Throughout the past year, I had the opportunity to work alongside two truly brilliant educators to research, reflect, and write about one of the projects I’m most proud to be part of: bringing a university-supported writing center into our high school. This program is a collaborative effort between classroom teachers, university faculty, and preservice teachers, all centered around one simple belief – every student deserves an authentic audience and meaningful support as a writer.
The article shares how the program came to life, what we learned along the way, and why partnerships like these can make such a difference for both high school students and future teachers. In the introduction, we explain, “This case study matters because it outlines the importance of school-university partnerships, while it also offers insight into how school-university partnerships can evolve over time to better support preservice teacher development, secondary writing instruction, and cross-institutional collaboration.” Building community through writing has always been at the heart of my instruction, and this research is a reminder that some of the best learning happens when classrooms extend beyond their own four walls.
The above image is shared during mentor training and illustrates the various roles and responsibilities pre-service teachers take on through this partnership.
If you’re interested in creating a writing center, partnering with a local university, or simply curious about what this kind of collaboration can look like, I hope you’ll give it a read. You can find the full article here: ‘It’s a Win-Win Situation’— Cultivating University & School Partnerships.
Kelly Virgin is a WCWP teacher leader who teaches high school English for the Kennett Consolidated School District.
A cornerstone of my literature instruction is to treat every text as a mentor text. I want my students to see that readers are writers and writers are readers — even when the text feels intimidating at first. Lately, my high school ELD students have been studying Romeo and Juliet, and while Shakespeare’s language can feel overwhelming, his figurative language is actually the perfect invitation into creative writing.
Today’s lesson focused on similes and metaphors from the scenes when Romeo and Juliet first meet and later speak on the balcony. Before diving into Shakespeare’s lines, we started with a low-pressure brainstorm warm-up. Students made lists of people, foods/flavors, activities, sensory experiences, and things in nature that make them happy. This gave everyone a bank of ideas and images to pull from later.
Next, we reviewed teacher-generated examples of figurative language together:
“Mrs. Selter’s smile shines bright like the sun.”
“Ms. Virgin is a tornado of energy dropping assignments on our desks as she twirls around the room.”
We talked about the two parts of each comparison and discussed the deeper meaning behind the imagery. The goal was not just identifying similes and metaphors, but understanding what each comparison communicates.
Then students collaborated with partners to create their own figurative sentences. They:
Chose a topic card (“my best friend,” “school,” “the first day of school,” etc.)
Chose a positive or negative image from the board (“rollercoaster,” “sunflower,” “hug,” “volcano,” “traffic,” “broken pencil”)
Combined the ideas into original similes and metaphors
This part of the lesson was so much fun because the combinations led to some fresh and original figurative comparisons. Afterward, students completed a gallery walk where they read classmates’ examples, wrote down three favorites, and illustrated one image that stood out to them.
The second half of class brought us back to Shakespeare. Together, we studied six figurative language examples from Romeo and Juliet. We color-coded the “focus” of the comparison (Juliet, her eyes, Romeo, our love) in pink and the comparison image (sun, stars, lightning, dove) in blue. This visual support helped students clearly see how figurative language is constructed while also discussing the emotional meaning behind the imagery.
To support independent writing, I broke the lines we studied into accessible sentence stems students could build from:
“If ___’s ___ were ___, it would…”
“Our ___ is like ___.”
“___ is a/an ___.”
Students then returned to their original brainstorm lists and began crafting their own figurative writing independently.
A cornerstone of my writing instruction is writing alongside my students. Throughout the lesson, I pause to model my own thinking, draft examples in real time, and share both the writing that works and the writing that absolutely does not. I want students — especially language learners — to see that strong writing is not about getting it perfect on the first try. It’s about experimenting with language, revising ideas, and sometimes laughing at the metaphors that flop before finding one that finally clicks.
As a culminating activity, students will choose one figurative sentence they crafted and turn it into a “figurative doodle” that we’ll publish on our classroom writing walls. I also create and share my own finished figurative doodle as an example before students begin their final project. Having a teacher model gives students guidance and inspiration, but I think it also communicates something important: I’m not asking them to do anything I’m unwilling to do myself. We’re all writers in the room together.
Kelly Virgin is a WCWP teacher leader who teaches high school English for the Kennett Consolidated School District.
Poetry is not a one-month or one-unit experience in my classroom. Instead, I intentionally weave it into our literature work all year long because it deepens engagement and adds meaning for both me and my students. Here are a few small ways I weaved poetry into our lessons this month:
Using Poetry to Teach Character Development
We’ve been working on direct and indirect characterization, so I pulled an excerpt from Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. In the passage, Jude describes her cousin using both “telling” and “showing,” which made it a perfect mentor text.
After analyzing the character development, students wrote their own short character poems about someone in their life. To support my ELD students, I gave them a simple structure:
Start with what the person wears
Show personality through what they do
Include what they say
The scaffolding helped a lot—students who might normally struggle to get started were able to jump right in, and the results were thoughtful, funny, and surprisingly detailed.
Turning the Lens Inward: Writing About Themselves
As an extension, students wrote poems about their own identities. We used “Weird”, a poem from Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton for a mentor text.
After noticing how the poem builds around a single adjective, students chose one word to describe their “best quality” and used it as the foundation for their own poem. I gave them some sentence starters, which helped keep the writing flowing while still allowing for individuality.
This activity ended up being one of my favorites—there’s something powerful about giving students space to name and celebrate who they are.
Exploring Conflict Through Poetry
We’re also studying literary conflict, so I had students read an excerpt from The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. First students reviewed conflict by noticing how the speaker reveals both internal and external conflict, especially around anger.
Then they wrote their own “conflict poems” using the stem:
Teacher, since you asked, I’ll tell you why I’m so ______…
What followed was honest, reflective writing that went way beyond what I typically see in more traditional assignments.
Letting It Go (Literally)
To keep building on conflict, we read “What She Asked” by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Before reading, we talked about what students do after conflict—walk it off, listen to music, talk to someone, etc.
Then I shared how I sometimes write to process frustration, which led into the activity.
After studying the mentor poem, students used the line:
Remember that classroom afternoon, every big and little thing was wrong…
…and created their own lists of annoyances, frustrations, and lingering conflicts.
After a few minutes of writing, I had them tear the page out, fold it into a paper airplane, and we ended class with a throwing contest—sending those problems flying down the hallway.
It was chaotic in the best way—and a surprisingly cathartic ending to the lesson.
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Final Thoughts
None of these activities took more than a class period. Each one connected directly to our curriculum, and all of them got students writing, thinking, and (maybe even) enjoying poetry.
Poetry doesn’t have to live in April. It doesn’t need its own unit or elaborate setup. It can slip right into what you’re already teaching—and sometimes, that’s when it works best.
Kelly Virgin is a WCWP teacher leader who teaches high school English for the Kennett Consolidated School District.
One of the biggest challenges I face with my English language learners is getting them to move beyond simple responses in their writing. So, for the past few years I have been experimenting with an assignment that not only supports their writing development, but also honors who they are and where they come from.
Background
Students spend the first part of the school year reading a powerful memoir called Dreams and Nightmares: I Fled Alone to the United States When I Was 14 by Liliana Velazquez. In this book, Liliana writes about her experience leaving her home in Guatemala to find a new home and the promise of a new life in the United States. In our writing, we focus on a powerful moment where Liliana describes sewing a quilt to preserve her culture and memories of her grandmother: “I don’t want to lose my culture, and it can be a remembrance of my grandmother. I’m going to sew a quilt… I want to give my mother this quilt as a present that I have made with my own hands. I want to give her a memory of Guatemala, of my tradition.” That idea became the inspiration for the writing assignment – students are tasked with creating and writing about their own culture quilt square.
Brainstorming
The process starts with an active and collaborative brainstorm through a gallery walk and talk. Around the room, I post topics like music, celebrations, food, and holidays. Students rotate, discussing and adding what they already know about their own cultures. Then they walk around a second time to create a personal brainstorm list – combining their knowledge with the collective knowledge of their classmates. This low-pressure brainstorming helps them realize they already have a lot to say as well as provides them with additional ideas.
Research
Next, we move into inquiry. Students review sample interview questions and then create and share their own. Their goal: learn more about a cultural topic that matters to them. Over the weekend, they are tasked with interviewing an elder—a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle.When they came back from this assignment, the room was full of stories. One student talked about discovering his uncle’s favorite song, “100 años pienso en ti” by Pedro Infante, and how that music connects to his own tastes. Another learned that her mother and grandmother made their own clothing growing up. A third noted the traditions her mom shared about her hometown in Mexico: “When I talked with my mom, I learned the traditions of ‘La Barranca Moroleon GTO’. I learned the activities that the people did, how they danced the cumbia, walked with the ‘santito’, went to eat in the houses of different people, and also the clothing that they used to wear—huipil—to special occasions like the party of July 25, ‘the misa’ when many people are together listening the ‘padrecito’.”
Putting it all together
Before jumping into a written essay, students consolidate their brainstorming and research by creating a visual “quilt square” representing what they value most about their cultures. For this part of the assignment, students return to their brainstorming and research to mark the parts of their culture they think are most important in their lives and their families. Then they spend time creating a visual to show those key elements. The only requirement for this part of the process is that they represent their cultural background in some way – all the other elements are self-selected. This step is key. It gives them space to synthesize their ideas and organize their thinking in a different way. It also affords them choice in what they ultimately decide to share about their cultures.
Then came the writing.
Because students had already brainstormed, researched, and discussed their ideas, they had a wealth of language to work with. Instead of struggling to get started, we could focus on developing their ideas, organizing their paragraphs, and expanding their writing. The project ended with a celebration. Students shared their quilts and essays, learning about each other’s cultures and experiences. I also printed their work post on our publication walls and to share with families during spring conferences—an added layer of pride and connection.
More than anything, this project reminded me of the power of conversation. Students learned they have a lot to say by getting the opportunity to speak. The gallery walk and talk brainstorm invited students to build on collaborative knowledge. The interviews students conducted with family members didn’t just give them content to write about—they created space for connection, storytelling, and the passing down of culture. The celebratory sharing invited students to show off their hard work while also learning more about each other. These conversations became the heart of the writing, making it more meaningful, more personal, and far more than just an assignment.
Kelly Virgin is a WCWP teacher leader who teaches high school English for the Kennett Consolidated School District.
There are many professional books that are recommended for a particular subset of teachers, according to grade level, subject, or a particular area of interest. Now That I Think About It: Teaching Your Students to be Reflective and Effective Learners by Lynne Dorfman, Catherine Gehman, Persida Himmele, and Aileen Hower (to be published in June by ASCD), on the other hand, is one that will be of value to all educators. All teachers who strive to deepen their reflection about their own practice and develop their students’ practice of reflection will find value in these pages. A true work of collaboration, the four teacher/authors have mined the depths of their varied and extensive classroom experience with learners of all ages to create this exceptional resource that speaks to what it means to be a truly reflective and effective educator.
The authors ground the reader by describing and amply illustrating three levels of reflection – looking at, looking in, and looking out — each of which help the learner to truly construct and retain knowledge and understanding. The authors provide examples, right from the classroom, at a variety of levels and from different subject areas. For example, the first level, looking at, refers to the process of making meaning. The authors use the symbol of a magnifying glass to illustrate the importance of deeply exploring a subject or concept, rather than taking a superficial look and moving on. As teachers, we may have had the experience of “covering” a topic, only to find out later that the information could not be retained or acted upon because it was never absorbed to begin with. In other words, they students did not truly make meaning.
At the next level, looking in, the authors explore metacognitive thinking, or thinking about our own thinking. They use the metaphor of a mirror in which students reflect upon themselves as learners in order to become active participants in their use of strategies to assess their own engagement and understanding as their knowledge deepens and/or to self correct if needed. Again, numerous examples are given for how to bring this practice to life in a wide variety of settings.
At the third level, looking out, the authors introduce us to the concept of metastrategic reflection. Using the symbol of a map, they provide us with tools to equip ourselves and our students with the tools to guide us through the learning process, from analysis of how we have learned in the past, to authentic goal-setting, to creating and personalized and actionable plan for growth.
At each level, the authors are bringing to light the kind of behind-the-scenes thinking that we want our students to engage in, and providing us with a vast array of practical strategies to accomplish this. Each chapter ends with thoughtful questions for both individual and group reflection, so we are not just reading, but fully participating in our learning as we go along. In addition, the appendices are a treasure trove of templates and ideas that can be used just as they are presented, or adapted to fit any teacher’s specific needs.
The wealth of information and insight in this book is presented in a conversational, down-to-earth style. The authors are truly teachers talking to other teachers, sharing their ideas, experience, and research, and inviting others to join them in this most rewarding, versatile, and crucial aspect of teaching and learning.
Because of the applicability of this book to such a wide range of educators, it would lend itself well to a whole-school or district-wide book study. Sharing and honing the ideas and suggestions would be of great value to the reflective process for teachers, which can only benefit students. For any teachers who might be feeling as though they cannot do “one more thing” the book is a breath of fresh air, in that reflection is not presented as an add-on, or something to be checked off, but as an integral and essential part of what it means to teach and learn. This is a book to look forward to, to savor, and to share.
Janice Ewing is a 2004 fellow of the West Chester Writing Project (the Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project at that time) and a current member of the advisory board. Her interests include teacher inquiry, collaboration, and mentoring. She and Dr. Mary Buckelew, are the coauthors of Action Research for English Language Arts Teachers: Invitation to Inquiry (Routledge, 2019).
In our writing workshop class, grammar doesn’t live on worksheets—it lives inside stories, poems, conversations, and the students themselves. When we review parts of speech, for example, the goal isn’t just for students to identify them, but to use them intentionally in their own writing. For my English language learners especially, that connection between language rules and meaningful writing is essential.
We start our parts of speech review with nouns. Instead of defining them right away, students first notice nouns in a poetic excerpt from Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Together, we look closely at the objects Hesse includes and talk about what those items reveal about the speaker. What matters to her? What kind of life does she live? Students quickly see that nouns do more than name things—they reveal character.
Using those observations, students craft their own personal list poems. They choose specific items from their own lives and begin to see how selecting certain nouns can tell a reader who they are and what’s important to them. This is where the grammar and the writing start to click.
Once we have that foundation, we expand our understanding of nouns by sorting them into types: proper and common, concrete and abstract, singular and plural. Because my students are English language learners, we also pause to notice the language rules that come along with these nouns—capitalizing proper nouns, adding -s to make plurals, and naming the exceptions as we discover them.
To get students moving (and collaborating), we take our learning on the road with a nouns scavenger hunt around the school building. Students work in pairs to complete tasks like introducing themselves to an adult and writing a sentence about who they met, finding the name of our high school and explaining where they are, sitting on something concrete and naming it, or making a facial expression and identifying the emotion they’re showing. It’s active, social, and full of real-world language practice—and it’s always a favorite.
As a culminating project, students create a “noun heart” for someone important to them—a family member, friend, teacher, or mentor. Around the outside of the heart, they brainstorm meaningful nouns connected to that person, thinking again about the different types: people and places, concrete objects, abstract ideas. On the inside, they use that brainstorm to write five or more sentences directly to that person. Sentence frames like You are my ____. I enjoy going to ___ and ___ with you. Thank you for giving me ____. You make me feel ____. support students while still allowing for authentic voice.
Because this project happens the week before Valentine’s Day, I encourage students to color their hearts and give them to their people as a valentine. It’s a simple addition that adds motivation and joy—providing an authentic audience always enhances any writing task.
In the end, this work solidifies the fact that grammar is not a set of rules to memorize, but a living part of language. When students use grammar to express their identity, relationships, and gratitude, it becomes meaningful and human. Students aren’t practicing grammar in isolation – they’re using it to communicate ideas that matter to them. In this way, it lives in their reading, their writing, and their lives beyond the classroom.
Kelly Virgin is a WCWP teacher leader who teaches high school English for the Kennett Consolidated School District.
