Youth Writing Group

Sunday October 2, 2025 – Sunday, May 3, 2026

Welcome to the Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation’s youth writing group!

This group will run on a similar model to our adult writing groups:

  • Led by a facilitator who provides meeting structure
  • Participants will be given time at group meetings to write, share their writing, and give & receive feedback on each other’s writing

LOCATION

SUNDAY meetings will take place 2-4pm at the LRJF Writing Center, 1914 14th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL  32960.  

MEETING TIMES

Sunday: October 5, November 2, December 7, January 4, February 1, March 1, April 12 (NOTE change to second Sunday because of Easter), May 3

FORMAT

We believe in a future where every person is an accomplished writer and engaged learner. To reach that future, students must be given time to both write and time to discuss what they have written. We will do that each month and to get us started we will focus each month on a specific writing mini lesson with opportunities to learn ways to grow as writers. There will also be coaching and support for individual writing projects and long term writing goals the students already have.

General 2 hour format will include:

  1. A Warm Welcome Activity (Icebreaker based on the theme or focus of that month) 5 – 10 minutes.
  2. A Mini Lesson 15 – 30 minutes (Teaching with Embedded Writing Prompts or Exercises)
  3. Writing Time 45 – 65 minutes (Silent Sustained Writing – this will be the time that students can work on their own projects or an extension from the mini-lesson focus)
  4. Reading and Feedback 45 – 60 minutes (Individuals volunteer to read a part of their work and tell the group prior to the reading which type of feedback they are looking for – 1 -Adoration and Praise Only, 2-Help with a specific aspect such as a character, dialogue, or form, 3-Questions and Suggestions, 4 Critical Specific Editorial Response. Each of these types of responses will be explained and practiced with the students
  5. Probing Question Send Off – Always the Last 5 minutes

We will always start on time and finish on time. The exact amount of time for #2 – #4 will be managed and adjusted as needed based on the writer’s energy and engagement levels. We will purposely adjust to what is best suited to the group of writers we are working with. We will encourage all writers to share and make sure everyone gets a turn to do so. 

Meet the Group Faciliatator

I am Mrs. Jodie Scales, an educator,  a writer, a reader, and a travel enthusiast. I believe in the power of communication and the importance of story in the lives of everyone. I have always been a writer; however, I was not a strong reader when I was in high school, yet today I read 150 or more books a year. I have come to realize that reading is a way of life and the doorway to writing well. I attended the life changing Indiana Writing Project Summer Institute at Ball State University in 2009 becoming a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant. I have led middle and high school writing clubs for nearly two decades and participated in several adult writing groups. I am so excited to begin this journey with each of you like minded enthusiasts who want to make time for their own writing. I can’t wait to get our LRJF writing group up and running so that we can begin developing a supportive and motivating writing group modeled on the National Writing Project concepts.

This will be my 21st year teaching English Language Arts in the middle and high school public school setting. I previously taught four years of 7th grade ELA, seven years of 10th grade ELA, one year of 9th grade ELA, six years of 12th grade ELA, five years of Advanced Placement English Language and/or Literature, two years of Dual Credit English through Indiana University, and two years of AICE Language AS level through Cambridge. Prior to becoming a teacher, I served in the United States Navy for about nine years. I would have most likely remained in the Navy had I not married my husband, now retired senior chief Steven Scales. All of our children have also served in the Navy, so you could say that we are a Navy family. I hold a Master’s Degree in Secondary Language Arts Education, plus 18 additional graduate-level English-specific credits, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management and Communications. I have done Doctorate level course work in e Learning and Academic Writing. I’ve presented professional development sessions to groups of 200+ at both the National Council of English Teachers, and the Assembly of Literature for Adolescents conferences. National awards include Penguin Random House Teacher Awards for Literacy Runner-Up 2014, and NCTE 2017 Indiana High School Teacher of Excellence Award.