This is an excerpt of writing from the writing marathon that took place at Bennett Springs State Park on September 19. 2:37 p.m., along the stream between spring and river Families come to Bennett Spring, the one next to us a mother, father, and an eight-year-old son. Norman Rockwell, were he painting in Missouri this day, could do no better. The gnats, though, might tax … [Read more...] about Writing Marathon Writing by Terry Bond
This reflection was written in response to our OWP Fall Writing Retreat and Renewal at Bennett Springs State Park on Sept. 18-20. Reflection For the short time that I was there it was like coming home and being with my own kind. All of the teachers that I have been involved with have exhibited true professionalism and dedication. In the twenty years that I have been a … [Read more...] about Fall Writing Retreat Reflection by Karen Leonard
The following reflection was written by Dr. Gretchen Teague about the First Annual Ozarks Writing Project Fall Writing Retreat held at Bennett Springs State Park on Sept. 18-20, 2015. September 29, 2015 7:45 A.M. Back Home in Springfield, MO Remembering Fire and Water Thinking back, it is hard to imagine the first annual OWP Writer’s Retreat at Bennett Springs was … [Read more...] about Remebering Fire And Water by Dr. Gretchen Teague
Every day, like an annoying alarm, Jimmy walked by my room, stood in the doorway, and asked, “Do I have speech today?”. He had no sense of time, no idea of yesterday and tomorrow. Jimmy came to my classroom twice a week for thirty minutes at a time, and we worked on speech sounds and language concepts. Sometimes, when I felt he’d had enough of those, we worked on his … [Read more...] about Jimmy by Jana Parrigon, 2015 SI Teacher Consultant
The Ozarks Writing Project 2015 Summer Institute is just around the corner, i.e. June 8-July 1, 2015. With that in mind, I wanted to write to first remind local educators (in all content areas and grade levels) that we are accepting applications to the institute due on March 23. The instructions for the institute are posted on this website. I experienced my first summer … [Read more...] about Living Well: The Value of Teaching Place
Twelve teacher leaders are participating in a Teacher Leadership Workshop course throughout this spring semester. We are focused upon understanding more deeply what it means to be a teacher leader in our own classrooms, within our school district (or university) and within our local community. We are investigating what it means to become an advocate for our profession by the … [Read more...] about Planting Seeds: How Do We Grow as Teacher Leaders?