The annual NJWA conference focuses on the pedagogical, institutional, and economic issues that we face as teachers of high school and college writing, and it presents a unique opportunity for dialogue and collaboration among teachers of writing from high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions. This year’s conference will consider how technology can improve learning and help students process information. 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.
7:45-8:30 AM
REGISTRATION: LIVINGSTON STUDENT CENTER (LSC) CONCOURSE
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
8:30-8:45 AM
WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Lynda Dexheimer and Michael Goeller, Associate Directors, Rutgers Writing Program
Roberta Reavey, President, NJWA
8:45-9:30 AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Marc Cicchino
Director of Innovation at Northern Valley Regional High School District and Lecturer at Rutgers University
“Harnessing the Power of Games to Heighten Student Engagement and Enhance Learning”
REGISTRATION: LIVINGSTON STUDENT CENTER (LSC) CONCOURSE
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
8:30-8:45 AM
WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Lynda Dexheimer and Michael Goeller, Associate Directors, Rutgers Writing Program
Roberta Reavey, President, NJWA
8:45-9:30 AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Marc Cicchino
Director of Innovation at Northern Valley Regional High School District and Lecturer at Rutgers University
“Harnessing the Power of Games to Heighten Student Engagement and Enhance Learning”
To Access Materials For All Presentations: https://goo.gl/EJRbUR
SESSION 1: 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
A.) Tillett 226, Being a Paperless English Teacher in the 21st Century
Courtney Matash (North Warren Regional Schools)
Tired of making copies? Over kids losing books? Go paperless! Embrace all that technology has to offer by being eco-friendly at the same time. In this seminar, you will learn tips on how to effectively lower your carbon footprint and mesh technology into your daily practice Scenarios will include annotating literature on Google Docs, setting students up in data based groups and having them work collaboratively on a document, QR Codes for sign out passes, basics on top tech English applications, and learning to use G Suite to its fullest capabilities in a middle school and high school environment.
B.) Tillett 264, Striking a Balance: Blending Tradition and Technology in the Writing Classroom
Lori Elkins-Solomon (East Brunswick Technical High School)
Technology is a tool. Used judiciously as a teaching aid, it can build up writing skills, but when misused it can interfere with students’ abilities to communicate well. As technology becomes more visible in our schools and society, how can we as teachers make smart choices as to when and how to incorporate it into our own lessons? This workshop will explore ways to balance technology and traditional writing instruction in the classroom.
C.) Tillett 258, "Plugging into the Future: Digital Writing Technology in the ESL Classroom"
Stephen A. Royek & Anna Bassiri (Rowan University)
Digital technologies are shaping classroom instruction at the high school and university level in myriad ways. Instructors of writing, and specifically those teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), are finding creative methods to incorporate digital learning into their classrooms. This interactive presentation will highlight a variety of approaches that can be used in the ESL writing classroom to maximize student engagement and learning.
D.) Tillett 257, Comparing First Year Writing Programs in North-Central NJ Universities
Emily Axelrod (Kean University)
This presentation will examine the similarities and differences between First Year Writing Program curricula among universities in North-Central New Jersey, including but not limited to: Kean University, Montclair State University, Rutgers University (Newark), and Seton Hall University. In so doing we will foster a collaborative dialogue among attendees interested in exchanging best practices for teaching Freshman Composition.
E.) Tillett 254, Two Birds, One Stone: How Institutional Partnerships Can Facilitate Learning in Both Information Literacy and Analytical Research Writing
Lynda Dexheimer & Leslin Charles (Rutgers University)
This presentation will focus on the Writing Program course Research in the Disciplines, English 201, as a case study in how pedagogical and curricular collaboration between librarians and English faculty can facilitate the learning goals of information literacy and analytic writing demanded by the SAS core curriculum. The presentation will cover the digital tools developed by RU Libraries specifically for Research in the Disciplines, and will model how faculty members incorporate these tools as part of classroom practice. We will demonstrate how such tools can be adapted for use in other settings, and share assignments, activities, and student work that results from this collaborative project.
F.) Tillett 232, Meet the Keynote
Marc Cicchino (Northern Valley Regional High School District and Rutgers University)
Come and ask the questions you did not have time to ask after Dr. Marc Cicchino’s keynote presentation.
Courtney Matash (North Warren Regional Schools)
Tired of making copies? Over kids losing books? Go paperless! Embrace all that technology has to offer by being eco-friendly at the same time. In this seminar, you will learn tips on how to effectively lower your carbon footprint and mesh technology into your daily practice Scenarios will include annotating literature on Google Docs, setting students up in data based groups and having them work collaboratively on a document, QR Codes for sign out passes, basics on top tech English applications, and learning to use G Suite to its fullest capabilities in a middle school and high school environment.
B.) Tillett 264, Striking a Balance: Blending Tradition and Technology in the Writing Classroom
Lori Elkins-Solomon (East Brunswick Technical High School)
Technology is a tool. Used judiciously as a teaching aid, it can build up writing skills, but when misused it can interfere with students’ abilities to communicate well. As technology becomes more visible in our schools and society, how can we as teachers make smart choices as to when and how to incorporate it into our own lessons? This workshop will explore ways to balance technology and traditional writing instruction in the classroom.
C.) Tillett 258, "Plugging into the Future: Digital Writing Technology in the ESL Classroom"
Stephen A. Royek & Anna Bassiri (Rowan University)
Digital technologies are shaping classroom instruction at the high school and university level in myriad ways. Instructors of writing, and specifically those teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), are finding creative methods to incorporate digital learning into their classrooms. This interactive presentation will highlight a variety of approaches that can be used in the ESL writing classroom to maximize student engagement and learning.
D.) Tillett 257, Comparing First Year Writing Programs in North-Central NJ Universities
Emily Axelrod (Kean University)
This presentation will examine the similarities and differences between First Year Writing Program curricula among universities in North-Central New Jersey, including but not limited to: Kean University, Montclair State University, Rutgers University (Newark), and Seton Hall University. In so doing we will foster a collaborative dialogue among attendees interested in exchanging best practices for teaching Freshman Composition.
E.) Tillett 254, Two Birds, One Stone: How Institutional Partnerships Can Facilitate Learning in Both Information Literacy and Analytical Research Writing
Lynda Dexheimer & Leslin Charles (Rutgers University)
This presentation will focus on the Writing Program course Research in the Disciplines, English 201, as a case study in how pedagogical and curricular collaboration between librarians and English faculty can facilitate the learning goals of information literacy and analytic writing demanded by the SAS core curriculum. The presentation will cover the digital tools developed by RU Libraries specifically for Research in the Disciplines, and will model how faculty members incorporate these tools as part of classroom practice. We will demonstrate how such tools can be adapted for use in other settings, and share assignments, activities, and student work that results from this collaborative project.
F.) Tillett 232, Meet the Keynote
Marc Cicchino (Northern Valley Regional High School District and Rutgers University)
Come and ask the questions you did not have time to ask after Dr. Marc Cicchino’s keynote presentation.
SESSION 2: 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
A.) Tillett 226, Phone It In: Using A Smartphone as an Academic Tool
Jessica Gicking-Aspden & Gina Yanuzzi (Rowan College at Burlington County)
We will demonstrate how smartphone technology can aid in multiple stages of the writing process engaging students on individual and small group levels. An overview of a variety of apps and tools already available on most smartphones will be provided as well as hands on activities to demonstrate the uses of these tools.
B.) Tillett 264, Mirror Mirror on the Screen: Metacognition in the Composition Curriculum
Ruth Yeselsen, Sean Horan, & Caren Stephenson (Piscataway High School)
We hope to open a discussion of the practical challenges and benefits of including sequential, flexible Reflection assignments in the Composition Curriculum as well as to consider some of the larger impacts of metacognition on Composition teaching philosophy. We will share reflection assignments we’ve written and student responses, discuss the role and impact of metacognition from teachers’ and students’ points of view, and invite participants to consider how they can increase the role of reflection in their own teaching practice.
C.) Tillett 258, Innovation through Imitation: Resurrecting Reading Workshop to Promote Student Voice
Oona Abrams (Chatham High School)
In this workshop, I will share with participants how I revised my course outline to allow for choice while still challenging students to improve as readers and writers, even in their final year of high school. I will also explain how I use mentor texts to teach rhetorical devices and compositional choices.
D.) Tillett 257, Flipping Your Writing Classroom: Using Creative Writing Workshops to Create Revisions Based on Author's Choice and Purpose
Michelle Wittle (Rowan University & Olney Charter School)
Peer editing no longer has to be two students paring up, circling mistakes, and then the author goes back to correct the mistakes. By using a creative writing workshopping method, students discuss the author's paper by questioning the text and diving deep into the purpose and craft of the nonfiction text. This can and has worked in a middle school, high school, and college setting. Come join the discussion.
E.) Tillett 204, Round Tables: What to Expect in a College Writing Class
Michael Goeller & Regina Masiello (Rutgers University), Jude Miller (Rowan University), and others
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. Feel free to join late.
F.) Tillett 232, Rethinking Digital Spaces: Constructing Creative Writing Spaces Out of Digital Platforms
Paul Bielecki, Jamison Standridge, Jennifer Bryan, & John Warren (Rutgers University)
Our session will consider how to utilize digital and social media platforms as effective writing spaces. We will discuss how students can use familiar online formats as a space where writing communities can be developed over the course of a semester.
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
LUNCH
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
LUNCH
LSC LIVINGSTON HALL
SESSION 3: 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
A.) Tillett 226, Why Every Teacher Should Be a Storyteller
Jason Armstrong (Robbinsville High School)
This workshop will explore how, by being a storyteller, teachers can inspire students to embrace storytelling and writing. Participants will hear stories presenter Jay Armstrong uses in class and learn how storytelling in a modern classroom can foster vulnerability, authenticity and risk taking--three things necessary to help students discover their own voice and tell their own story. In addition, this presentation will simulate a reading, drafting, editing and revising session that participants can infuse infuse in their classrooms to promote a healthy writing habit.
B.) Tillett 264, From Isolation to Community: Student-Driven Feedback Through Technology During the
Revision Process
Rachel Miller & Lindsay Gelay (Wall Township Public High School)
The presentation's objective is to encourage attendees, through demonstration and practice, to utilize three areas of technology -- the Google platform, websites, and social media -- to enable student-led revision in their classrooms. The presenters will share specific classroom experiences of how technology is used in student revision of writing, briefly teach the attendees how to use each of the technologies for student-driven revision, give the attendees time and guidance to practice their use, and lead the attendees in a debrief of the session's topic.
C.) Tillett 258, Flip Your Classroom and Engage your Students with Edpuzzle!
Laurie Hunter (Freehold Regional High School District) Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Jackson Liberty High School)
Face it--you can learn a lot from YouTube. Anything you want you know more about- there's a tutorial video available online to explain it, often more effectively than via the "powerpoint and take notes" technique used in most classrooms today. Edpuzzle (https://edpuzzle.com/) is an effective and engaging technology platform that can be used both within the classroom or as a means of "flipping the classroom" to provoke student thinking and allow for individualized assessment of media content- content that you likely already use in your classroom. Supported by Google, come learn how it can be applied in the English classroom to foster learning and understanding by every student!
D.) Tillet 257, Providing Student Feedback in First-Year Writing Courses: A Discussion of Methods,
Benefits, and Challenges
Madeline Anthes, Nina Ringer, Karen Deaver & Kathryn Gessner (The College of New Jersey)
Instructors from The College of New Jersey’s writing program will discuss various methods of providing feedback in a first-year writing course. In this panel, the instructors will discuss practical approaches for implementing conferencing in the classroom, including face-to-face conferencing, using online platforms such as Canvas, and a writing studio approach. This session will review how these methods can be implemented in other programs, and discuss the benefits and challenges of each method.
E.) Tillett 254, Eliminating Red Pen Syndrome & Giving Valuable Feedback
Michelle Rubano (Delran High School)
As teachers, we spend hours reading, giving feedback, and grading papers. After hours of tedious marking, our students quickly glance at their returned assignments and place them in their notebooks. Much to our dismay, we see many of the same issue on the next assignment, despite our efforts. This workshop will address alternate strategies offered to us using google docs that can be implemented immediately, that save time for teachers (cut your grading time in half!) and yield improvement for students. Please bring laptops.
F.) Tillett 232, Graphic Novels: Teaching Visual Literacy
Michael Quick (Colonia High School)
This workshop invites participants to get a hands-on experience within the realm of graphic novels. Participants will gain an introduction to the graphic novel genre, learn the format of the graphic novel, understand that the genre has a wide range of suitability for various types of learners, and understand how graphic novels promote literacy.
Jason Armstrong (Robbinsville High School)
This workshop will explore how, by being a storyteller, teachers can inspire students to embrace storytelling and writing. Participants will hear stories presenter Jay Armstrong uses in class and learn how storytelling in a modern classroom can foster vulnerability, authenticity and risk taking--three things necessary to help students discover their own voice and tell their own story. In addition, this presentation will simulate a reading, drafting, editing and revising session that participants can infuse infuse in their classrooms to promote a healthy writing habit.
B.) Tillett 264, From Isolation to Community: Student-Driven Feedback Through Technology During the
Revision Process
Rachel Miller & Lindsay Gelay (Wall Township Public High School)
The presentation's objective is to encourage attendees, through demonstration and practice, to utilize three areas of technology -- the Google platform, websites, and social media -- to enable student-led revision in their classrooms. The presenters will share specific classroom experiences of how technology is used in student revision of writing, briefly teach the attendees how to use each of the technologies for student-driven revision, give the attendees time and guidance to practice their use, and lead the attendees in a debrief of the session's topic.
C.) Tillett 258, Flip Your Classroom and Engage your Students with Edpuzzle!
Laurie Hunter (Freehold Regional High School District) Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Jackson Liberty High School)
Face it--you can learn a lot from YouTube. Anything you want you know more about- there's a tutorial video available online to explain it, often more effectively than via the "powerpoint and take notes" technique used in most classrooms today. Edpuzzle (https://edpuzzle.com/) is an effective and engaging technology platform that can be used both within the classroom or as a means of "flipping the classroom" to provoke student thinking and allow for individualized assessment of media content- content that you likely already use in your classroom. Supported by Google, come learn how it can be applied in the English classroom to foster learning and understanding by every student!
D.) Tillet 257, Providing Student Feedback in First-Year Writing Courses: A Discussion of Methods,
Benefits, and Challenges
Madeline Anthes, Nina Ringer, Karen Deaver & Kathryn Gessner (The College of New Jersey)
Instructors from The College of New Jersey’s writing program will discuss various methods of providing feedback in a first-year writing course. In this panel, the instructors will discuss practical approaches for implementing conferencing in the classroom, including face-to-face conferencing, using online platforms such as Canvas, and a writing studio approach. This session will review how these methods can be implemented in other programs, and discuss the benefits and challenges of each method.
E.) Tillett 254, Eliminating Red Pen Syndrome & Giving Valuable Feedback
Michelle Rubano (Delran High School)
As teachers, we spend hours reading, giving feedback, and grading papers. After hours of tedious marking, our students quickly glance at their returned assignments and place them in their notebooks. Much to our dismay, we see many of the same issue on the next assignment, despite our efforts. This workshop will address alternate strategies offered to us using google docs that can be implemented immediately, that save time for teachers (cut your grading time in half!) and yield improvement for students. Please bring laptops.
F.) Tillett 232, Graphic Novels: Teaching Visual Literacy
Michael Quick (Colonia High School)
This workshop invites participants to get a hands-on experience within the realm of graphic novels. Participants will gain an introduction to the graphic novel genre, learn the format of the graphic novel, understand that the genre has a wide range of suitability for various types of learners, and understand how graphic novels promote literacy.
SESSION 4: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
A.) Tillett 226, Using Art and History to Supplement Literature
Edward Chang (Red Bank Regional High School)
All it takes is 5: five pieces of art to generate at least an hour’s worth of discussion. In our rush to prepare students for the “next level,” essay writing, and standardized testing, we often forget to take the time to show students different ways to read, different ways to engage with Literature. With innovations in technology, Art no longer lives in history books. Sites like Google Arts & Culture, Artsy.net, and My Modern Met make art resources more available now than ever. In these resources, we are looking for a way to get through to each student. We are looking for students to express themselves, their ways of seeing, and their ways of reading the world.
B.) Tillett 264, Assigning, Creating, and Evaluating Poster Presentations in the Composition Classroom
Jennifer Mantle (Monmouth University)
The presenter will begin with discussing the rationale of assigning poster projects in the composition classroom as a form of visual rhetoric. Poster sessions provide students with the opportunity to depict emerging work, informally, in a visual format, and share it with a large number of people. This will include examples of the types of assignments that can effectively translate into this digital form of communication. These examples include end of the semester/capstone projects, as well as final exam presentations.
C.) Tillett 258, Tech Tools for Response and Reflection
Kathleen Mueller (Central Regional High School)
This presentation will introduce participants to several tech tools that teachers can use to in their instruction to increase student engagement and elicit responses to texts and the topics they raise. Padlet, Kahoot!, Flipgrid, Today's Meet, and Poll Everywhere are easy to use with computers, Chromebooks, tablets, or cell phones, these tools encourage participation by every student, getting them writing or speaking with concision and clarity in response to texts and classroom discussion, and the collective product provides opportunities for further discussion and student assessment. The presenter will show examples of how the tools have been used in her instruction, and participants will have an opportunity to use several of the tools.
D.) Tillett 106, Time with Your Tech: Experiment with What You Learned Today (so you can use it tomorrow!) in the Computer Lab
Michelle Rubano (Delran High School) & Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Jackson Liberty High School)
Take this time to try out some of the cool things you’ve learned today. There will be help available and together we can make sure the notes from today don’t end up lost and unused!
E.) Tillett 230, Assignment Swap: Share assignments, rubrics, ideas...anything you want!
Open to all and collaborative
If you have been looking for the perfect opportunity to sit and swap ideas with other teachers, now is your chance. Based on feedback from prior conferences we are now offering an assignment swap. Meet. Talk. Trade. Other teachers really are your best resource!
F.) Tillett 232, ALP: Using the Clinic Model in First Year Writing Course to Improve Retention & Success
Jessica Gicking-Aspden & Gina Yanuzzi (Rowan College at Burlington County).
The Accelerate Learning Program was developed to support struggling writers without requiring a remedial writing course. This model builds a support class into the student’s schedule while still allowing them to remain on track to graduation. The format of the program and the techniques used to support struggling writers in the clinic will be reviewed.
Edward Chang (Red Bank Regional High School)
All it takes is 5: five pieces of art to generate at least an hour’s worth of discussion. In our rush to prepare students for the “next level,” essay writing, and standardized testing, we often forget to take the time to show students different ways to read, different ways to engage with Literature. With innovations in technology, Art no longer lives in history books. Sites like Google Arts & Culture, Artsy.net, and My Modern Met make art resources more available now than ever. In these resources, we are looking for a way to get through to each student. We are looking for students to express themselves, their ways of seeing, and their ways of reading the world.
B.) Tillett 264, Assigning, Creating, and Evaluating Poster Presentations in the Composition Classroom
Jennifer Mantle (Monmouth University)
The presenter will begin with discussing the rationale of assigning poster projects in the composition classroom as a form of visual rhetoric. Poster sessions provide students with the opportunity to depict emerging work, informally, in a visual format, and share it with a large number of people. This will include examples of the types of assignments that can effectively translate into this digital form of communication. These examples include end of the semester/capstone projects, as well as final exam presentations.
C.) Tillett 258, Tech Tools for Response and Reflection
Kathleen Mueller (Central Regional High School)
This presentation will introduce participants to several tech tools that teachers can use to in their instruction to increase student engagement and elicit responses to texts and the topics they raise. Padlet, Kahoot!, Flipgrid, Today's Meet, and Poll Everywhere are easy to use with computers, Chromebooks, tablets, or cell phones, these tools encourage participation by every student, getting them writing or speaking with concision and clarity in response to texts and classroom discussion, and the collective product provides opportunities for further discussion and student assessment. The presenter will show examples of how the tools have been used in her instruction, and participants will have an opportunity to use several of the tools.
D.) Tillett 106, Time with Your Tech: Experiment with What You Learned Today (so you can use it tomorrow!) in the Computer Lab
Michelle Rubano (Delran High School) & Kristie-Anne Opaleski-Dimeo (Jackson Liberty High School)
Take this time to try out some of the cool things you’ve learned today. There will be help available and together we can make sure the notes from today don’t end up lost and unused!
E.) Tillett 230, Assignment Swap: Share assignments, rubrics, ideas...anything you want!
Open to all and collaborative
If you have been looking for the perfect opportunity to sit and swap ideas with other teachers, now is your chance. Based on feedback from prior conferences we are now offering an assignment swap. Meet. Talk. Trade. Other teachers really are your best resource!
F.) Tillett 232, ALP: Using the Clinic Model in First Year Writing Course to Improve Retention & Success
Jessica Gicking-Aspden & Gina Yanuzzi (Rowan College at Burlington County).
The Accelerate Learning Program was developed to support struggling writers without requiring a remedial writing course. This model builds a support class into the student’s schedule while still allowing them to remain on track to graduation. The format of the program and the techniques used to support struggling writers in the clinic will be reviewed.
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM LSC CONCOURSE
Distribution of Professional Development Certificates & Conference Evaluations
Thank you for attending our annual NJWA conference!
Distribution of Professional Development Certificates & Conference Evaluations
Thank you for attending our annual NJWA conference!
NJWA Officers and Committee Members
