Invitational Summer Institute 2024: Redefining “Rigor” to Build Curriculum that Matters to Students
Rigor. It is a word that we as teachers feel pressure to achieve, but often we lack clarity on how we can challenge students in ways that they experience as meaningful, and that align with our values. In our Invitational Summer Institute, we will explore how the concept of “rigor” can be humanizing, and how it can invite students and teachers alike to explore the contexts of our lives and communities while stimulating deep thinking and engagement.
Each day will end with an afternoon of implementation time, giving teachers the choice to continue dialogue, prep materials, and/or write on their own.
There is no charge for participating in ISI. Funding is provided through grants from the California and National Writing Projects and by income provided by other San Jose Area Writing Project programs.
Invitational
Summer Institute
Who: Secondary Teachers (Grades 7-12.)
ISI 2024 is for secondary teachers, grades 7 - 12th. If you need graduate college credits, you may request a stipend for purchasing (up to) 3 units from San José State University, meaning ISI 2024 is free for everyone. This will fulfill expectations to progress along teachers’ salary schedules.
Where: San José State University
ISI 2024 will take place on San José State University's campus in the Sweeney Hall building. Please consult the Campus Map to find our location and suitable parking. We recommend that you enter the campus from the South Entrance (7th Street and San Salvador Street), and turn into the parking garage on your left.
When: June 17 - June 27, 2024
Week 1: Monday, June 17-Friday, June 21, 2024*
Week 2: Monday, June 24 - Thursday, June 27, 2024
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM with 1 hour lunch breaks
*Juneteenth, June 19, will be observed as a holiday
Days at a Glance
Days 1 & 2: June 17-18
“I feel like every paper I wrote in my English class last year was fake.”
- Priya, 10th Grade Student, San Lorenzo
“I feel that the main reason for my attitude towards writing is the same reason I hold a similar attitude towards anything else. It's been made into a chore. I feel the same way about vacuuming my house.”
- Derek, 10th Grade Student, Sunnyvale
SJAWP Co-Directors Jane Gilmore and Bronwyn LaMay will share ideas and practices for developing students' identities as writers by thinking carefully about what we ask them to write, how we ask them to engage with us, and how we can best support them to promote their voice and authentic ideas. We will consider the role of the personal narrative in developing academic identity and voice, and how the purposeful blending of genres can help students write from a place of authority. We will also share practical tips around the power of the writing conference and teaching students to become solid with self-assessment in order to ease the burden of intense paper loads on teachers. And we will consider how we can read students’ writing through a stance of listening and understanding, and how and where evaluation best fits into the picture.
Juneteenth - Holiday
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Writing for Joy: Morning Writing Exercises
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Participating Teacher Writing Lesson Demonstration
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Afternoon Writing Groups
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Mocktail Literary Happy Hour + Open Mic Sessions
Day 4: June 21
Through the work of East Palo Alto educator Andy Robinson, we will explore how rigor emerges through the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, and its translation into trauma-informed practice that centralizes students’ stories and invites them to think deeply about social justice issues in their communities. Andy will facilitate an exploration of ideas and practices that have the power to create safe writing communities for students of all experiences and backgrounds, and build and amplify students’ voices while creating opportunities for them to impact their larger communities. Through a resilience-based approach, Andy will invite us to facilitate writing in a way that allows for the collective construction of knowledge, and both individual and group expression.
Day 3: June 20
High school teachers often feel pressured to prepare students for the demands of college writing. However, high school teachers often articulate “college ready writing” in ways that differ from what college writing actually is. Through the perspectives of SJSU’s First-Year Writing Program Director Ryan Skinnell and Professor Scott Jarvie, we will consider how effective college writing programs define “rigor,” and how they also wrestle with its meaning.
San Jose State professors Scott Jarvie & Bronwyn LaMay will lead us in an inquiry about what is considered “good college writing,” and how does an effective first-year college writing program develop student writers? What is valued? What is emphasized? What types of writing are expected, what work is actually assigned, and what might authentic preparation look like at the middle and high school level?
Day 4: June 21
Through the work of East Palo Alto educator Andy Robinson, we will explore how rigor emerges through the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, and its translation into trauma-informed practice that centralizes students’ stories and invites them to think deeply about social justice issues in their communities. Andy will facilitate an exploration of ideas and practices that have the power to create safe writing communities for students of all experiences and backgrounds, and build and amplify students’ voices while creating opportunities for them to impact their larger communities. Through a resilience-based approach, Andy will invite us to facilitate writing in a way that allows for the collective construction of knowledge, and both individual and group expression.
Day 5: June 24
Through the work of East Side Union educator and author Mike Tinoco, we will explore how rigor takes shape in the connection between writing, empathy, and love, through the lens of nonviolent communication and the growth of vulnerability. Drawing from his forthcoming book, Heart at the Center: An Educator’s Guide to Sustaining Love, Hope, and Community through Nonviolence Pedagogy, Mike will invite participants to explore how narrative, poetry, and empathic writing can help students cultivate love—for themselves and each other. Mike will invite us to practice some of the writing that his students do, in addition to lesson planning and sharing ideas together.
Days 6, 7, & 8: June 25-27
In our final three days, we will synthesize the work we’ve done and continue the conversation on the issues we’ve raised. We will have additional time for collaboration, planning and implementation, and reflection. This is a perfect opportunity for teams to meet together for district planning days.
RESET: WRITING FOR SELF
The goal of the Invitational Summer Institute is to support teachers in developing their personal identities as writers so that they can best support students in their classroom with developing their own unique writing identities. We will spend a significant amount of time writing for ourselves in the ISI.
REJUVENATE: WRITING FOR JOY
We believe that writing should be a joyful experience. Many students (and teachers) are intimidated by writing and view it as a chore. We aim to explore approaches to writing that are fun, creative, and more fulfilling. Ultimately, writing should engage the reader and we want to support teachers in crafting writing experiences for students in which they produce meaningful work that we are excited to read.
REIMAGINE: DIVERSE APPROACHES TO WRITING
Much focus has been put on diversifying texts that students consume in the classroom and ultimately we would like to also emphasize diversifying writing forms that students compose. SJAWP has invited authors of diverse texts to offer writing classes throughout ISI and engage in conversation with our educators regarding diversifying texts and writing forms in the classroom. Author visits will be announced at a later date.
WHAT IS ISI?
Each day of the institute is composed of personal writing time, demonstration lessons taught by the facilitators, and curriculum planning time.
WHY SIGN UP?
Invest in yourself! SJAWP’s approach to Professional Development is to offer writing classes for teachers designed by teachers. In two weeks time, in addition to earning college credit, you can become a teacher consultant with SJAWP. As a teacher consultant, you may be invited to present at Saturday Seminars, to lead professional development in schools, or to teach students in our summer programs. Perhaps the best reason to attend the ISI is the camaraderie you will experience with other teachers who love teaching and who are looking to stretch and grow their writing instruction. The relationships you develop with your fellow participants will last a lifetime. The writing project can be your place to reset, rejuvenate, and reimagine your writing identity and teaching practices.
FAQ
How does a teacher apply for the program?
Teachers can access the online application here.
Will coaching be offered for demonstration lessons?
All participants will receive at least two coaching sessions with our facilitators in order to best prepare for their lesson. Our facilitators are knowledgeable coaches who will do all that they can to bring out the best in each participant.
What is the time commitment of the Invitation Summer Institute?
Our program runs for two weeks in July from 9am-3pm. In order to promote balance and self-care we will work for four days each week and take three day weekends to rejuvenate in between sessions.
How many teachers will participate in the Invitational Summer Institute?
ISI is designed for a small cohort of teachers of up to 12 teachers. We provide a more intimate setting in order to promote strong social connections and collaboration. Our teachers frequently leave with lifelong friendships!
I just found out about the Invitational Summer Institute. Can I still apply?
We will accept applications through May. If a teacher is interested in participating after the application deadline passes, they should reach out to the directors listed below.
Who should I contact with additional questions about the program?
Please refer any inquiries to Jane Gilmore or Bronwyn LaMay, Associate Directors of SJAWP in charge of the Invitational Summer Institute. Jane’s email is jane.gilmore@sjsu.edu and Bronwyn's is bronwyn.lamay@sjsu.edu.
Registration is open!
About the
Instructors
Jane Gilmore
Year 1 instructor Jane Gilmore is an Associate Director of the San Jose Area Writing Project. She is a teacher with over a dozen years of experience in both the classroom and leading professional development for teachers. She has a Masters in education and two teaching credentials (in English and Social Studies) from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University Continuing Studies. Aside from working on her own manuscripts, Jane’s favorite endeavor is supporting students in developing their own novels and creative talents. More likely than not, your students have played her original creative writing games at a Saturday Seminar, and she looks forward to helping nourish and flourish the careers of some of our brightest young writers.
Bronwyn LaMay
Bronwyn has been a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator for over 20 years in the Bay area. She has taught middle and high school in Oakland, Hayward, East Side Union, East Palo Alto, and Santa Clara.
She has her Phd from Stanford in English and Literacy Curriculum, her MA from Mills College in Educational Leadership, and her BA in English from UCLA. A few years ago, she published what began as a literacy curriculum that she co-created with her students; it revolved around their self-narratives on the topic of love. The book, Personal Narrative, Revised: Writing Love and Agency in the High School Classroom, was awarded NCTE’s David H. Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English for 2017. Bronwyn currently lectures in the Departments of English and Teacher Education at San José State, and has worked with the Writing Project as a teacher consultant and participant for many years prior to becoming a director.