Project welcomes pre-service teachers

The South Texas Writing Project (STWP) reached a new, successful chapter as the program was brought to it’s new home here at TAMIU.Dr. Ellen Barker, Site Director and Associate Professor, joined Dora Flores, Summer Institute Co-Director, in directing the largest assembly to date, as 15 people took part in the program.This year brought new additions and a trend-setting movement to STWP. “We added more technology, theory and pre-service teachers (PSTs),” explained Barker. In its 10-year history, this is the first time pre-service teachers participated. The National Writing Project has traditionally recruited experienced teachers with field-tested lessons. “At first, I was doubtful,” said Flores. “I feared PST’s would have little to contribute.” However, as she and Barker interviewed applicants, she was struck by the PST’s awareness critical teaching.issues [and] realized they weren’t coming empty-handed.”STWP’s decision to include PST’s caused shock waves, but the teacher consultants applauded the move. “Having certified teachers and pre-service teachers provides for a good mixture of opinions, ideas, and experience,” said Erika Garza, a pre-service high school English teacher.Virginia Castillo, a Nixon English teacher, agreed, “The new and the not-so-new combine philosophies to provide the best of the best services to our children in schools.””PST’s bring an excitement and fresh enthusiasm to teaching,” said Barker.Along with a short research paper, fellows wrote creative pieces, participated in peer-response groups, recorded minutes, provided journal topics, and presented a lesson.Several fellows felt overwhelmed but generally agreed the work was well worth the effort. “It went beyond writing. We went over two to three lesson plans per day, wrote in our journal, and shared our work with response groups,” said Christian Esparza, an English education major. Barker noted because of its academic rigor fellows graduate as Teacher Consultants (TCs), who earn six hours of credit in English or education at the master’s level.The benefits of participating in the Institute don’t end with college credit.”TCs can participate in Advisory Council meetings, ongoing writing seminars, continuous writing groups, and faculty workshops,” said Barker.One of the goals of the STWP is to create a community where teachers share, help, learn, evaluate and refine their practices of teaching writing. STWP provides a means to further expand the network by bringing in new, old, and future educators.TAMIU is currently hosting two STWP youth camps which are being. Barker said seminars for new teachers and advanced institutes for TC graduates are in the works.With the Summer Institute behind them, the fellows were asked to describe the experience in a word or sentence. “The Institute was enlightening and sends me back to the classroom empowered,” said Castillo. Applications will be available in February for interested service or pre-service teachers on the Language and Literature Website: . For more information, contact Barker at ebarker@tamiu.edu, 326-2473, or her office, PH 314C.