Welcome

Welcome to Writer's Corner!  The focus of this blog is sharing ideas about teaching teens and young adults to write with voice and passion.  I am a Teacher Consultant for the National Writing Project through my IUSWP writing group, which inspires me and through which I have enriched both my writing and my life.  Writing poetry and attending writing retreats are two of my most favorite things to do.  I love reading and hope to instill a lifelong love of reading in my students. I am delighted that I have the opportunity to share my lesson plans and love of writing with teachers around the world through my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.  I have gained many ideas and much knowledge from my colleagues on the website and have shared awesome ideas I purchased there with my own students.

My favorite post is about "Developing A Community of Writers on the First Day of School". It includes my actual teaching lesson plan for that day.  I hope the Fifteen Minute Quickwrites and "I Am From" poems will help your students bond together and will help you will learn about your classes. There is no better way to learn about each other than by what is shared in writing.

I am also a veteran grant writer and I have included a section for paid grant help.  If you are interested in purchasing a grant search of available grants which might meet your needs, I am providing that service for a limited number of clients. Please inquire through my e-mail link in the upper right hand corner.

Linkys are fun and you will find secondary resources from TPT pinned at the bottom of the "Developing A Community of Writers on the First Day of School" post.  Enjoy.

I have been both a middle school and a high school teacher. During my career I have taught grades K-8 in gifted and talented cluster groups, including math, science, social studies and science.  My English classrooms included grades 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  I taught Media Production and Journalism in grades 8, 11, and 12 while serving as publication advisor for both yearbooks and newspapers. I sponsored writing contests, problem solving teams, academic teams, and the spell bowl teams.

On a Professional Development level, I have presented sessions about writing at the Indiana Teachers of Writing Conference in Indianapolis, at the Title I Conference in Vincennes, Indiana, at the IUSWP Conference in New Albany, and other professional development workshops. I served as Guidance Counselor and Test Coordinator for K-6 and 7-12 schools. Broad Based High Ability Committee Chairperson and Coordinator, Title I Coordinator, School Improvement Plan Coordinator, Textbook Committee Chairperson, and School Improvement Plan Coordinator are several other groups I worked with during my career.