2017 Third Coast Writing Project

Food! We'll have an hour for lunch everyday. You can go out, bring your own, fast, work, meditate, whatever. For those of you interested in going out, I am starting a list of restaurants in the immediate vicinity of WMU. Saffron : the keema naan (lamb stuffed bread) with raita (yogurt) is cheap and amazing. Zoorona : the chicken cream chop sandwich is da bomb.  Hunan Gardens : This is classic Chinese done incredibly right. If you want to get real, ask for the Chinese menu and tell Keith that Shaun sent you. Then order the chitlins (#32 spicy intestine) and be prepared to have your world rocked. If that's not your thing, the steamed dumplings, pad thai (yes, it's Thai, yes, they absolutely get it right), and most anything off the noodle menu is great. Martini's : Italian done right, prolly will have bad service, but it's still worth it. The slices are great, the sandwiches are definitely done right, the meat balls and bread is a great choice, honestly, they

Hello! My name is Brandon McNab and I am absolutely thrilled to be working with such an amazing group of individuals over the summer.  I used to work with Dr. Bush during the TCWP summer camp years ago, so it's wonderful to back in familiar territory. To tell you a little about myself, I am 34 years old and have been teaching for around 8 years.  My wife and I are expecting our 1st child in October, so next school year will certainly be different for me.  I am borderline psychotic about disc golf, as that has become my number one passion.  I recently started a Disc Golf Club team here at Kalamazoo Central, so I am excited to be teaching the sport to an enthusiastic / diverse group of young students. My main goal as a teacher has always been to have an impact on the students I work with.  This may not always specifically academic, but personally or culturally as well.  I want my students to leave my classroom as better people; I know this is a lofty goal, but it's what I try

Hello everyone, my name is Jake Crow and I'm an undergraduate at Western Michigan in the English: Secondary Education major. I have taught English 1000 here, and I've been working with writers of all sorts since my junior year of high school when I first started working at a writing center. I love talking about writing, and I'm incredibly excited to work with so many fantastic teachers from the area and to learn from all of you! I used to consider myself a heavy writer, but these days I'm not writing nearly as much as I used to, outside of assignments for classes. Some of these are greatly enjoyable as they connect with my interests in rhetoric, but many of these are simply papers I complete just to get credit for them. I am looking forward to this opportunity with TCWP because I think it's going to reignite my passion for writing and help me to refocus as I push towards my last couple semesters of college. I can't wait to see how this experience will impact m

Hey everyone! My name is Vanessa Brower (soon it will be Vanessa Dodson) and I am currently wrapping up my sixth year teaching at Kalamazoo Central, seventh year teaching overall. I primarily teach 9th grade English, and I am always looking for ways to make writing more accessible for all students, not just the ones who "get it" or enjoy writing. As far as myself as writer - I can't say I see myself as much of one now, although I used to love it. All I write these days is lesson plans and project descriptions! I am a teacher leader in my building whether I want to be or not, simply because I've seen many people come and go in the English 9 subject area alone. As a result of this I'm constantly helping new colleagues get a better handle on the content and how to teach our texts. I can't wait to get to meet all of you, and I'm excited to participate in the TCWP.

My name is Alicia Wells, and I have taught English 11, Honors English 11, and English 9  at Paw Paw High School since 2014.  I also made a quick stop in 7th grade at the middle school for a semester. I am currently pursuing my M.Ed. in Literacy Studies at Grand Valley State University, and like to use that as an excuse for participating in the Third Coast Writing Project for my third year. However, that would sell my experience over the past two summers short. I was apprehensive to join TCWP in 2015, and am still finding my confidence as a writer. However, since I ask my students to do things that make them uncomfortable, it’s only fair that I experience the same challenges. My comfort and passion for English lies in literature and analytical writing, but listening to my students express how they crave a creative outlet, and reading their endless academic papers, I realized I needed to diversify my writing curriculum. I have since created a weekly writer’s workshop dedicated to ju

Hello everyone! My name is Brianna English, and I teach AP Language and Composition, Honors English 11 (British Literature), and Yearbook at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo. I've been teaching there for my entire career, which will be six years in June; my prior experience (internships and fellowships) has been in Chicago Public Schools and Detroit Public Schools, mostly with eighth and ninth graders. When I heard about the Third Coast Writing Project, I was immediately interested because, while I love literature, I've always considered myself a teacher of writing more than a teacher of literature. My AP Language class is extremely writing intensive, but mostly focuses on more professional/academic writing (analysis, synthesis, and argument), so I'd love to learn some strategies for incorporating more creative non-fiction writing into the class. I love to teach grammar and vocabulary, but I'd also like to learn how to teach it more meaningfully and fully integrate