When I was younger I often dreamed of being a writer. In my dreams I wrote novels like the ones I enjoyed reading. In 2009 I participated in the National Writing Project at Laurel, Montana. This was a watershed event in my life and my teaching. It was also the first concrete step to making my dream of being a writer real.
My next milestone was participating in the Slice of Life Challenge in 2010. I gained confidence. I wrote for a real audience. This challenge is something I do for myself. Each year I grow as a teacher and a writer. It has been my great joy to become on-line friends with some of the slicers. As I read other slicers work I am inspired and challenged to try new things. It is a safe place to take risks.
I have not written the great American Novel as I imagined. Instead I write non-fiction. I have written many pieces for the Montana Historical Society. My Hazel Hunkins unit that I wrote for the Montana Historical Society was picked up on the Chronicling America page under Extra! Extra! http://www.loc.gov/ndnp/extras/
Several years later I became part of a team that was involved with an outreach training program from the Library of Congress. We worked with their amazing team in Denver.
My writing has merged with my research interest and my love of history. Each opportunity has helped hone my writing and my presentation skills. This spring I was nominated for the Gilder Lehrman 2015 Montana History Teacher of the Year award. I was walking on air when I learned I was the winner.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers Teacher Seminars during the summer. This is the 2016 offerings https://www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-exhibitions/2016-teacher-seminars . The session I am going to this summer is "The Era of George Washington".
They also sponsor the "Dear George Washington Contest" for K-5 students, http://www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-exhibitions/dear-george-washington-contest .
My family will drive me out to Mount Vernon so I can attend the session. We plan to do some site seeing along the way. Then they will return home and I will fly back when the session is over.
I think it is tradition when school begins to have at least one writing exercise about "Summer Vacation". This year I will be bringing back some wonderful stories about our country, our history and our opportunities. Yes I can hardly wait to write "What I did on my summer vacation."
My next milestone was participating in the Slice of Life Challenge in 2010. I gained confidence. I wrote for a real audience. This challenge is something I do for myself. Each year I grow as a teacher and a writer. It has been my great joy to become on-line friends with some of the slicers. As I read other slicers work I am inspired and challenged to try new things. It is a safe place to take risks.
I have not written the great American Novel as I imagined. Instead I write non-fiction. I have written many pieces for the Montana Historical Society. My Hazel Hunkins unit that I wrote for the Montana Historical Society was picked up on the Chronicling America page under Extra! Extra! http://www.loc.gov/ndnp/extras/
Several years later I became part of a team that was involved with an outreach training program from the Library of Congress. We worked with their amazing team in Denver.
My writing has merged with my research interest and my love of history. Each opportunity has helped hone my writing and my presentation skills. This spring I was nominated for the Gilder Lehrman 2015 Montana History Teacher of the Year award. I was walking on air when I learned I was the winner.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers Teacher Seminars during the summer. This is the 2016 offerings https://www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-exhibitions/2016-teacher-seminars . The session I am going to this summer is "The Era of George Washington".
They also sponsor the "Dear George Washington Contest" for K-5 students, http://www.gilderlehrman.org/programs-exhibitions/dear-george-washington-contest .
My family will drive me out to Mount Vernon so I can attend the session. We plan to do some site seeing along the way. Then they will return home and I will fly back when the session is over.
I think it is tradition when school begins to have at least one writing exercise about "Summer Vacation". This year I will be bringing back some wonderful stories about our country, our history and our opportunities. Yes I can hardly wait to write "What I did on my summer vacation."
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