I am in the final semester of graduate school coursework aimed toward earning my teacher certification in Utah. The process has been a long and winding road, complicated by a less-than-ethical school board in Wayne County (look it up) and a switch from one program (ARL) to another (APPEL).

One of my current courses is NUES 5579, Teaching Writing. We have discussed such topics as Cognitive Rigor, Error Analysis, Writing Instruction, Text Structures, Mini Grammar Lessons, Editing, Purpose and Audience and Peer Response Protocols.

Consistent themes throughout the course have included: Direct, systematic and explicit instruction; Deliberate and planned curriculum; Prioritizing rhetorical and structural analysis over prescriptive grammar; Helping students to objectify their impressions of their writing; Encourage higher-order thinking; Considering purpose of writing and needs of audience; Recognizing and utilizing transitions appropriate to a given text; Active reading; Note-taking and graphic organizers and Peer-review.

I am looking forward to using all of the knowledge I have gained during this course to help my at-risk students succeed in school and beyond.