Testimonials

I signed up for the project because 5 graduate credits was an irresistible offer. What I got out of it was one of the most enjoyable and valuable professional developments I've ever participated in.

I was a little concerned at first about what place a chemistry teacher had in a workshop about writing, but my concerns evaporated within the first day. All good teachers share a love for our profession and a commitment to our students that underlies everything we do. We shared stories of experiences we could all relate to, and we supported and cheered for each other as we debriefed each session. Every lesson that was presented provided me with ideas I could use to enrich my class and help my students use writing to engage with chemistry on a deeper and more personal level.

But my favorite part of the class was the personal writing we did each day. Every quick write prompt or writing lesson took me back to my spunky, confident 3rd grade self who "wanted to be a writer" when she grew up, but now with an adult perspective that told me I had the skills and strategies to do so. This class also helped me to see that everything I've studied and learned about science has given me something to write about, the color and flavor for my pieces. It reminded me how much fun writing is, and inspired me to share that enthusiasm with my chemistry students.

At the beginning of the WRWP, I reflected on how most of the writing I shared with my students that I am proud of was done during my undergrad work from a few years back. Participating in the WRWP encouraged me to get back doing what I love--writing! However, the WRWP wasn't just a platform to write, it was also an opportunity to learn best practices from other teachers who have mastered concepts in their craft. I will be a participant in the WRWP in the future and would highly recommend the program in the future. I would honestly do the program even if the master's credits weren't offered, it was that worthwhile!

The benefits this project provides are endless. Seriously! I would recommend this class to anyone, no matter their ability level, no matter the content they teach. In fact, it wouldn’t matter if you were a teacher or not. This class brought new friendships, new insights, and opened my eyes to new techniques I can use in my future reading and writing. The feedback I received from my peers, the director, the coordinators.. so meaningful! So helpful.