Reader-Writer

READER/WRITER CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE MOST DISTRESSED MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS. DESPITE THE ALMOST-DAILY HALLWAY FIGHTS CLASSROOM DRAMA AND HIGH ABSENTEE RATE, STUDENTS WROTE MORE ESSAYS THAN THE YEAR PREVIOUS. OUR VOLUNTEER NUMBERS SLOWLY CLIMBED AND READERS SHIFTED TO ENGAGE MORE RELATIONALLY WITH STUDENT WRITERS.A NEW TEACHER TO THE PROGRAM GREW TO INCORPORATE OUR WRITING APPROACH IN HER CURRICULUM AND CLASSROOM SCHEDULE AND HAS COME TO BE A VIGOROUS ADDITION TO OUR TEAM OF SUPPORT.SOME READERS, NOTABLY A COUPLE OF JUDGES, HAVE COMMENTED ON HOW WELL WE HAVE KEPT THE PROGRAM RUNNING FAIRLY SMOOTHLY DESPITE THE MANY ISSUES CURRENTLY EXPERIENCED WITHIN PUBLIC EDUCATION. THEY AND OTHER INFLUENTIAL READERS HAVE TAKEN ON READER/WRITER AS THEIR VOLUNTEER-WORK-OF-CHOICE AND BECOME STRONG ADVOCATES WITHIN THEIR FIELD. I CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF 2022.ALSO DURING 2022, WE PUBLISHED A BOOK OF STUDENT POETRY AND ART WHICH EACH STUDENT AND VOLUNTEER RECEIVED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WE INTRODUCED "WRITER'S CAF" INTO THE PARTICIPATING SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM AND PROVIDED THE DRINKS AND SNACKS STUDENTS ENJOYED ON WRITING DAYS. THESE STUDENTS WROTE OFTEN ANDWITH A LOT OF TEACHER AND READER SUPPORTSO WELL THAT SEVERAL OF THEIR ESSAYS WERE PUBLISHED IN A LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER, ALONG WITH THEIR PICTURES.