Why might I host a Write-In for College students?
If you work in teacher education, any of the guides created for elementary through secondary classrooms might be interesting for your students to explore. The things Jacqueline Woodson has to say in her videos about the power of writing and its ability to create hope and change are universal, and will likely resonate with any group of students with whom you work.
In videos 2 and 3 she reads excerpts from her books, so even if your students are not familiar with her work they will get to listen to some of her writing. Woodson’s picture books, her brand new middle-grade novel Harbor Me, and her YA literature offer great companion texts to the videos and good launchpads for your students’ own writing. But you may also use an exploration of her Writing = Hope x Change equation as an opportunity to facilitate an action-oriented Write-In with your students. Below you’ll find a full Write-In instructional plan, written by NCTE members and designed to support advocacy for education issues, which can be used and adapted for the college level.
Video 1: Why I Write
Jacqueline Woodson talks about why she writes, her process, and why it’s important for us all to share our words.
Video 2: Writing = Hope x Change
Jacqueline Woodson explains the “equation” that fuels her work and how it plays out in the books she writes. She reads an excerpt from Each Kindness and points to the moment of change in that story that propels it forward. She concludes with a call to action, inviting us all to tell our stories of hope and change.
Video 3: What will your words change?
Jacqueline Woodson shares an excerpt from her most recent book Harbor Me, centered on a group of middle school students, and discusses how as writers we can create change by questioning the narrative we see around us and sharing the truth of our own stories.
How to Host a Write-In
This resource was developed by Holly Hassel, editor of Teaching English in the Two-Year College and professor at the University of Wisconsin Marathon County, drawing from resources written with Amy Lueck, Jeff Andelora, and Carolyn Calhoon-Dillahunt.
Many educators have felt called to engage with recent public and government conversations about education, language, and literacy. They want to be active in shaping local and national policy and to help their students use their rhetorical skills to do the same. With impending changes to literacy and educational policies across the country, there is no better time to engage our colleagues and to teach our students to advocate.
In hosting a Write-In, writing professionals and writing classes at every grade and level across the country will compose texts that reflect on and advocate for literacy learning. By using the provided activities and or developing their own, this guide can help teachers and their students engage in purpose-driven, persuasive writing for a range of public audiences.
Everyday Advocacy
If you want to dive deeper into writing as a tool for change, visit this resource created by NCTE member Cathy Fleisher and several educators with whom she has worked. This site offers a look into what it means to organize for change and into the critical role that reading, research, and writing can play in working thoughtfully to solve problems. The site includes recommendations for how to use its resources for professional learning, college writing courses, and teacher education courses.