Reddit reviews Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts

I second the motion to wait a year and get to know the kids and program. Also, it's good to get to know the political climate a bit and to build some networks of support with people who will be willing to put in a good word for you. Build a rapport with the kids who will tell their friends about you.

Meanwhile, use your year, which might be fairly easy, to do the following:

Here are the ELA state standards for OK. Get to know them like the back of your hand. Know which years are generally the same, and which years take a jump forward in expectations.

Read some books about how to teach in an English classroom. Write Like This and Deeper Reading from Kelly Gallagher will give you concrete strategies you can use for any grade. Some of them you could even do with mixed groups of mixed ages. Jim Burke's English Companion is also good.

While you have time and a fairly mild workload, plan, plan, plan. Put things on paper. Look into how LMS's work (my personal fave is Schoology, and I've tried at least a dozen different ones over the years) and what they can do for a classroom where kids have computer access.

Don't get discouraged if, after all this, they say no. What you have then is everything you need to walk into any regular classroom 6-12 if you decide to look for a new job. Good luck!

Get this book and adapt something from the Take a Stand and Propose a Solution section. Its a good book but it has its flaws.

The best way to increase engagement is to give the students as much power as possible. Let them decide what to research but give them scaffolded tools to help them choose a topic. Last time I did this I had many students writing about the legalization of cannabis and if they thought it was a good idea or not. Other popular topics were gun control, pit bull bans, abortion, video games as art, LBGT rights and legal driving age.

I think, and this is just my opinion man, but a research project might require more specific skill pre-teaching than you can do right at the beginning of the year. I always like to have the students start off by looking at themselves and writing about that. It helps build a safe learning environment because they cant be wrong and it helps you get to know your students.

Whatever you do make it real! Don't waste their time, they will know and make you pay for it.