However, the 2021 Summer Writing Institute proved to be the largest yet. Twenty-eight educational leaders participated in the 2021 Summer Writing Institute from two provinces and one U.S. state, expanding the reach of the Manitoba Writing Project beyond provincial borders. Together, we aimed to build community, inquire about our world, and connect place-based literacies to issues of social justice, eco-justice, and human rights, constantly considering how we could apply these techniques in our own positions as educators, administrators, and provincial leaders. Differences in geography, culture, language, and educational perspectives and experiences brought important dimension to our learning as a community.
Writing For/As Human Rights
Drawing from their own questions about writing and the teaching of writing, the readings, and workshops led by Katya Ferguson and Amanda Capina, each participant developed a 30-minute writing lesson which they shared with their teaching demonstration groups. In response to these demonstrations, participants followed Chavez’s guide (adapted from Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process) for providing feedback:
- Step 1: Participants shared what they found exciting, compelling, meaningful, memorable, and/or evocative about the demonstration and their experience of it.
- Step 2: The writer/teacher/leader posed two to three planned questions regarding the demonstration for which they sought feedback from the participants.
- Step 3: Participants posed neutral questions to the writer/teacher/leader (which the writer/teacher/leader could choose to answer).
- Step 4: Participants offered to share an opinion, suggestion, or idea regarding the teaching demonstration, which the writer/teacher/leader could choose to hear.
2021 Summer Writing Institute Anthology
We are thrilled now to announce the launch of the 2021 Summer Writing Institute Anthology, which features group and individual writing submitted by participants. We encourage you to read, be inspired, and write!
Summer Writing Institute Anthology 2021 |