Dr. Tracey Flores, an educator in Texas, has a lively conversation with NWP Writers Council member Ralph Fletcher, author of over fifty books for writing teachers and young readers.
Originally published on March 9, 2023
Ralph Fletcher, a member of the NWP Writers Council, has been a long-time mentor to teachers and young writers and has helped generations of teachers understand the importance of letting go and trusting their writers.
Tracey T. Flores is an assistant professor of Language and Literacy at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Flores is a former English Language Development (ELD) and English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, working for eight years alongside culturally and linguistically diverse students, families, and communities in K-8 schools throughout Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Flores is the founder of Somos Escritoras/We Are Writers, a creative space and writing workshop for Latina girls (grades 6-8) that invites them to write stories from their lived experiences using art, theater, and writing as a tool for reflection, examination, and critique of their worlds.
Luma Mufleh, an activist and author of Learning America: One Woman's Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children, has a discussion with CWP-Fairfield teacher-leaders Jessica Baldizon and William King.
For teachers, it's vital to guide students in setting their own writing goals, promoting independence and self-reliance. Strategies like vision boards, goal-setting journals, and one-on-one conferences foster engagement and higher achievement in writing. Supporting individual goals alongside teacher objectives creates a nurturing learning environment.