Spark Writing Enthusiasm: Join Me at the 2025 MSELA Summit!

Are you struggling to ignite a passion for writing in your middle school students? You're not alone! Many of us face the challenge of getting students excited about putting their thoughts on paper.

I'm excited to share that I recently recorded my interview for the 2025 MSELA Summit—the premier virtual event for Middle School English Language Arts teachers like you! This year's summit (July 28-August 1, 2025) will be packed with practical strategies and expert insights to transform your classroom.

What I'll be sharing isn't just theory—it's tested in real classrooms. As part of my instructional design coursework in my PhD program, I developed a comprehensive creative writing curriculum that synthesizes my decade of teaching experience with research-backed learning principles. The Gothic Horror unit I'll present at the summit was pilot tested in a colleague's classroom last fall, where we could see firsthand how students responded to these engagement strategies. The enthusiastic writing I witnessed from previously reluctant students (who hadn’t written creatively since the fifth grade!) confirmed what my research suggested: when we combine sound pedagogical theory with practical classroom awareness, we can truly transform student writing experiences.

My session on student writing engagement is divided into two valuable parts:

Part 1: Philosophy of Engagement and Motivation: Discover proven strategies to foster autonomy, relevance, mastery, and curiosity in your students. I'll share my reliable check-in method that's helped countless students grow as writers.

Part 2: Gothic Horror Short Story Unit: See these engagement principles in action through a complete unit from my Teach mPOWRED writers creative writing curriculum. You'll learn how to effectively implement:

• Engaging mentor texts
• Interactive writing stations
• Constructive peer reviews
• Student choice opportunities
• Growth-focused revision techniques

This Halloween-themed unit demonstrates how to make writing relevant and exciting! You'll receive access to adaptable resources you can use in your own classroom.

Throughout my interview, I share practical techniques that really work—from student interest surveys to assignment choice options that emphasize growth over grades. We'll also explore using high-interest texts and place-based teaching to make writing meaningful for your students.

Update! Positive feedback from early viewers...

The summit organizer, Laura, has been compiling feedback from early bird viewers, and the responses have been incredibly positive. It's always so rewarding to hear that the work we do resonates with others, and this feedback truly highlights the value of the summit.

Laura sent me a snippet of the feedback, and I wanted to share her email with you directly:

We’ve had some early bird viewers for the summit and there’s already some feedback coming in! Attached is a screenshot from the spreadsheet that automatically compiles the responses. It’s just a one-question form that asks people what their biggest a-ha moment or takeaway was from the sessions. Here are a few of them from yours. There are more that I’ll gather and send after the summit, but literally every single comment is thankful, appreciative, and very positive!!

This feedback is such a wonderful testament to the quality of the sessions, and I'm so thrilled that my session was able to provide some "a-ha moments" for attendees.

Join me and dozens of other passionate educators at the MSELA Summit where we'll tackle all aspects of effective ELA instruction together. You'll leave feeling inspired and equipped with tools to transform your students' writing experiences.

Spots are limited—register today to connect with our supportive community and make a real difference in your classroom!