Teaching of Writing Series
Session 1 of 3
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2019
Time:8:30-3:30
Location: North Georgia RESA
Cost: $75 in area fee - $150 out of area fee
(Registration fee includes lunch)
SESSION 1 OF 3:
The Siamese Twins of Literacy: Reading and Writing
This session will explore the challenges that come with higher expectations for student achievement. Standards-based, research-based, performance-based, and TKES-based instructional strategies will be presented in an interactive session that will demonstrate how to develop better writers. A close connection exists between reading and writing, analysis and synthesis; they represent the Siamese twins of literacy – connected at the head! Teachers must help students make sense of what they read by engaging in close reading of complex texts that combine both literary and informational selections, and include art, photography, music, and video – whatever it takes to connect the learning to their writing in novel, creative ways. Caveat: writing should never be punitive; students must get over the fear of a blank sheet of paper. In order to do that, teachers must connect the writing to their reading in creative lessons that probe the depths of critical thinking. The goal? Creative, higher-order thinking and higher achievement! Creativity and innovation is coupled with practical and successful classroom instruction that teachers may implement when they return to school next week.
Carolyn Waters is a graduate of
¨ University of Alabama (AB degree),
¨ Nashville Law School (J.D.), and
¨ University of West Georgia (M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees).
Carolyn has over 21 years of classroom teaching experience and has taught in five different states: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. She taught English for twelve years at Walton High School in Cobb County, a flagship school in Georgia. After leaving the classroom, Ms. Waters served as the English Language Arts/Literacy 6-12 Supervisor for Cobb County Schools for 10 years (second largest district in Georgia) where she was responsible for curriculum, instruction, and assessment for the English discipline (grades 6-12) and planned the professional development for the English teachers in the district.
From January, 2014 to 2016, Ms. Waters served as the Program Manager for English Language Arts (K-12) at the Georgia Department of Education where she lead the revision of CCGPS and provided for the implementation of the Georgia Standards of Excellence for all English teachers in the state.