Pen in the Classroom

Pen in the Classroom II — "Word Power"
Pen in the Classroom III — "Bloodlines"
Pen in the Classroom IV — "Dreamscapes"
Pen in the Classroom V — "Dreamcatchers"

PEN USA & PEN in the Classroom

PEN Center USA, founded in 1952, is part of an international organization of professional writers created in 1921 to promote freedom of expression and build a literary community. Members of PEN USA include poets, playwrights, essayists, novelists (for the original letters in the acronym, “PEN”) and has grown to include television and screen writers, critics, historians, editors, journalists, and translators. With more than 1,000 members, PEN USA is the third largest of 144 International PEN centers and one of two centers in the United States. PEN USA sponsors a wide range of on-going programs, including PEN in the Classroom; Emerging Voices, a mentorship program; Freedom-to-Write, which sponsors international campaigns on behalf of censored and imprisoned writers; an annual literary awards competition for writers west of the Mississippi; and other literary events.

Once matched to a classroom, writers conduct 12 in-class writing workshops, over a period of one semester. “Residencies,” as they are called, culminate in the publication of a student anthology, wherein each student is expected to contribute. Blending the exploration of classic and multicultural literature with the practical art of writing, PEN in the Classroomwriters represent a connection for the students, helping to make their subjects more active and engaging. As society is geared toward a no need to read mind-frame, a central goal of the program is to encourage in students a strong desire to read and a belief that writing can be a powerful, relevant experience.

PEN IN THE CLASSROOM

PEN in the Classroom places professional writers in public high schools to teach workshops in writing. The objectives of PEN in the Classroomare to enhance the writing skills of students; to introduce culturally diverse writers and their work to students; to model professional pathways and help foster an appreciation for the literary arts; and to provide meaningful teaching opportunities for PEN members dedicated to their art and education.

PEN in the Classroom is distinct in several crucial ways from other writers-in-the-schools programs. First, PEN in the Classroom is coordinated directly with enthusiastic teachers who empower students and writers so that the program can reach its full potential. Second, profiles of participating writers and examples of their work are provided to students and teachers prior to the writer’s involvement. PEN’s preliminary research has proven this to be an important and unusual feature that allows students to become acquainted with the nature of the work and background of writers, intensifying the interaction to follow. Third, this is not a “one shot” deal wherein writers appear for a day and are gone. The length of the residency allows for depth and continuity of instruction.

Read Article about Kate Buckley and Pen in the Classroom

EDDIE MOORE/JOURNAL Marisa Graham, left, and Alli Valdz, right, listen as Jefferson LaRouche reads from the class' new anthology, "Testaments," published from their work in the "PEN in the Classroom" program conducted at Capshaw Middle School.