2003 Donald H. Graves Writing Award Winner

Angela Colombini is the second recipient of the NCTE Donald H. Graves Writing Award. She is a first grade teacher at Hage Elementary School in San Diego, California.

"I believe that to teach writing well, we have to understand the process a writer endures. In The Art ot Teaching Writing, Lucy Calkins encourages writing teachers to spend more time focused on the process children go through as authors and less time worried about the product. Teach the writer, not the writing. In order to identify and understand the needs of my students as writers, I must be cognizant of my own writing behaviors. This year my students have grown into confident, excited writers who envision themselves as real authors. Participating in and supporting them in their journey has been a challenge, yet it's what keeps me on the edge of my learning and pushes me to evolve as a teacher of writing."

Read more of Angela's award winning essay!    (PDF)

Award Overview
Established in 2001 by Donald H. Graves, this award annually recognizes teachers in grades 1-6 who demonstrate an understanding of student improvement in the teaching of writing. The award is administered by the Elementary Section Steering Committee of NCTE which selects an award recipient from the portfolios and essays submitted during the year.  MORE . . .