Supporting Resources for Writing Initiative CoLEARN

Within the Writing Initiative CoLEARN there are multiple resources for participants to draw on for professional development activities. 

Professional Readings:  CoLEARN's search engine offers unprecedented access to research based professional readings that cover all grade levels and practically every area of interest in English and language arts. At your fingertips,  participants have full text articles from all 12 NCTE journal publications since 1997 and selected chapters from our professional books searchable by keyword, author or source. 

Content Leader:  Cathy Fleischer is a noted teacher-researcher and professor of English language and literature at Eastern Michigan University where she teaches courses in English education and literacy and directs the Eastern Michigan Writing Project.  As the content leader for the Writing Initiative CoLEARN, Fleischer works with teachers across the country who have become a part of CoLEARN, helping to initiate and support discussions while learning right along with them.

Reading Invitations:  Throughout the Writing Initiative CoLEARN Web site, Fleischer has created Reading Invitations. They are intended to provide participants with some questions that might stimulate conversations.  Just like a true inquiry model, each CoLEARN team will bring its own set of questions to the environment, develop its own way of talking that make sense in context.  Participants are not limited by invitations presented by the content leader.

Writing Engagements:  Effective professional development includes opportunities for teachers to think about their practices while engaging in rich literacy experiences.  Fleischer's Writing Engagements give participants the opportunity to work as a reflective practitioner with professional goals grounded in the practical classroom applications.

Bulletin Board Forums:  Interaction with colleagues is an essential part of effective professional development.  CoLEARN extends that circle of collegues to K-12 teachers, university based preservice teachers and researchers, and administrators throughout North America.  What is the common element?  All participants come to the CoLEARN Writing Initiative with needs, problems and interests in the teaching of writing.  CoLEARN's electronic bulletin board gives participants a place to share their thoughts and advice on numerous topics.  Bulletin board discussions are also searchable by keyword or author and allow participants to upload documents for shared discussions and common development goals.

Inquiry Partners:  Each CoLearn site will have the option of partnering with an NCTE volunteer who is experienced not only in the content under discussion but also in teacher inquiry and professional development.  Available by email to their partnered  CoLEARN site or in bulletin board forums, this inquiry partner can offer encouragement and support, as well as communicate on a regular basis with the Content Leader about issues and problems that are arising; themes and responses that are intriguing; and suggestions for the web site engagements and/or readings.