(OWP) Practicum in the Teaching of Writing (Saturday Seminars)

After the camaraderie of the Summer Institute, too often teachers return to the isolation of their classroom. But you can reclaim your institute community in the Saturday Seminars. Whether you long for the laughter and tears of teachers sharing stories or you miss a community of teacher writers who seek to increase their students’ love for writing or their ability to punctuate, you will fill your needs in the Saturday Seminars.

Saturday Seminars are a year-long series of 3-hour workshops facilitated by OWP Director Linda Christensen, Co-director Katharine Johnson and Teacher Consultants. This class will focus on practical classroom strategies and discussions that help develop students as writers as well as teachers as writers. Topics vary from session to session, but each will include time for teacher writing and reflection as well as a framework or lesson to take back to the classroom.

Prerequisite: 4-Week Invitational Summer Institute

Dates: Saturdays, September 24, October 29, December 3, January 14, February 11, March 10, April 21, and May 12

Special required event: OWP Renewal Day, Thursday February 16 ($20 registration fee not included in tuition).

Makeup day event: Northwest Teachers for Social Justice Conference, or OCTE Conference, both on Saturday, October 1. More information about these events will be provided in class.

Times: Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon; Thursday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location: Saturdays, Lewis & Clark Graduate Campus, Rogers Hall room 105; Thursday, McMenamin’s Kennedy School, 5736 Northeast 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97211

Instructor: Linda Christensen, M.Ed., OWP Director

Degree-applicable credit: ED 594, 2 semester hours, $1,476

Continuing education credit: CEED 894, 2 semester hours, $700

To register, or more information contact Pam Hooten at phooten@lclark.edu. 

Linda Christensen, M. Ed. has been involved in the Oregon Writing Project (OWP) since her first National Writing Project Summer Institute in 1980. An often requested keynote speaker at educator conferences nationally and internationally, Linda has taught and/or provided literacy coaching in public schools for 30 years, including seven years as the PPS district language arts specialist, and regularly provides professional development in writing across the curriculum for regional schools. Linda is an activist, leader, and author for Rethinking Schools, a national grassroots teacher reform organization, and author of two books: Reading, Writing and Rising Up and Teaching for Joy and Justice.