Shea Douglas has been with the Jane Schaffer Writing Program since January of 2017. Initially, she served Crowley ISD as the Jane Schaffer Trainer of Trainers and Writing Coach. Currently, Mrs. Douglas is teaching students at Aledo High School, mentoring new teachers, and continuing to be a national trainer for JSWP. Her 27-year tenure in education includes teaching students in English Language Arts from grades 7-12, including on-level, Pre-AP and Advanced Placement, and UT On Ramps as well as teaching for 3 years at an Early College High School. In addition, she has developed curriculum including Pre-AP, AP, Humanities, Creative Writing, and Sci-Fi / Fantasy Literature. Besides being active as a curriculum developer, Mrs. Douglas has also worked with UIL Ready Writing and Prose and served as National Honor Society Adviser. In her spare time, she is a freelance book editor. Her family includes her husband, Bobby; daughter and son-in-law, Channing and Sumner Haye; two bonus sons, Logan and Kody; and the sweetest little grand girl in the world, Harper Haye. Besides reading and writing, her other hobbies include singing/song-writing and enjoying time with her family.
Favorite Quote
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
Favorite Lesson
One of my favorite lessons this past year has been having students write a progressive essay about character and characterization as they read the novel Lord of the Flies. Since they were already familiar with the JSWP graphic organizers for planning and the expectations for revisions on the Shaping Sheet, seeing their minds at work as they completed the parts and then putting it all together showed the importance of consistency when having students continually practice the writing process.
Prompt: Rules and laws are often seen as the utmost indication of a civilized society. In William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, a plane filled with young boys crashes on an uninhabited island, leaving them to fend for themselves with no adult authority. Each of the characters (Ralph, Jack, Piggy, Simon, Roger, Little-uns, Sam, and Eric) has a distinct personality, motivation, and moral compass. Choose one character to follow throughout the novel. After reading the novel carefully, write a multi-paragraph essay with two-chunks in each body paragraph analyzing how the character and characterization help in the development of plot and create a theme that connects to all of humanity.
A Story About My "Kids"
Throughout the semester, a student with dyslexia has come in for writing tutorials. One day, while working on a planning page, she said, "I know that there are several steps in this process, but this is the first time I have ever really learned about how to write rather than just being given templates." She thanked me for sticking with the program and encouraging the students to persevere.
My JSWP "Aha" Moment
My "Aha" moment with JSWP occurred when my district sent me to the Train-the-Trainer Institute for Argumentation. I was struck by the cohesiveness and explanation of presenting the writing process to students. I recognized how effective this would be if I were consistent. I immediately returned to my classroom, asked my students to trust me, and changed our semester around. It was AP® Language and Composition, and the students' scores all improved so that my overall qualifying rate increased from the previous year.
