollment raise quality, improve credit transfer, and reduce the gap between high school and college expectations (without hurting their students’ GPAs)? The presenters--college administrator, high school teachers, and English department chairs--will discuss their experiences in developing a unique dual enrollment writing program offered by Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where high school students can gain college credit for Expository Writing at the end of the course, with college administrators directly overseeing the grading. Meanwhile, students receive high school grades that are determined by their hard work and commitment to learning, and they are inspired to reach above and beyond their normal commitment to English class. Dual enrollment in this form might present a new model for the high school capstone that could take the place of AP English and help to motivate changes in the curriculum to incorporate more nonfiction readings about ideas.
F. Tillett 230, Q&A with Keynote Speaker Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright
Attendees are invited to participate in a smaller group discussion with Dr. Elizabethada A. Wright where they can ask questions and seek her advice/expertise on the AP English Language and Composition course and exam or other aspects of student writing.
11:45AM - 12:30PM
LUNCH
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
SESSION 3: 12:45PM - 1:45PM
A. Tillett 103C, Material Culture: Empowering Student Engagement through the “Stuff” of Life--Christopher Tirri (Rowan University)
As instructors, we may often experiences moments of disconnect between we what think students want to write about and what they actually want to write about. Creating a unit themed around material culture with a personal narrative as the “final product” provides a perfect entry point for students that also addresses our concerns about increasing their engagement and teaching the academic “I." This particular blend of content and genre enables students to draw from their personal experiences with meaningful everyday objects, to see those experiences as both valuable and authoritative, and to develop their own authorial voices. This unit can also translate to any grade level: while the basic requirements of a personal narrative remain the same, the grade level can help determine the level of rhetorical insight, self-awareness, and difficulty of the associated readings.
B. Tillett 252, Introduction to Multimodality: Composing in the Classroom—Dayna Arcurio (Montclair State University)
This 60-minute presentation—and interactive workshop—provides a foundation for understanding core concepts associated with multimodal composition, for teachers and students at any grade level. The presentation guides the beginner through key concepts, the function of multimodality as part of composition and the writing process, provides sample assignments and rubrics (i.e. sliding scale and point-based criteria), and tutorials on free, web-based programs for composing with multimodality.
C. Tillett 251, Real World Writing: Engaging First-Year Composition Students—Noel Belinski, Jennifer Mantle, Linda Sacks, and Lynn Siracusa (Monmouth University)
The panel will discuss ways in which the participants engage 21st year students in serious reflection on the world around them and their place in it as future college graduates. Within the classroom, instruction can support freshmen, who quickly realize that strategies they used in high school may not be adequate to meet the challenges of an unfamiliar genre – academic writing. Research suggests that students who are willing to view themselves as novices and who understand the larger purpose of writing (not just fulfilling an assignment) are more likely to improve their writing skills. Reading and writing assignments that focus on the question of what is an educated person help students consider their goals, priorities, and responsibilities for their own education.
D. Tillett 103A, One-on-one Writing Instruction: Comparing the Pedagogical Methods of Tutors and Classroom Instructors—Deborah Scott and Jude Miller (Rowan University)
The dynamic between educator and student varies, depending on whether the teacher also functions as the student’s classroom instructor. Points of variation include close reading of texts, awareness of broader issues in the student’s writing, authority, and the power of the grade. These factors, taken together, shape the kind of work accomplished during the tutorial session. In order to explore how these dynamics differ, panelists will provide a brief sample student textual analysis paper. They will ask members of the audience to compare how they would guide the student’s revision if they were the classroom teacher or an outside tutor. They will discuss how to maximize the effectiveness of both kinds of tutorial session, given the advantages and limitations of each and participate in a discussion of best practices when responding to student writing in a process-based program--focusing specifically on the distinction between written comments on students' work and feedback provided through conferences.
Jude Miller's Presentation
Deborah Scott's Presentation and Bibliography
E. Tillett 253, Making English Language Learners' Self-Assessments Effective: A Discussion—Agnieszka Goeller, Qisi Zhang, and Nela Navarro (Rutgers University)
Self-assessment, whether of performance on tasks or of improvement over time, is difficult for English Language Learners (ELL) for a variety of reasons--some obvious and some not. Is it worth doing then in the writing classroom? How can it be an effective teaching tool? This panel discussion, led by writing instructors of international students in the Rutgers Writing Program, discusses the pitfalls and benefits of self-assessment in the context of college writing using examples from classes serving ELL’s.
F. Tillett 204, Writing Program Roundtables--Geri Gerard (Brookdale Community College), Ed Jones (Seton Hall University), Amy Woodworth (Rowan University), Mike Goeller (Rutgers University--New Brunswick), Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Monmouth University), Nina-Louise Alsbrook (Passaic County Community College), Jennifer Martin (Salem Community College)
Curious about the writing students do in their college composition courses? In this session, participants will rotate through stations featuring representatives from first-year writing programs at various New Jersey two- and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will get to see course texts, sample syllabi and assignments, and even student writing from these various programs, and will have the opportunity to ask questions and chat with faculty from the college writing programs.
Seton Hall College English I Syllabus and Essay Assignments
Sample Student Research Paper with Student’s Revision Comments, Rubric, and Metatext—from the Basic Skills Section of College English I
SESSION 4: 2:00PM – 3:00PM
A. Tillett 253, We Beseech the Lessification of Splendid Wordifying: Helping Students Build Content Over Style—Thomas Cossentino, Debra Keates, and Jacqueline Loeb (Rutgers University)
Most students think "good writers" and "bad writers" are just born that way. The premise of this collaborative workshop is that effective scholarly writing is not a hermetic gift--it is an acquired skill whose first principle is to communicate ideas. We will workshop samples of student writing and assignment prompts ranging from middle school through college, with the goal of sharing best practices to help students prioritize critical thinking over style, and to revise promising moments for more meaningful, nuanced content.
B. Tillett 103C, "I, Too, Sing America..." ESL & Mainstream English Experience—Christine Kania and Pam Vance (Hunterdon Central Regional High School)
This workshop offers strategies for successfully combining ESL and English classes for both short and long-term projects that promote academic rigor and provide rich, multicultural experiences. What started as a simple Langston Hughes poetry activity for one set of classes turned into increased collaboration, integrated curriculum, and even more combined ESL and mainstream English classes. The presenters will share their materials and the strategies that led students to profound experiences with poetry, collaborative research, improved reading and writing, delivering presentations and receiving feedback, and, most importantly, breaking down barriers and forming relationships.The workshop's content will enable English and ESL teachers of all levels to think in new ways about what they already do and show how minor adjustments and willingness to take risks can make materials more accessible and learning more social, productive, and engaging.
C. Tillett 251, Using the Power of Multimedia to Improve Student Writing—John DeLisle (Hunterdon Central Regional High School)
By leveraging Web 2.0 tools to develop multimedia products, students are able to hone their writing, speaking, and technology skills in provocative and thoughtful ways. While the Internet certainly causes distraction in our students’ lives, it is also a powerful communication tool that enables them to voice their ideas to the world. This presentation will share ideas for multimedia assessments with various modes of writing, how to teach digital writing and presenting, and how the digital approach ultimately improves student writing.
Materials for John DeLisle's Presentation (Zip file)
D. Tillett 230, Writing as Pattern Making: Teaching Students to Use Strategic Repetition--Mark DiGiacomo, Ph.D. (Rutgers University)
This presentation will provide practical techniques for teaching students to take ownership of their writing process. Many students enter college believing that they should avoid all repetition in their writing. This belief, however, can be a significant roadblock as students work toward developing the argument-driven papers required in college. By teaching students to see writing as an act of pattern making, and reading as an act of pattern identification, we can help them liberate themselves from summary and develop greater intellectual independence.
E. Tillett 204, From High School to College: Roundtable Discussion on Grading Writing—Shelagh Patterson (Montclair State University), Jacqueline Regan (Montclair State University), Christopher Caulfield (St. Peter’s Prep), Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo (Jackson Liberty High School, Monmouth University), Laurie Hunter (Freehold Regional High School District, Brookdale Community College)
Join us for a roundtable discussion with an eye towards bridging writing instruction between the high school and college levels, as well as a discussion of what we can learn from each other teaching on multiple levels. By examining grading rubrics at each level, we hope to create a rich discourse on the way we establish and write grading criteria in our classrooms. Together, we can collaborate on ways to empower our students by giving them voice in the creation of the rubrics by which they will be assessed. Bring your stories, expertise, questions about teaching writing in the K-12 classroom, the college writing classroom and what they may have to do with each other—and most importantly, bring your grading rubrics.
Round Table Handout
Round Table Rubrics (Zip File)
F. Tillett 103A, Ask a High School Teacher!--Kaitlyn Miller (East Brunswick High School), Leslie Puente-Ervin (Willingboro High School), Kim Rogers (Matawan Regional High School), Michelle Wittle (LEAP Academy, Camden), Sage Hedges (Manchester Regional High School)
This panel presents college teachers of writing (and interested high school and middle school teachers) the opportunity to ask a panel of high school teachers of writing questions about curriculum, students, and the overall environment that shapes their teaching conditions, such as high stakes testing, top-down curricular requirements, course sequencing, competing priorities, etc. Panelists represent a diverse group of schools from across the state. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the realities of high school writing instruction, both its joys and challenges.
3:00PM - 3:15PM
Distribution of Professional Development Certificates
& Conference Evaluations
LSC CONCOURSE
Thank you for attending our annual NJWA conference!
NJWA Officers and Committee Members
President
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
Past President
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo, Jackson Liberty High School
President-Elect
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Treasurer
Olga Polites, Rowan University and Cherokee High School
Secretary
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Webtender
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Conference Site Coordinators at Rutgers University
Michael Goeller and Alessandra Sperling
Conference Program Committee
Michelle Rubano (Chair), Delran High School
Michael Goeller, Rutgers University
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo, Jackson Liberty High School
Petrina Pappas, Lawrence Middle School
Shelagh Patterson, Montclair State University
Olga Polites, Rowan University and Cherokee High School
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
NJWA Steering Committee
Connie Chismar, Georgian Court University
Michael Goeller, Rutgers University
Jessica Hausmann, Georgian Court University
Laurie Hunter, Freehold Regional H. S. District and Brookdale Community College
Ed Jones, Seton Hall University
Jude Miller, Rowan University
Kristie-Anne Opaleski-DiMeo, Jackson Liberty High School
Petrina Pappas, Lawrence Middle School
Shelagh Patterson, Montclair State University
Olga Polites, Cherokee High School and Rowan University
Roberta Reavey, Rowan University
Michelle Rubano, Delran High School
Amy Woodworth, Rowan University
Special thanks to our Rutgers University colleagues!
We owe special thanks to the Rutgers Writing Program, the events staff, the student workers, the technology specialists, the staff in publicity and public relations, and all of the wonderful folks in facilities and food services. You all have made Rutgers a wonderful host institution!