Orientation

9:00 - 9:30

Welcome!

• The Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP) is a local site of the National Writing Project (NWP) at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (PennGSE).

• PhilWP is also a Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) consortium member. This year's institute is funded, in part, through a TPS grant as well as through generous individual donations to PhilWP.

• The first Invitational Summer Institute (ISI) on Writing and Literacy was held in 1986.

• We have a special partnership with School District of Philadelphia Learning Networks 2 and 11 this year: 18 of the teachers participating in the ISI are from these two networks.

• The NWP recently released a document outlining the social practices of teacher consultants. These social practices are foundational to the ISI—and to participation in PhilWP as a teacher consultant (TC).

• In addition to the ISI, PhilWP sponsors a number of programs throughout the year for educators, students, and families, including Project Write; Scholastic Art and Writing Awards; Kid Writing; Philly School Media Network; Teacher Research and Knowledge: A Celebration of Writing and Literacy; College, Career, and Communities Writers Program (C3WP); and Literature Circles.

Reflecting on Being Part of a Learning Community in These Time (with Current TCs): Collaborative Document

9:30 - 9:45

Introductions: Who is in the room?

• In breakout groups, talk about the space you're inhabiting right now, particularly the things we can see in your Zoom window.

• Serial Testimony

  • • Protocol (slide 18)

    • More about the protocol: Making space, taking time, sharing power (Mahabir, 2012)

• Sharing your pronouns/asking people's pronouns is a valued practice showing respect for the people with whom you interact.

  • • In 2016, the School District of Philadelphia released policy 252: "A student has the right to be addressed by a name and pronoun that corresponds to the student’s gender identity.

9:45 - 9:50

Break

9:50 - 10:35

Reflecting Further on Teaching in These Times

• Reading: Pitts, J. (2020, May 15). Teaching as activism, teaching as care. Teaching Tolerance.

• Note Taking Document for Small Group Discussion

10:35 - 11:00

ISI Dates, Course Information, and Next Steps

• Slideshow: Reflection and Overview of ISI

  • • Daily focus questions (slide 23)

    • Example ISI traditions (slide 33)

    • Typical daily schedule (slide 34)

• Video: Overview of ISI

• To Do by June 30:

  • • Complete Course Registration Form

    • Submit $150 Course Fee