Anti-Racist Writing Workshop/Book Study Session 5
Presented by the Capital District Writing Project in collaboration with the New York State English Council
Dates:
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Note: There is one registration fee for this series of five Workshops
Registration: Click here to register with Capital District Writing Project
Time: 6:30pm-8pm
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: $60/series of 5 workshops
Questions? Email Amy Salamone, click here
Text:
Book Study: The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop:
How to Decolonize the Creative Classroom by Felicia Rose Chavez
In her introduction to The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop, Felicia Rose Chavez writes, “Silencing writers is central to the traditional writing workshop model.” This book study will explore what it means to cultivate voice, particularly for students of color who are often underrepresented in traditional classroom texts.
The book explores topics that include:
• Fostering Engagement, Mindfulness, and Generosity
• Instituting Reading and Writing Rituals
• Completing the Canon
• Owning the Language of Craft
• Teaching Writers to Workshop
• Conferencing as Critique
The goal of the Anti-Racist Writing Workshop is to “create healthy, sustainable and empowering classroom communities.”
This book study is appropriate for middle level and high school teachers and teaching assistants. Participants will read and discuss the text, share experiences, and develop plans for use in professional contexts.
Participants will:
• need to obtain a copy of the text before the course begins.
• need to be NYSEC members.
• earn 15 CTLE hours by registering through the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center’s My Learning Plan.
Facilitators
• Nicole French is a hall principal at Shaker Middle School. After spending more than seventeen years in a sixth grade classroom she ventured into administration in the hopes to achieve more equitable education for all students. She volunteers with the City of Albany mentoring young women of Albany County and overseeing a literacy program. It is her commitment to the learning of students and teachers, and it’s ability to make change in schools and communities, that keeps her steadfast in this career.
• Darshna Katwala is a professor at Nassau Community College, she serves as the site director of the Long Island Writing Project and coordinates the Women’s and Gender Studies Project. She is a faculty leader committed to encouraging lifelong reading and writing with a special interest in multi-cultural studies and social justice issues. She believes in the power of stories and that writing can transform your being.
• Amy Salamone is a retired English teacher. She taught for 29 years at Guilderland High School. She is presently serving as a co-director of the Capital District Writing Project and co-facilitator of the Freedom Dreaming for Educational Justice initiative. Her belief in the power of education to change the world is only surpassed by her commitment to creating safe and equitable communities where both teachers and students are able to realize their dreams.
• Leah Werther is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coach at Niskayuna High School. Prior to this role, she taught English Language Arts for 16 years. Leah serves as a co-director of the Capital District Writing Project and co-facilitator of the Freedom Dreaming for Educational Justice initiative. She was invited by #DisruptTexts co-founders, Dr. Kim Parker and Tricia Ebarvia, to write a piece for #31DaysIBPOC and is an active member of NCTE’s Asian / Asian American Caucus.
About the Capital District Writing Project
The Capital District Writing Project (CDWP) is a community of K-College educators working to enhance the teaching of writing in the Capital Region’s schools. Located within UAlbany’s School of Education, the CDWP brings together teachers from throughout the Capital Region to create a vibrant community of life-long learners. As a site of the National Writing Project, we envision a future where every person is an accomplished writer, engaged learner, and active participant in an interconnected, digital world.
