Kens 5: NEISD: Case of cyberbullying leads to distribution of child pornhttp://www.kens5.com/home/Case-of-cyberbullying-involves-child-pornography-131370018.html
SAWP brochurehttp://www.utsa.edu/today/2010/07/sawriting.pdf
UTSA hosts writing conference for area teachers (Jan 30, 2008)http://utsa.edu/today/2008/01/writing.cfm
ITC project: Indian students write family-oriented stories (May 12, 2009)http://utsa.edu/today/2009/05/kahani.cfm
UTSA hosts Oct.23 writing workshop, 'From Memoirs to Stories to Publications' (Oct 21, 2010)http://utsa.edu/today/2010/10/writingworkshop.html
SAWP offers two summer institutes in July (July 1, 2010)http://utsa.edu/today/2010/07/wrinst.html
UTSA hosts Feb 5 SAWP conference on learning and literacy (Jan 28, 2011)http://utsa.edu/today/2011/01/sawpconference.html
UTSA hosts young writers camp June 20-24 at Downtown campus (May 23, 2011)http://utsa.edu/today/2011/05/writerscamp.html
UTSA educates teachers at Institutes on College and Carer Readiness in Writing (July 7, 2011)http://utsa.edu/today/2011/07/staar.html
San Antonio Writing Project Hosts Digital Writing Seminar (Sep 15, 2011)http://utsa.edu/today/2011/09/sawritingproject.html
SAWP 2011-2012 Saturday Series (2011-2012) http://education.utsa.edu/events/detail/sawp_2011-2012_saturday_series/
Teachers: Protect your students from school bullies (Oct 10, 2011)
https://ruby1604.utsa.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://utsa.edu/today/2011/10/Bully.html
UTSA Nov. 5 seminar helps teachers boost student writing skills with reflection (Nov 3, 2011)
http://utsa.edu/today/2011/11/writingseminar.html
Teachers: Help students become confident writers at Feb. 4 conference (Jan 8, 2012)
http://utsa.edu/today/2012/01/writingconference.html
KLRN interview about Confronting Bullying by David Martin Davis (Feb 16, 2012)
http://youtu.be/KqZoak70Nzg (Conversations promo)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Not In Our Town
Students Map Bully Zone to Create a Safer School
- Excellent site including Not In Our Town, Not In Our School.
- These videos show ways to confronting bullying and discrimination.
Stand Up, Stand Out: No Checking, No Capping, No Bullying
Students Map Bully Zone to Create a Safer School
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Confronting Bullying
This Saturday, October 15th I'll be talking about how we can Confront Bullying. This talk is part of the San Antonio Writing Project's Super Saturdays. It will be held at the University of Texas at San Antonio's downtown campus in the Frio Street Auditorium, FS 1.406 from 9-noon. You don't have to register. Just show up and participate.
I feel like there is change in the air. People around the world are getting tired of the bullying our children are living through either as targets of the bullies or as bystanders. Cyberbullying has brought bullying into students' homes and leaves no place to escape the harassment. Too many children have committed suicide in part because of bullying. People are starting to pay attention to bullying in a way that I haven't seen over the last 15 years that I've been researching, writing and presenting about it. States are passing laws that are meant to protect the targets of bullies. CNN, national and local television and radio stations are presenting programing about it. There was even a Summit on Bullying at the White House last year.
Bullying is a complicated issue and attempts to come up with one size fits all solutions don't work very well. But there is a lot of good will toward this issue. Parents, teachers, students, administrators and other allies are coming together and working earnestly to confront bullying and to make schools safe places for all our children. October is bullying prevention month. May no more children end their lives because of bullying. The time to act is now. Change is in the air.
I feel like there is change in the air. People around the world are getting tired of the bullying our children are living through either as targets of the bullies or as bystanders. Cyberbullying has brought bullying into students' homes and leaves no place to escape the harassment. Too many children have committed suicide in part because of bullying. People are starting to pay attention to bullying in a way that I haven't seen over the last 15 years that I've been researching, writing and presenting about it. States are passing laws that are meant to protect the targets of bullies. CNN, national and local television and radio stations are presenting programing about it. There was even a Summit on Bullying at the White House last year.
Bullying is a complicated issue and attempts to come up with one size fits all solutions don't work very well. But there is a lot of good will toward this issue. Parents, teachers, students, administrators and other allies are coming together and working earnestly to confront bullying and to make schools safe places for all our children. October is bullying prevention month. May no more children end their lives because of bullying. The time to act is now. Change is in the air.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
LWP-The Flight Home
I’m back home and I’ve been thinking about all the teachers at the Limpopo Writing Project. We had such an amazing time. I’ve been excited to hear from Esther, Mosima, Seipati, Ntevheleni Justice and also Florinah and Akani. Facebook and my blog have been wonderful vehicles for keeping in touch. The Rural Teachers Conference went beautifully, especially the demonstrations that our LWP teachers shared. When the conference was over, we had a difficult time saying goodbye. We kept running back and forth from our cars for one more hug.
That night at dinner with our visitors from Pretoria , we ate at a restaurant that was having a private event for a TV station. There were TV stars dancing and we were invited to join the party. It was exciting to see Ngokoana and Nakedi and Leketi taking pictures with the celebrities and dancing with them. It was a fitting ending to our last night in Polokowane.
While I was in Pretoria I had time with Cheryl Logan and Cathy Ikeda who are working to create a National Writing Project in South Africa. We debriefed at the US Embassy and worked on future plans for our South African sites. I also got to visit with my cousins, Ruth and Mark Dreyer and it was wonderful to spend time with them.
The flight home was long but it helped that Cathy was on the same flight with me to Atlanta. Our flight was delayed 8 hours before our 17 hour flight, so there was a lot of waiting around. Right before the flight was finally ready to take off, we had to go through a second round of security and then at the Atlanta airport we had to go through security again. I don’t think I ever felt so inspected. I came home tired but happy, and look forward to the next chapter of the Limpopo Writing Project.
That night at dinner with our visitors from Pretoria , we ate at a restaurant that was having a private event for a TV station. There were TV stars dancing and we were invited to join the party. It was exciting to see Ngokoana and Nakedi and Leketi taking pictures with the celebrities and dancing with them. It was a fitting ending to our last night in Polokowane.
While I was in Pretoria I had time with Cheryl Logan and Cathy Ikeda who are working to create a National Writing Project in South Africa. We debriefed at the US Embassy and worked on future plans for our South African sites. I also got to visit with my cousins, Ruth and Mark Dreyer and it was wonderful to spend time with them.
The flight home was long but it helped that Cathy was on the same flight with me to Atlanta. Our flight was delayed 8 hours before our 17 hour flight, so there was a lot of waiting around. Right before the flight was finally ready to take off, we had to go through a second round of security and then at the Atlanta airport we had to go through security again. I don’t think I ever felt so inspected. I came home tired but happy, and look forward to the next chapter of the Limpopo Writing Project.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Limpopo Writing Project-The Last Day
Today was a complete surprise. The teachers planned the program and they shared their insights and their thanks with us. They presented me with two beautiful African bowls which was unexpected and so meaningful. They called me Masechaba, the Mother of the Nation. They honored me with this title and I am humbled by it. There were thank-you speeches, and singing and dancing and happiness filled the room. It was an unforgettable morning.
Then just when we thought it was over, the drama students gave a surprise farewell party for Dr. Makalela. They had gifts and cake and we started singing and dancing all over again. Although the project was officially over, we spent the afternoon in the computer lab. The teachers were busy on many projects, but they also wanted to make sure that they emailed their American partners. After dinner, we watched the final performance of the student dramatic troupe. They presented a play, a poem and songs. These students are incredible actors and have promising stage careers. The students gave up their winter break to stay at the university to perform for us.
Most of us are staying over for the Rural Teachers Conference tomorrow, so we haven’t said goodbye. It will be difficult to do. I’m sharing my last LWP journal and two of the wonderful speeches that we heard today.
I am Grateful for LWP
By Roxanne Henkin
I am grateful for the wonderful experience of this writing project and for the past two weeks that we have been able to work together. Every person in the Limpopo Writing Project is precious and to be cherished. I am grateful that I have met Solomon and have been able to hear his stories about the realities of life and the uncertain consequences that follow. I am grateful for Mokgadi, for her strength and her leadership. I am grateful for Esther, for her stories about her childhood, and for the energy that she brought us. I am grateful for Thelma, for her experience teaching second language children and for her guidance in the project.
I am grateful for Seipati, for her incredible story about her brother and for experiences that she shared with us. I am grateful for Thoko for her strength and her beautiful hats that light up our room. I am grateful for Cony and I am glad that when she finally shared, she was a writer. I am grateful for Makoma, for her passion for education, and her desire to always learn more. I am grateful for Masilo for her commitment to social justice and to children’s rights. I am grateful for Sehume, for the laughter and warmth and just plain fun she brought to us every day. I am grateful for Hobs, for his enthusiasm and the quiet way he shares his questions.
I am grateful for Nteveleni, who even though I was never able to pronounce his name led us on our writing journey and was always using the technology to check my blog. I am grateful to Joyce, for her powerful stories and the way she truly loved her friends and her dog. I am grateful for Dr. Leketi Makalela, for his incredible energy, his friendship and his commitment to the Limpopo Writing Project. I am grateful to Lehlogonolo, whose name I could never pronounce and so finally she told me to call her Blessing. And she was the biggest blessing to our project making sure that everything ran smoothly. I am also grateful for Pheladi, Blessings partner in checking all the details and facilitating the project. Thank-you, thank-you! And I am grateful to Ngokoana, my African sister, thanking you for devoting your time to this project.
Most of all, I am grateful to all of you for taking me into your hearts, for sharing your lives with me and for your love. As we say in Hebrew, Shalom, go in peace. You will remain with me always.
THANK YOU SPEECH
By MOKGADI LEKOTA
I am here on behalf of the group. Whatever I am going to say I will be representing you all because you all contributed towards this piece of writing. I am just a mouth piece to deliver the news of thanks to LWP.
This group is very much thankful about the contribution made by Pheladi, Lehlogonolo, Prof. Leketi Makalela and Dr Roxanne Henkin towards their development. We were led by an inspirational leader. The knowledge gained is really indispensible.
It is our pleasure to let you know that we do not regret ourselves by forfeiting all our family matters during this winter vacation. We are really developed, empowered, capacitated, reformed, born again and we also grew mentally.
We gained a lot and forward we go.
Amongst others we have take away to our schools
Development of writing skills.
Selection of learners for bursary.
Initiation of reading clubs.
Clustering with neighbouring schools for sharing what we gained – and even even community members
Thanks for our connections with our fellow Americans in SAWP the pairing done will keep the writing ball rolling.
This is going to be endless bonding – a chain starting with us locally, passing via Texas and proceeding endlessly.
As far as technology is concerned we are advanced, we are no longer novices. We now know more about skype, blog, face book, not forgetting the issue of been televised on DSTV channel CBNCA. What an exposure.
Challenges: No manna from heaven – you cannot appreciate and sit back
First is literature production – to write our own publications
To assess learners’ writing progress, ensure that they can write their own thinking, no matter how short.
As part of thanks, we must keep the LWP alive and producing. Go back and be writing addicts to keep the journey of incredible adventure on.
Sustain your e-mail addresses because as long it is not accessed then it will cease.
There is nothing impossible inside the willing heart.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Thanks from Nteveleni
Greetings everybody,
As a writer and a poet, let me start with a quote, though I won’t be quoting it verbatim. I quote, “One cannot choose when to be born, where to be born and you cannot choose parents, but you can choose who you want to be in life.” You can choose to be in the LWP like we did, and you can choose to love and share like Roxanne always does.
I have been given a very tough assignment. I have been requested by my colleagues, my brothers and sisters to present a gift to the precious gift of Limpopo, our one and only Masechaba (the mother of the nation), the one whose sense of down earthiness gives her a distinguished scholarly appearance. She is also my facebook friend.
Then just when we thought it was over, the drama students gave a surprise farewell party for Dr. Makalela. They had gifts and cake and we started singing and dancing all over again. Although the project was officially over, we spent the afternoon in the computer lab. The teachers were busy on many projects, but they also wanted to make sure that they emailed their American partners. After dinner, we watched the final performance of the student dramatic troupe. They presented a play, a poem and songs. These students are incredible actors and have promising stage careers. The students gave up their winter break to stay at the university to perform for us.
Most of us are staying over for the Rural Teachers Conference tomorrow, so we haven’t said goodbye. It will be difficult to do. I’m sharing my last LWP journal and two of the wonderful speeches that we heard today.
I am Grateful for LWP
By Roxanne Henkin
I am grateful for the wonderful experience of this writing project and for the past two weeks that we have been able to work together. Every person in the Limpopo Writing Project is precious and to be cherished. I am grateful that I have met Solomon and have been able to hear his stories about the realities of life and the uncertain consequences that follow. I am grateful for Mokgadi, for her strength and her leadership. I am grateful for Esther, for her stories about her childhood, and for the energy that she brought us. I am grateful for Thelma, for her experience teaching second language children and for her guidance in the project.
I am grateful for Seipati, for her incredible story about her brother and for experiences that she shared with us. I am grateful for Thoko for her strength and her beautiful hats that light up our room. I am grateful for Cony and I am glad that when she finally shared, she was a writer. I am grateful for Makoma, for her passion for education, and her desire to always learn more. I am grateful for Masilo for her commitment to social justice and to children’s rights. I am grateful for Sehume, for the laughter and warmth and just plain fun she brought to us every day. I am grateful for Hobs, for his enthusiasm and the quiet way he shares his questions.
I am grateful for Nteveleni, who even though I was never able to pronounce his name led us on our writing journey and was always using the technology to check my blog. I am grateful to Joyce, for her powerful stories and the way she truly loved her friends and her dog. I am grateful for Dr. Leketi Makalela, for his incredible energy, his friendship and his commitment to the Limpopo Writing Project. I am grateful to Lehlogonolo, whose name I could never pronounce and so finally she told me to call her Blessing. And she was the biggest blessing to our project making sure that everything ran smoothly. I am also grateful for Pheladi, Blessings partner in checking all the details and facilitating the project. Thank-you, thank-you! And I am grateful to Ngokoana, my African sister, thanking you for devoting your time to this project.
Most of all, I am grateful to all of you for taking me into your hearts, for sharing your lives with me and for your love. As we say in Hebrew, Shalom, go in peace. You will remain with me always.
THANK YOU SPEECH
By MOKGADI LEKOTA
I am here on behalf of the group. Whatever I am going to say I will be representing you all because you all contributed towards this piece of writing. I am just a mouth piece to deliver the news of thanks to LWP.
This group is very much thankful about the contribution made by Pheladi, Lehlogonolo, Prof. Leketi Makalela and Dr Roxanne Henkin towards their development. We were led by an inspirational leader. The knowledge gained is really indispensible.
It is our pleasure to let you know that we do not regret ourselves by forfeiting all our family matters during this winter vacation. We are really developed, empowered, capacitated, reformed, born again and we also grew mentally.
We gained a lot and forward we go.
Amongst others we have take away to our schools
Development of writing skills.
Selection of learners for bursary.
Initiation of reading clubs.
Clustering with neighbouring schools for sharing what we gained – and even even community members
Thanks for our connections with our fellow Americans in SAWP the pairing done will keep the writing ball rolling.
This is going to be endless bonding – a chain starting with us locally, passing via Texas and proceeding endlessly.
As far as technology is concerned we are advanced, we are no longer novices. We now know more about skype, blog, face book, not forgetting the issue of been televised on DSTV channel CBNCA. What an exposure.
Challenges: No manna from heaven – you cannot appreciate and sit back
First is literature production – to write our own publications
To assess learners’ writing progress, ensure that they can write their own thinking, no matter how short.
As part of thanks, we must keep the LWP alive and producing. Go back and be writing addicts to keep the journey of incredible adventure on.
Sustain your e-mail addresses because as long it is not accessed then it will cease.
There is nothing impossible inside the willing heart.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Thanks from Nteveleni
Greetings everybody,
As a writer and a poet, let me start with a quote, though I won’t be quoting it verbatim. I quote, “One cannot choose when to be born, where to be born and you cannot choose parents, but you can choose who you want to be in life.” You can choose to be in the LWP like we did, and you can choose to love and share like Roxanne always does.
I have been given a very tough assignment. I have been requested by my colleagues, my brothers and sisters to present a gift to the precious gift of Limpopo, our one and only Masechaba (the mother of the nation), the one whose sense of down earthiness gives her a distinguished scholarly appearance. She is also my facebook friend.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
San Antonio Writing Project Day 11
It’s hard to start this blog today because we are so close to the end. We have our closing ceremonies tomorrow, and the Rural Teachers’ Conference on Saturday. But the good-byes are already starting. We shared our anthology pieces today and it was very moving. Our topics included childhood memories, a memoir of a long-dead dog, and a tribute to a brother who fought injustice. Solomon has been writing about social issues so beautifully that we all think he should publish them as a book. Every piece shared was captivating. We went through the whole range of emotions and marveled at the complexity of human life. Nteveleni said it all when he said that we are all members of the human race.
Today was the San Antonio Writing Project’s last day and they celebrated Visitors’ Day with both professional friends, as well as family and friends. We were able to Skype with them and we got to see the beginning of the day. When they were introducing the SAWP members, we couldn’t see them because they were out of range of the camera. We asked them to move the camera, but they misunderstood and put us in another room where we were meeting one on one with the TC’s. Because we didn’t want to take away from Visitors’ Day, we quietly hung up. At that moment, Dr. Hanlie Dippenaar Skyped us, and so we were able to have some time with her. It was great to see her back in South Africa, and our teachers want her to come up to Limpopo so that we can all work together.
The SAWP anthology was posted on our google site today, and I couldn’t wait to read it. They have a wonderful cover filled with pictures from the writing project, and their stories, like the Limpopo stories touch the heart. I felt sad that I wasn’t there with them, but the Skyping helped me to feel connected to them.
We finished Masilo’s demo today. It was a critical literacy demo that asked us to consider children’s rights. We had a rich discussion about children’s rights in the South African constitution which brought up the issue of corporal punishment. The South African constitution guarantees a child’s right to safety, and therefore, corporal punishment is illegal. This was a wonderful critical literacy lesson.
Our last demo for the workshop was presented by Makoma. She had us thinking about religions and diversity of religions that exist. I had already shared my piece about my Grandparents’ struggle in America and had spent a great deal of the paper discussing the major kinds of Judaism that exist. I had written about this in part, because of my writing conferences when people asked so many questions about Judaism. Then, when Makoma shared the section in the 4th grade social studies book that described the Jews, it was very short and only described a few things about Orthodox Jews. Reform and Conservative Judaism weren’t even mentioned. This led to a discussion about how important it is for teachers to read many texts and educate themselves about the issues that they are teaching. We can’t rely on textbooks to teach the truth and the complexity of history.
I’m closing with two journals—one mine and the other from Nteveleni whose words capture the spirit of how we are all feeling in LWP.
My Journal:
This is our last full day. I feel sad and I am clinging to every minute. My parents Skyped me last night and my mother asked me to tell everyone that she feels that she has been on this trip with me and that she loved meeting all of you and that it has really made her life exciting. Last night, Teko Facebooked while he was watching the performance of the students and he said that that he has loved his time here and has never felt so stress-free.
Each day of the LWP has been a blessing and the days go fast and they are packed with so many gifts. We have the gift of the people, each LWP teacher brings their own talents and insights to our group. From the first song that is shared in the morning to the last insight offered at the end of the day, we are enriched. How lucky we are to be part of the Limpopo Writing Project, and to be able to have learned and grown together.
I will never forget your powerful stories and our discussions about life, aging and death. I will never forget our singing and dancing together and how we encouraged each other to grow not only in our writing, but in our lives.
Thank-you for coming on the adventure of the Limpopo Writing Project, for giving up your days, for taking a chance, and for going on this journey with me. The wonderful thing about the writing project is that it is not over, when you walk out the door, but rather, it is just beginning. The Limpopo Writing Project will continue to meet. You have your American partners who are anxious to exchange teaching ideas with you and would like their learners to write and interact with yours. And you have me. Please email me or write and keep in contact with me. Let me know how you are doing and how the teaching of writing and reading is going. Most of all let me know what is going on with your life and that you are well. This is not an ending. We are parting, but we will forever be joined in our hearts.
From Nteveleni:
I am a citizen of the world. I am a member of the human race. This is my wish. These words are always echoing in my ears. I wish that one day, I’ll wake up and find this to be a reality, where people will refer to one another as a brother from another continent, a sister, a father, and a mother from another continent. There is only one creator and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to prove that we are one. We are all members of the human race. The time is now for all the citizens of the world to stand up and hold each other’s hands for the total development of all members of the human race.
Today was the San Antonio Writing Project’s last day and they celebrated Visitors’ Day with both professional friends, as well as family and friends. We were able to Skype with them and we got to see the beginning of the day. When they were introducing the SAWP members, we couldn’t see them because they were out of range of the camera. We asked them to move the camera, but they misunderstood and put us in another room where we were meeting one on one with the TC’s. Because we didn’t want to take away from Visitors’ Day, we quietly hung up. At that moment, Dr. Hanlie Dippenaar Skyped us, and so we were able to have some time with her. It was great to see her back in South Africa, and our teachers want her to come up to Limpopo so that we can all work together.
The SAWP anthology was posted on our google site today, and I couldn’t wait to read it. They have a wonderful cover filled with pictures from the writing project, and their stories, like the Limpopo stories touch the heart. I felt sad that I wasn’t there with them, but the Skyping helped me to feel connected to them.
We finished Masilo’s demo today. It was a critical literacy demo that asked us to consider children’s rights. We had a rich discussion about children’s rights in the South African constitution which brought up the issue of corporal punishment. The South African constitution guarantees a child’s right to safety, and therefore, corporal punishment is illegal. This was a wonderful critical literacy lesson.
Our last demo for the workshop was presented by Makoma. She had us thinking about religions and diversity of religions that exist. I had already shared my piece about my Grandparents’ struggle in America and had spent a great deal of the paper discussing the major kinds of Judaism that exist. I had written about this in part, because of my writing conferences when people asked so many questions about Judaism. Then, when Makoma shared the section in the 4th grade social studies book that described the Jews, it was very short and only described a few things about Orthodox Jews. Reform and Conservative Judaism weren’t even mentioned. This led to a discussion about how important it is for teachers to read many texts and educate themselves about the issues that they are teaching. We can’t rely on textbooks to teach the truth and the complexity of history.
I’m closing with two journals—one mine and the other from Nteveleni whose words capture the spirit of how we are all feeling in LWP.
My Journal:
This is our last full day. I feel sad and I am clinging to every minute. My parents Skyped me last night and my mother asked me to tell everyone that she feels that she has been on this trip with me and that she loved meeting all of you and that it has really made her life exciting. Last night, Teko Facebooked while he was watching the performance of the students and he said that that he has loved his time here and has never felt so stress-free.
Each day of the LWP has been a blessing and the days go fast and they are packed with so many gifts. We have the gift of the people, each LWP teacher brings their own talents and insights to our group. From the first song that is shared in the morning to the last insight offered at the end of the day, we are enriched. How lucky we are to be part of the Limpopo Writing Project, and to be able to have learned and grown together.
I will never forget your powerful stories and our discussions about life, aging and death. I will never forget our singing and dancing together and how we encouraged each other to grow not only in our writing, but in our lives.
Thank-you for coming on the adventure of the Limpopo Writing Project, for giving up your days, for taking a chance, and for going on this journey with me. The wonderful thing about the writing project is that it is not over, when you walk out the door, but rather, it is just beginning. The Limpopo Writing Project will continue to meet. You have your American partners who are anxious to exchange teaching ideas with you and would like their learners to write and interact with yours. And you have me. Please email me or write and keep in contact with me. Let me know how you are doing and how the teaching of writing and reading is going. Most of all let me know what is going on with your life and that you are well. This is not an ending. We are parting, but we will forever be joined in our hearts.
From Nteveleni:
I am a citizen of the world. I am a member of the human race. This is my wish. These words are always echoing in my ears. I wish that one day, I’ll wake up and find this to be a reality, where people will refer to one another as a brother from another continent, a sister, a father, and a mother from another continent. There is only one creator and you do not need to be a rocket scientist to prove that we are one. We are all members of the human race. The time is now for all the citizens of the world to stand up and hold each other’s hands for the total development of all members of the human race.
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