More than two dozen Wabash Community Unit School District #348 educators are bringing new ideas for teaching writing back to their classrooms after attending a professional development conference this summer.
During the July school board meeting, Mount Carmel Junior/Senior High School Assistant Principal Logan Crum and sixth-grade English Language Arts teacher Meagan Steckler updated board members on the district's participation in the Smekens Writing Institute in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Crum said all district administrators and approximately 25 teachers from kindergarten through eighth grade attended the two-day conference, which was funded through the junior high school improvement grant.
He said district data has shown writing is an area where students need improvement, prompting the district to seek additional training.
Crum said the conference focused on helping teachers better engage students in writing, improve writing instruction, and encourage students to become more confident writers.
Steckler said the conference offered grade-level specific sessions, allowing teachers to focus on strategies most appropriate for their students. She said while the training was available virtually, attending in person allowed educators to collaborate with teachers from other schools and exchange ideas.
She added that participants received access to online resources from every conference session, allowing them to continue learning long after the event.
Steckler said one of the biggest benefits was learning practical writing strategies and mini-lessons that can easily be incorporated into the district's existing curriculum without requiring major changes to classroom instruction.
She also noted the same organization offers a reading conference, which district educators are already considering for future professional development.
Board members praised the training and discussed how many of the writing fundamentals taught decades ago, including organizing essays with introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions, continue to serve as the foundation for strong writing today.
