SDAWP SI 2026

  Some of us just hate snorkeling. Often, the perceptions that we have of ourselves are not always accurate.  And it can be jarring and surprising when the assumptions of ourselves prove to be untrue.  As a little girl I would lay in my bed at night and dream of the adventures I’d have later in life.  I viewed myself as a risk taker, thrill seeker, one who weighed the risks but usually said “count me in”. So when I was in my early thirties and on my honeymoon with my wife, of course I couldn’t wait to zipline, snorkel, and go horseback riding on the beach.  I was ready for every active excursion our all-inclusive resort in Cabo had to offer.  Ziplining was a blast.  Horseback riding was a scene filled with lots of laughter and timeless memories.  And then there was snorkeling.  Snorkeling was like waking up on Christmas morning as a young child only to find no presents under the tree.  Disappointing, confusing, and distressing. It was ...

  Why Michelle Visage is the Ultimate Warm Demander:  Practical Applications for Educators

During the first trimester of sixth grade, my daughter was assigned to write a paragraph about a historical figure. That afternoon, when I picked her up from school, she looked frustrated. "Mom, I don't know what to write," she said. At first, I assumed she was struggling with writing. After asking a few more questions, however, I realized that writing wasn't the problem. She simply didn't know enough about the historical figure to write about the topic. She had been given a writing assignment before she had the opportunity to build the background knowledge necessary to communicate her ideas. That evening, we approached the assignment differently. Before she wrote another sentence, we read a short informational text together and watched a brief video about the person's life, accomplishments, and historical significance. We talked about what we had learned, discussed interesting facts, and connected the information to what she already knew. The next afternoon, ...

 

 Adobe Express Link

Writing IS an Art      When my students had to identify their Creative Writing courses for both high school graduation and UC application, it was shuffled under “g,” an elective, and an English elective at that. Which makes sense. Creative Writing is English-y.           Except it’s not. Not really.           Historically secondary English is seen as the place to analyze literature, write analytic and argumentative essays, and learn to research and apply it, all in preparation for being literate in society and prepping for college. In many cases, realms of poetry, scriptwriting, creative nonfiction, fiction (all creative approaches to writing) are seen as legitimate to study in a secondary English classroom, but not to do. If Creative Writing is present, it’s seen as an enrichment tool or a creative exercise. But it is not seen as its own craft to study and emulate. And it definitely isn’t seen as an art.  ...