Ashlei's Action Plan -- Draft 1

Well, I'm going to do all of it, of course!

I plan on participating in the Fall Retreat. And, if I can find someone to pawn my kids on, I'd like my husband, who has written two novels, to come.

I plan on participating in a small writing group. I'd like to write creative nonfiction, some teaching related and some personal. Anyone interested? I will continue writing on my own, for myself, my kids. I stopped writing so Sam could write his books. Now, we'll just have to write together. I will also work with Kelly, as accountability partners, to write professionally and publish through conferences and journals.

In the interview yesterday, the committee asked about what kinds of professional development I was doing and how that would translate into my classroom. I talked a lot about the OWP and how the activities we did here would (and have already) gone into my classroom. I will provide my students with more writing opportunities -- velocity, fluency, productivity. I will revamp my research teaching, including aspects of several demos. From Susan, I will take slants on research and presenting information, from Julie, getting rid of preposterous language, and from Larry, excting research -- even digital research. From Liz, go-charts and fairy tales have a home in college writing, too. JoAnn and Shelly's demos using senses and cross-senses to describe what they are saying. Zak's demo will play-up my classroom. Caroline and Keri gave great pre-writing techniques, and Thomas will help my students put skin on their characters, and Michael will create better conversation in the classroom. Teri, Hayley, and Laura bring stronger images, visual images, from poetic style into the prose in a college classroom. From Casey, I take great facilitation example to model for my students. Jason brings sound to the room, Barb brings blogging discussions to my lessons, and observation of detail and speed from Julia.

During this institute, I first focused on generation. I had so many things I wanted to start, so many ideas burning, that I just shot out tons of first drafts. Next year, I would like to focus on revisiting, revising, reformulating, re-ing my writing. I am better at journaling, probably my weakest motivation, because we wrote everyday. I just did it. Surely, I can just keep doing it.

Looking through the options, I am overwhelmed. I would like to participate in retreats, writing groups, local and national, in attending meetings, conferences, and professional developments. I would like to publish. Peter Elbow got to be Peter Elbow because he wrote and published. I can be Peter Elbow, only as Ashlei Woelk. I am excited about sharing professional developments to other teachers. I have sat through horrible in-services where my principal stole my electronic Yatzee game so he could play it. I moved on to crosswords. This group of people can make in-service worthwhile and helpful to teachers. I want to be a part of the differences.

Thank you so much for this (and these) opportunity!