How can you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in writing teacher identity?

1 Read relevant literature

One of the best ways to keep up with the latest trends in writing teacher identity is to read academic journals, books, blogs, and newsletters that focus on writing education and teacher development. These sources can provide you with insights, theories, frameworks, and examples of how writing teachers construct and negotiate their identities in different settings and situations. You can also learn from the experiences and reflections of other writing teachers who share their stories and challenges of identity development. Some of the journals you can check out are Journal of Writing Teacher Education, Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education, and Writing and Pedagogy.

2 Join professional networks

Another way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in writing teacher identity is to join professional networks and associations that cater to writing teachers and researchers. These networks can offer you opportunities to connect, collaborate, and learn from other professionals who have similar interests and goals as you. You can also participate in conferences, workshops, webinars, and online forums where you can exchange ideas, feedback, and resources with your peers. Some of the networks you can join are National Writing Project, International Writing Centers Association, and International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research.

3 Reflect on your practice

A third way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in writing teacher identity is to reflect on your own practice and identity as a writing teacher. You can use various tools and strategies to help you examine and articulate your beliefs, values, assumptions, and goals as a writer and a teacher. You can also explore how your identity influences and is influenced by your students, colleagues, curriculum, and context. Some of the tools and strategies you can use are portfolios, journals, narratives, interviews, surveys, and self-assessments.

4 Experiment with new approaches

A fourth way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in writing teacher identity is to experiment with new approaches and methods in your writing instruction and assessment. You can try out different pedagogies, technologies, genres, and modes of writing that can challenge and expand your identity as a writing teacher. You can also seek feedback from your students, colleagues, mentors, and supervisors on how your new approaches affect your teaching and learning outcomes. Some of the approaches you can experiment with are multimodal writing, digital storytelling, genre-based writing, and peer feedback.

5 Engage in research

A fifth way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in writing teacher identity is to engage in research on your own or with others. You can conduct action research, case studies, or ethnographies on your writing classroom or program to investigate how writing teacher identity is shaped and manifested in your context. You can also contribute to the existing knowledge and literature on writing teacher identity by publishing or presenting your findings and implications. Some of the research questions you can explore are how writing teacher identity affects student motivation, engagement, and achievement, how writing teacher identity evolves over time and across contexts, and how writing teacher identity interacts with other aspects of teacher identity.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?