Writing is fun. Writing is playful. However, this is not the case in most classrooms. Re-energize your writing practice with the course text Joy Write: Cultivating High-Impact, Low Stakes Writing by Ralph Fletcher. This course will give you the tools, strategies, and the confidence to teach writing in a fun, engaging, playful way. Show your students that writing is joyful.

This course will support teachers in:

• Evaluating  current practice

• Understanding and implementing informal writing

• Understanding and establishing "greenbelt" writing in their classroom

• Creating an action plan

• Analyzing and understanding the impact of writing instruction formats and restrictions on student creativity and enjoyment

• Understanding that "a central goal of school should be to engender a love of writing and reading." Fletcher page 89

For K-8 Teachers

This class is offered for 2 or 3 Quarter Credits

For 2 Credits you will complete 5 assignments

For 3 Credits you will complete 7 assignments

Required Textbook:

Joy Write: Cultivating High-Impact, Low Stakes Writing by Ralph Fletcher

Register Anytime!  You can start your course TODAY!

1. Click "Registration" below.  Our site will redirect you to an SPU registration page where you will pay both the TINT and SPU fee with a credit card. 

2. You will receive an email from SPU with your receipt and a link to the coursework. 

3. You have a year to complete the work at your own pace.  Your grade will be posted on your transcript within a few weeks (and often sooner) of you finishing!

Fees:

Option 1:  Non-Credit/Audit TINT Tuition Fee (10 PDUs): $295

Option 2:  2 Quarter Credit (40 PDUs) = TINT Tuition Fee: $415

+ $110 SPU Credit Fee (Click here for SPU Info) = $525

Option 3:   3 Quarter Credit (60 PDUs) = TINT Tuition Fee: $525

+ $165 SPU Credit Fee (Click here for SPU Info) = $690

Click Here For Coursework Preview

Student Testimonials:

The most beneficial aspects of this class were the text “Joy Write” as well as instructor feedback. It was a quick and easy read, which I appreciated. The author clearly made his case and provided adequate examples of what that could look like in the classroom. I appreciated his perspective and it opened my eyes to my limited view of writing in the educational setting. In addition, I appreciated instructor feedback along the way! I enjoyed seeing what thoughts or ideas stood out to her. This is the first course I have taken since my masters program several years ago. It has made me excited to continue to take courses to learn more about ways in which I can improve my teaching and engage my students further in their learning. I really enjoyed the format of this course, the flexibility in when assignments are submitted, the ease of assignment submissions, quick and timely feedback from the instructor, and the ability to use what we are learning with our students. Thank you for your time and thoughtful feedback on my assignments!

—TINT Student

I am so thankful for this course and the way that it has opened my eyes to a new world of writing possibilities. I’m embarrassed to say that I used to think that giving students free writing time was a lazy thing for me to do. I didn’t think there would be much benefit to it. Now I know that free writing time (greenbelt writing) is crucial in the development of my students as writers. So much good can come from giving students opportunities to explore creatively without worry of their teacher inserting himself/herself, a grade, etc. I am thankful that as a busy teacher and mom, the book was a quick and easy read but didn’t lack in substance. Because of this, I’d be more likely to recommend this book (and this course!) to colleagues of mine. 

—TINT Student

I loved everything about this class from the textbook, to the professor, to the assignments. I found everything to be so beneficial in my own growth and development as a writer. I took the ideas from this class and created fun new greenbelt writing opportunities for my students to try, next year. I absolutely met my goal to gather ideas and set some intentions for myself as a writing educator. I am excited to take this thinking to my third grade teaching team for collaboration. I especially loved writing in my own Writer’s Notebook. Being a student always helps me prepare to teach! 

—TINT Student

This has been such a great course! It has improved my writing instruction in the classroom and has helped me become better at keeping my own writer’s notebook.

The reason why I took this class was the title! I needed to find joy in teaching writing and my students sure needed to find joy in their writing. I felt like we were all in a stupor and just stuck. The text was chock full of ideas to implement and helped remind me of some great resources that I already had. It helped me find ways to take subject matter that I’m already teaching in class and create little ways to add fun and playful writing into the day.

This class definitely met my expectations! I’m so glad I took it. I feel like it got me back in the groove of teaching writing in a fun way. My students have been enjoying it more these few weeks more than ever.

—TINT Student

I enjoyed reading through the literature for this course...I liked when the reading got to sharing different ideas on how to teach writing in your classroom and make it fun! I think it will help to create a stronger classroom community as well as helping children who struggle with writing.

—TINT Student

I believe that the most beneficial part of the class was getting to practice greenbelt writing strategies with my students. I liked how the class was so applicable to my teaching. I had to use the strategies with my students and observe the results. It got me out of my comfort zone and my students really benefited from that. I think that this class exceeded my expectations. I think that my expectation at the beginning was that I would learn a few new techniques to improve my writing instruction. I am coming away from this class with a refreshed mindset and attitude towards writing. I thought that I needed to teach students how to write well for fourth grade and certain genres of writing. Students do need to learn to write paragraphs and different genres of writing but they also need to learn how to enjoy writing. I have rediscovered the joy of writing that I had when I was a child. I believe that joy is rubbing off on my students.

—TINT Student