Embedded Files
A.1 | We're All Authors!: Publishing a Class Book with Studentreasures
(preK - 12th)
Kristen deJong & Anna Barton
Room # 313
In this session participants will explore the process of how to guide students into becoming real, published authors through the company Studentreasures. Publishing a class book is a great way to connect ideas across many content areas (such as writing about a social studies or science concept), celebrate student successes and autonomy during the writing process, and even involve families in creating the final product. The kit of book materials is completely free and sent directly from Studentreasures. Students can also order a personal copy of the book to keep.
This session will give teachers an opportunity to learn more about what the publishing process entails, the time to sign up for a kit, and engage in meaningful writing activities/brainstorming with one another to prepare their students for success.
Kristen has worked as an elementary teacher for the past 9 years in both kindergarten and second grade. She also currently serves as the K-2 ELA curriculum chair in her building. In 2022, Kristen earned her National Board Certification and was also named the District Teacher of the Year. Her passions in this profession include all things literacy, supporting student and teacher growth, and bringing back the joy in teaching.
(preK - 12th)
Kristen deJong & Anna Barton
Room # 313
In this session participants will explore the process of how to guide students into becoming real, published authors through the company Studentreasures. Publishing a class book is a great way to connect ideas across many content areas (such as writing about a social studies or science concept), celebrate student successes and autonomy during the writing process, and even involve families in creating the final product. The kit of book materials is completely free and sent directly from Studentreasures. Students can also order a personal copy of the book to keep.
This session will give teachers an opportunity to learn more about what the publishing process entails, the time to sign up for a kit, and engage in meaningful writing activities/brainstorming with one another to prepare their students for success.
Kristen has worked as an elementary teacher for the past 9 years in both kindergarten and second grade. She also currently serves as the K-2 ELA curriculum chair in her building. In 2022, Kristen earned her National Board Certification and was also named the District Teacher of the Year. Her passions in this profession include all things literacy, supporting student and teacher growth, and bringing back the joy in teaching.
Anna Barton has served as the Director of Instructional Effectiveness for Bayless School District since 2022. Prior to her current role, she worked as an instructional coach and curriculum chair for English Language Arts. She has over a decade of teaching experience in high school ELA classrooms and is passionate about helping teachers and leaders grow.
A.2 | Legos, Hot Wheels, and Playdoh: Bringing Manipulatives into the Writing Classroom
(3rd - Higher Ed)
Bonnie Staudt, Dona Coleman, & Julie Weber
Room # Chamber
Participants will engage with manipulatives to explore how hands-on activities allow for creative and personalized learning and can help students articulate a better understanding of concepts in the writing classroom. The focus will be on analytical, narrative and argument writing.
We are AP teachers at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O'Fallon, Missouri, who are on a collaborative journey to enhance students' critical thinking and experimentation with writing process, structure, mode and voice.
(3rd - Higher Ed)
Bonnie Staudt, Dona Coleman, & Julie Weber
Room # Chamber
Participants will engage with manipulatives to explore how hands-on activities allow for creative and personalized learning and can help students articulate a better understanding of concepts in the writing classroom. The focus will be on analytical, narrative and argument writing.
We are AP teachers at Fort Zumwalt West High School in O'Fallon, Missouri, who are on a collaborative journey to enhance students' critical thinking and experimentation with writing process, structure, mode and voice.
A.3 | Feedback & Fellowship: The Power of Classroom Writing Circles
(6th - 12th)
Nana Becoat
Room #316
The Writing Feedback Classroom Circle is designed to foster classroom community around writing. The Writing Circle helps foster trust, vulnerability and constructive feedback while demonstrating that writing is a shared experience. The Circle is never entered lightly and must be an established classroom routine so students feel comfortable sharing their work. The Circle can be implemented on either micro or macro levels. Students may facilitate and share their work within their own independent writing circle groups and teachers may facilitate the process with the whole class.
During the session, teachers will participate in a writing circle that models the format they can implement in their own classrooms first with a student sample and then with their own writing. The session will close with teachers engaging in a group reflection of the experience.
Nana Becoat is an award-winning English teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience. She spent the majority of her career teaching middle school and recently transitioned to high school. Nana currently teaches English 1 and 2 in Hazelwood, MO. She enjoys collaborating with other teachers and has facilitated several workshops on critical literacy, Hip Hop pedagogy, and culturally relevant teaching. In 2024, Nana will earn her doctoral degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in Social Justice in Education. Nana spends her free time teaching yoga, gardening, reading, writing, hosting writing workshops and poetry slams, taking long road trips, and volunteering in her community. She believes in the transformative power of circles and deep breathing. Nana knows that we must breathe and bend so we don’t break.
(6th - 12th)
Nana Becoat
Room #316
The Writing Feedback Classroom Circle is designed to foster classroom community around writing. The Writing Circle helps foster trust, vulnerability and constructive feedback while demonstrating that writing is a shared experience. The Circle is never entered lightly and must be an established classroom routine so students feel comfortable sharing their work. The Circle can be implemented on either micro or macro levels. Students may facilitate and share their work within their own independent writing circle groups and teachers may facilitate the process with the whole class.
During the session, teachers will participate in a writing circle that models the format they can implement in their own classrooms first with a student sample and then with their own writing. The session will close with teachers engaging in a group reflection of the experience.
Nana Becoat is an award-winning English teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience. She spent the majority of her career teaching middle school and recently transitioned to high school. Nana currently teaches English 1 and 2 in Hazelwood, MO. She enjoys collaborating with other teachers and has facilitated several workshops on critical literacy, Hip Hop pedagogy, and culturally relevant teaching. In 2024, Nana will earn her doctoral degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in Social Justice in Education. Nana spends her free time teaching yoga, gardening, reading, writing, hosting writing workshops and poetry slams, taking long road trips, and volunteering in her community. She believes in the transformative power of circles and deep breathing. Nana knows that we must breathe and bend so we don’t break.
A.4 | Moving Past the Theme Essay in the New Land of AI
(6th - Higher Ed)
Gwyndolyn Savens
Room #314
Teachers will actively participate in a classroom strategy that provides a more personalized and thoughtful analysis of theme. This session will model a classroom essay that is AI proof-- and more importantly, an essay that students want to write. It will be an essay experience that stays with students long after class is over.
Gwyndolyn is a dedicated teacher of teenagers, both at school and at home. She has been a teacher for 19 years spanning 6th to 11th grade. After teaching middle school for over a decade, she has spent the last 7 years teaching Gifted English at Webster Groves High School.
(6th - Higher Ed)
Gwyndolyn Savens
Room #314
Teachers will actively participate in a classroom strategy that provides a more personalized and thoughtful analysis of theme. This session will model a classroom essay that is AI proof-- and more importantly, an essay that students want to write. It will be an essay experience that stays with students long after class is over.
Gwyndolyn is a dedicated teacher of teenagers, both at school and at home. She has been a teacher for 19 years spanning 6th to 11th grade. After teaching middle school for over a decade, she has spent the last 7 years teaching Gifted English at Webster Groves High School.
A.5 | Layered Reading and Writing and Graphic Organizers to Support Critical Thinking and Argument Writing
(6th - 12th)
Hannah Cunningham & Jen Maddock
Room # 315
Do you have trouble getting your students excited about writing arguments? Do your students have trouble taking what they’ve read and using it as evidence to make strong arguments? In this session, Hannah and Jen will share strategies that help students become critical thinkers through the process of layered reading and writing to construct arguments. Hannah will share her experience with layered arguments with her chemistry students. She will share adaptations she made to engage students and build on their existing background knowledge and graphic organizers that helped her students with this process. Participants will gain insights into making argument writing more accessible to students in ALL disciplines by engaging in the argument process modeled after the National Writing Project’s C3WP course. They will also learn about follow-up opportunities to support them in this work.
Hannah has been teaching Science for 22 years in an urban setting. She has been involved with the Gateway Writing Project since 2012. Currently, she works at University City High school teaching Chemistry, Biology and Physical Science. She enjoys participating in any professional development that allows her to learn new things about ways to engage her students in all types of literacy. She earned a BS. in Biology from University of the Ozarks, a M.Ed. in Secondary Education a Graduate Certificate in Writing from University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a M.S. in Geoscience from Mississippi State University.
(6th - 12th)
Hannah Cunningham & Jen Maddock
Room # 315
Do you have trouble getting your students excited about writing arguments? Do your students have trouble taking what they’ve read and using it as evidence to make strong arguments? In this session, Hannah and Jen will share strategies that help students become critical thinkers through the process of layered reading and writing to construct arguments. Hannah will share her experience with layered arguments with her chemistry students. She will share adaptations she made to engage students and build on their existing background knowledge and graphic organizers that helped her students with this process. Participants will gain insights into making argument writing more accessible to students in ALL disciplines by engaging in the argument process modeled after the National Writing Project’s C3WP course. They will also learn about follow-up opportunities to support them in this work.
Hannah has been teaching Science for 22 years in an urban setting. She has been involved with the Gateway Writing Project since 2012. Currently, she works at University City High school teaching Chemistry, Biology and Physical Science. She enjoys participating in any professional development that allows her to learn new things about ways to engage her students in all types of literacy. She earned a BS. in Biology from University of the Ozarks, a M.Ed. in Secondary Education a Graduate Certificate in Writing from University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a M.S. in Geoscience from Mississippi State University.
Jen is a middle school language arts teacher who has stepped away to be home with her two, young sons. She spends her days trying to sneak in some writing and reading in between her children’s demands for snacks and cries for more screen time. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Missouri Baptist University and a Certificate in Brain Research and Education from Johns Hopkins University. She currently serves as a Gateway Writing Project Teacher Consultant helping teachers build communities of readers and writers.
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