Did You Know . . . 

"Writing is the most complex process--you have to think, put your words into written language, and make the words make sense.  And that's why we have to practice so much."  Ken Thomasma, "The Most Important 45 Minutes of the Day," SDCTE-SDRC Joint Conference, Spearfish, April 1, 2000.

"A child who cannot fit into the learning environment cannot learn.  Having high expectations and respect for the child's culture will help a child learn."  Patricia Edwards, University of Michigan, General Session, SDCTE-SDRC Joint Conference, Saturday, April 1, 2000.


"Time spent teaching how to write poetry is just as valid as time spent on essays, stories and research papers.  Details--that's where good writing comes from--it's in the details."  Paul B. Janeczko, "Spreading the Poetry Bug: Using Contemporary Poetry in the Classroom," NCTE Convention, Denver, November, 1999.