Western MA Writing Offerings   

The Western Massachusetts Writing Project’s  annual Summer Leadership Institute will bring together outstanding teachers who work with students in all academic content areas and at all grade levels, PK–college. Supported by the WMWP facilitators and each other, these teachers will spend three weeks immersed in writing, reading, and teacher inquiry, ultimately returning to their schools as WMWP Teacher-Consultants. In this capacity they may contribute to the professional growth of their colleagues; earn extra income leading workshops and courses in area schools for WMWP; and present their research in local, regional, and national venues. In this way, the Summer Leadership Institute represents the first leg in what thousands of National Writing Project teachers around the country have described as a career-transforming journey. 

As participants, teachers will engage in their own writing to explore ways to use writing more meaningfully in their classrooms. They will participate in a collaborative inquiry community: reading current theory and research, engaging in classroom-based action research, and presenting a professional workshop. Inquiry will focus on the following themes:

CLASSROOM INQUIRY: How can reflecting on my teaching help me ask questions to improve my practice? 

REFLECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION: How do I navigate unfettered student access to technology  such as ChatGPT in my teaching practice? How can teachers use technology productively to encourage equitable outcomes? 

LANGUAGE AND POWER: How can language be used in a classroom to empower or disempower students? How can students’ native languages be valued in school? 

LITERACY AND LEARNING: How can I help students become more confident and effective writers and readers? What writing-to-learn and critical reading strategies can I use to help my students develop their content knowledge and understanding?