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Newsletter Many of us know what it islike to return to our schools afterattending the Summer Institute,only to find ourselves alone.Imagine returning to a schoolwhere there are seven otherWriting Project teachers!

WMWP was recentlyawarded a National Writing ProjectResearch Grant to study the impacta “critical mass” of Writing Projectteachers has on teaching andlearning when they find themselvesat the same school.

We are excited to have JoanneWisniewski and Jack Czajkowskijoin the research team, who arenot only Summer Institute alums,but also attended Anne Herring-ton’s “Teacher as Researcher”Institutes. Bruce Penniman andSusan Biggs will make up theremainder of the research team.They will work under the guidanceof Charlie Moran and AnneHerrington. Susan Biggs will alsoact as administrator of the project.

We will be working with twoelementary schools in Amherst.The study will run through theschool year with initial findingsreported to NWP next August.NWP offers support and guidancethroughout the project.

NWP sees this study asimportant, not only for us locallybut also for what it can tell othersites about their efforts to supportwhole schools in developing howwriting is taught. We look forwardto sharing our results from thiswork.

Researchproposalfunded

Continuity amid changeWMWP founder Charlie Moran retires,Bruce Penniman becomes site director

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WMWP co-founder Charlie Morangreets well-wishers at his June 22retirement party.

WMWP founder Charlie Moranretired from the University of Massa-chusetts in June, passing on the posi-tion of WMWP site director to BrucePenniman, a former co-director.

Charlie’s 11-year tenure as leaderof WMWP was celebrated at a galaretirement party on June 22 in Memo-rial Hall. Members of the Da Camera

Singers, in which Charlie and KayMoran both perform, provided mu-sic, and Representative Ellen Storypresented a citation from the Massa-chusetts House.

David Roach, Peter Elbow, BillMullin, and Diana Callahan delivereda series of accolades, and Susan Biggspresented two gifts on behalf of thosewho had gathered to honor Charlie: anengraved University of Massachu-setts chair and a scrapbook of letters,photos, and other mementos.

Charlie remains active in WMWPafter retirement. He is playing acentral role in the National WritingProject Research Grant work (seestory at right). Next spring, he willteach English 712, Writing and Teach-ing Writing, as part of the WMWPGraduate Certificate in Writing pro-gram. Next summer, he will co-facilitate (with Susan Biggs) WMWP’sfirst Professional Writing AdvancedInstitute.

Bruce Penniman, who served asco-director of WMWP from 1994 to2002 and who has co-facilitated sev-eral Summer Institutes, assumed theduties of site director at the beginning

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By Kevin HodgsonFor participants in this year’s Western Massachusetts

Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute, it was theseason of the Blog.

Thanks to the guidance of technology guru Paul Oh,a WMWP co-director, the 12 members of the institutequickly learned the ins and outs of using an interactiveweblog Internet site to post and respond to personalwritings, inquiry project topics, workshop ideas andPowerPoint presentations. (To access the blog, go to http://blogs.writingproject.org/blogwrite1/)

As if that weren’t enough technology to turn theirheads, many members also posted their writings on theNational Writing Project’s website, where participantsfrom other summer institutes around the country couldrespond and react in similar fashion in the e-Anthologyforum.

Which is not to say that the new technology took awayfrom the core missions of the institute: personal writing,workshops, and research.

Members were actively engaged in enlightening otherson topics ranging from teaching rhetorical debate techniques(Jane Baer-Leighton, of Amherst Regional High School);using all five senses as writing prompts (Tamar Berthiaumeof Murdock High School in Winchendon); and exploringtechniques for personal narratives (Mark Staples ofLongmeadow High School).

Kristen Iverson, who teaches at Amherst RegionalHigh School, walkedthe class throughcreation of multi-genre research papersin which students canreact to a topicthrough any numberof writing formats,including poetry,letters, essays andpersonal reflection. Others, such asCynthia Darling, whowill be teaching thisfall in Tarrytown,New York, expandedon the virtues of acommunity-basedwriting project in

which her students interviewed business owners from theircity and created a website of the writings.

Sara Palmer, of Balliet School in Springfield, andJenny Sinding, of the Pioneer Valley Performing ArtsCharter School in Hadley, encouraged participants to allowtheir students to become more socially aware and active.

Personal writing posted on Web

There was a wide range of personal writing posted onthe blog site, with topics ranging from the resonance of pastrelationships; the act of teaching and writing, and teachingwriting; and creative ruminations on life itself. Members ofthe institute even spent an entire day in writing responsegroups, traveling around the UMass campus and the townof Amherst, using different sites as sources of inspirationfor a “writing marathon.”

The third tier of the institute, an inquiry project, provedto be informative and engaging as well. Topics chosen byparticipants this year included using picture books as aplatform to writing in upper elementary classrooms (KevinHodgson of Norris Elementary School in Southampton);the philosophical foundation for theorist Peter Elbow(Robert Ballentine of West Springfield High School); andthe benefits of an interdisciplinary curriculum (DawnFontaine of the Bridge Academy in Springfield).

Many participants expressed enthusiasm about bringingnew ideas back to their classrooms and while mostparticipants teach in area schools, Anne Agard of LaneyCollege in Oakland, California, intends to bring back ideasto her community college classroom on the other side of theUnited States.

Summer of ‘The Blog’Technology enhances Summer Institute

Mark Staples receives partici-pants’ feedback on his SummerInstitute workshop.

Jane Baer-Leighton presents her Summer Institute in-quiry project using PowerPoint, one of the technologytools used extensively by 2003 participants.

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Because of the loss of state fund-ing, WMWP will no longer able toindependently publish anthologies ofstudent writing on a large scale.

The co-directors have decided,therefore, to use the knowledgeWMWP teacher-consultants havegained from nine years of publishingto develop a professional develop-ment model to other help teachers inWestern Massachusetts develop stu-dent publication programs in theirclassrooms and schools.

This fall, WMWP is putting to-gether a task force to determine thebest way to reformulate the program.Anyone interested in participatingshould contact Mary-Ann DeVita-Palmeri at palmeri@crocker.com.Information about the new student

writing program will be available atBest Practices on November 1.

Last year, WMWP continued itstradition of publishing student writingfor the ninth year. In October WMWPsent out a call for manuscripts fromstudents in grades K-12. About 700students responded to the call andwith the encouragement of their teach-ers sent in their work to be consideredfor publication.

In March over 80 students cameto UMass to read these manuscriptsand make recommendations to theteacher-editors. The teacher editorsused these recommendations to makedecisions as to which of the submis-sions would be selected for two pub-lications. Over 130 students werepublished.

Say What, edited by Marilyn Pikeof Gateway Regional School, includedwriting from students in grades 7-12,and Reach for the Words, edited byPaul Oh of Mark’s Meadow Elemen-tary School in Amherst, and SusanFleischman of the Common School inAmherst, included writing from stu-dents in grades K-6.

In June all published authors andstudent editors and their teachers andparents were invited to the UMass tocelebrate the publications and receivetheir copies. Over 300 people came tothe celebration.

The program this year was led byWMWP co-director Mary-AnnDeVita Palmieri and JoanneWisniewski of West Springfield MiddleSchool.

With support from the NationalWriting Project, WMWP has joined anetwork that includes the other threeWriting Project sites in Massachu-setts: Central Massachusetts WritingProject (Worcester State College),Buzzards Bay Writing Project(UMass/Dartmouth), and the BostonWriting Project (UMass/Boston).

In February, representatives fromthe four sites gathered in Tucson,Arizona, along with representativesfrom sites across the country whowere establishing similar networks.Mary-Ann DeVita Palmieri was therepresentative from WMWP.

Their task was to develop goalsand working plans for the new Mas-sachusetts network. After trying tocome up with a name that had a catchyacronym, they decided to call it theMassachusetts Writing and LearningNetwork (MWLN)—not too catchybut descriptive. The Massachusettsdelegation decided that the major goal

of the MWLN is to increase the visibil-ity of the Writing Projects in the stateamong teachers, legislators, and theDepartment of Education. The del-egation also decided that the networkwill include two representatives fromeach site and would meet regularly.Bruce Penniman agreed to be thesecond representative from WMWP.

Publication project

In subsequent meetings at Worces-ter State the representatives decidedon a few immediate tasks. They arealso working on coordinating amaster calendar so that project alumsat all the sites will know what is goingon in each site and perhaps take partin activities at a site other than theirown.

The MWLN representatives alsodecided to publish an anthology of K-12 student writing from all over thestate. The anthology will celebrate

and highlight WP alums and theirstudents. Each site will solicit manu-scripts from its alums and would limiteach alum to two pieces from twodifferent students—up to 20 piecesfrom each site. The pieces can be ofany genre and the teacher will beasked to describe the classroom con-text that produced the piece. Each sitewill be responsible for selecting fromamong the pieces of writing submittedto the site, but the guidelines will be thesame for all sites.

There will then be a day when thestudents whose work is selected andtheir teachers will be invited to aluncheon and a series of workshops.

The culminating activity of theproject will be a celebration in Boston,possibly at the State House, to whichlegislators, the governor, DOE offi-cials and their staffs as well as pub-lished students, teachers and parentswill all be invited. A selected group ofstudents will read their work.

Publication program changing to PD model

State network meets, plans projects

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Cate Hunter steps inas office manager

Catherine Hunter, a 2003 graduate of the University of Massachu-setts, is the new office manager at WMWP. Cate, who has just begunthe M.A. program in the UMass English Department, replaces NicoleMatos as graduate assistant.

Cate comes to WMWP with a great deal of management andmarketing experience. As president of the UMass Student AlumniRelations Society, she has presided over meetings; organized, adver-tised, and hosted events; and written and published newsletters andpress releases. Cate has also served on the UMass Alumni Board andthe UMass Writing Committee and as a tutor in the UMass WritingProgram.

Cate spent two weeks in the summer working with Nicole to learnthe operations of the WMWP office, where she will work 10 hours perweek during the school year.

Nicole, who leaves WMWP with the thanks of the co-directors andExecutive, will be devoting her time to her teaching and her doctoralprogram this year.

Cate Hunter is the new graduate assistant inthe WMWP office.

Kay Moran assists Charlie in cutting his cake, which featured the WMWP logo.

– Charlie Moran retires from UMassof September. Bruce was granted apartial sabbatical from Amherst Re-gional High School this year that en-

• Continued from page 1 ables him to teach his regular classesat ARHS in the morning and work atUMass in the afternoon. He is also co-teaching a course in the UMass En-

glish Department with Lee Edwards,Dean of the College of Humanitiesand Fine Arts. You can contact Bruceat penniman@massed.net.

Enter the WMWP

Name theNewsletter

ContestCome up with the

most creative nameand win a $50 credittoward any WMWPTeachers as Writers

activity!

E-mail your entry towmwp@english.umass.edu

by October 15.

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Schedule

8:30 Coffee & registration 8:45 Welcome & introduction 9:00 A sessions10:45 B sessions12:15 Pizza lunch & Pat Hunter Award 1:00 Information & discussion sessions 2:00 Writing workshop 3:00 Closing & PDP certificate pickup

A Sessions

A1. Puppets at Play. Kevin Hodgson, Norris ElementarySchool, Southampton. E/M/H.

Playfulness should have a place in all classrooms.Participants will learn how to implement a hands-on,performance-based unit centered on writing for theater.Participants will work in groups to compose a skit, createsimple puppets, and perform for an audience.

A2. In the Neighborhood: Students Writing TheirCommunity. Cynthia Darling, Hackley School, Tarrytown,N.Y. E/M/H.

In this workshop participants will acquire the tools tolead their students through a web-based community writingproject. Skills to be covered include interviewing andnotetaking techniques, article writing, and teaching technol-ogy to showcase the final product.

A3. The Synthesis Journal: A Tool for ConsciousnessRaising. Dawn Fontaine, Bridge Academy AlternativeHigh School, Springfield. E/M/H.

This workshop will present the Synthesis Journal andshow how it can evolve students’ consciousness in and out

of the classroom, as well as exploring the importance ofcultivating active learners. Participants will experiment withthe journal and learn its many applications.

A4. Using Toulmin’s Model for Structuring Argumentsin English Language Arts Classes. Jane Baer-Leighton,Amherst Regional High School. M/H.

In this workshop participants will be introduced toStephen Toulmin’s model of structuring thoughtful argu-ments, practice constructing and deconstructing samplearguments, and discuss ways to apply this model in writing,literature, and public speaking classes.

B Sessions

B1. Scared Silly: Student-Empowered Social-JusticeLearning. Sara Palmer, Balliet Elementary School,Springfield. E/M/H.

This workshop features a 5th-grade project on childabuse prevention and is for anyone who wants students tolearn about “off-limits” power issues (sex, race, etc.)through research and writing. Participants will learn how toselect topics, gather materials, and create community-oriented projects on subjects that most interest students.

B2. Multigenre Research Projects. Kristen Iverson,Amherst Regional High School. E/M/H.

The multigenre research project brings originality andexcitement into students’ research-based writing. Partici-pants will collaborate to create multigenre pieces and discussclassroom applications across grade levels and curricularareas.

B3. Beyond the Rubric: Establishing Writing ExemplarBenchmarks. Andrea Griswold, Mohawk Trail RegionalHigh School, Shelburne Falls. E/M/H.

Learn how to establish writing exemplar benchmarks,the reliable assessment tools that (continued on page 6)

Best Practices in the Teaching of Writing

Bartlett Hall, University of Massachusetts/Amherst$10 registration fee (includes lunch) 5 PDPs*

November 1, 2003

*May be combined with PDPs from other WMWP events to meet state minimum.

New Workshops by Western Mass. Writing Project Teacher-Consultants

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Registration Form for Best Practices in the Teaching of WritingNovember 1, 2003

Please send in this form with your registration fee byOctober 24 to WMWP, 258 Bartlett Hall, Box 30515,University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003:

Registration fee (including lunch): $10. Please makecheck payable to the University of Massachusetts.

To aid us in planning,please indicate yourworkshop choices:A1___ A4___ B3___A2___ B1___ B4___A3___ B2___

For directions to UMass, goto www.umass.edu; clickVisiting Campus. Freeparking is available in Lot32. Any questions? Call413-545-5466 or e-mailwmwp@english.umass.edu.

Name______________________________________Address____________________________________City, State, Zip______________________________Telephone__________________________________E-mail_____________________________________School____________________________________

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

demonstrate the writing traits that rubrics describe. Exem-plar benchmarks can be used by individual teachers,departments, and school districts at all grade levels.

B4. Teaching Philosophical Thinking: The Dialogue/Writing Connection. Robert Ballentine, West Spring-field High School. M/H.

This workshop will demonstrate how Socratic dia-logue, analogous to what Peter Elbow calls “first-orderthinking,” is the essential first step in the process of teachingwriting. Participants will practice multiple sharing andresponding methods as a prelude to writing.

Information & Discussion Sessions

The WMWP Invitational Summer Institute and theGraduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing.

WMWP co-directors will describe and answer ques-tions about the 2004 Summer Institute and ongoing 15-credit certificate program. This session will give participantsa head start on the application process.

WMWP Teachers as Writers Programs.This session will provide information about the spring

Teachers as Writers Workshop and annual retreat, the freemonthly Writing and Response Group, and summer 2004

writing programs.

WMWP Student Programs.WMWP is redesigning its student writing and publica-

tion programs to include a strong professional developmentcomponent. Opportunities and plans for 2003-2004 will bediscussed at this session.

WMWP Technology and Communications.Co-director Paul Oh will demonstrate the web log, the

technology hit of the 2003 Summer Institute, and itsapplication to the WMWP newsletter and the classroom.

WMWP In-Service Programs.Co-director Susan Biggs will solicit participants’ ideas

on quality professional development and explain WMWP’sofferings to regional school districts and how districts canpay for them.

Writing Workshop

“Fantasy Island.” Sherril Willis, Wildwood School,Amherst.

This personal writing workshop will provide an oppor-tunity to write about spending a little time in your own pieceof a “perfect” world.

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Invitational Summer InstituteTuesday-Friday, July 6-30, 8:30-4. Orientation Day: June 5, 8:30-2.UMass, Tobin Hall.Led by Diana Callahan and BrucePenniman, this four-week pro-gram for K-13 teachers focuses onwriting and the teaching of writ-ing. 120 PDPs and 3-6 graduatecredits. By application. Limit 16.Stipend $600.

Teachers as Writers 7July 12-16, 9-4.UMass, Tobin Hall.Led by Lucile Burt, the workshopwill focus on teachers’ writing,with writing time, prompts, feed-back, and time to share. 35 PDPs.Limit 20. Fee $99.

Advanced Institutes

Open to alumni of any NWP site’sInvitational Summer Institute.

Making Technology Workin the ClassroomJune 28-July 2, 9-4.UMass, Bartlett Hall.Led by Paul Oh. See article thispage. More details TBA.

Professional Writing RetreatJuly 19-23, 9-4.UMass, Tobin Hall.Led by Susan Biggs and CharlesMoran. See article this page.More details TBA.

For more information, visit us atwww.umass.edu/wmwp, call us at413-545-5466, or e-mail us atwmwp@english.umass.edu.

WMWP Calendar2003-2004

By Susan BiggsOn June 26, I attended the National Writing Project’s Professional Writing

Retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with 17 teacher-consultants from local sitesacross the country. The facilitators of the retreat were Kathleen O’Shaunessyof the National Writing Project of Acadiana (Louisiana), Bob Sizoo from theRedwood Writing Project (California), and Gwen Williams of the PeachtreeUrban Writing Project (Georgia). Their experience with the publishing worldand writing professionally was a great gift to us all.

The four days kept us busy at what we love best outside of teaching: writingand responding to each other’s writing. Folks worked on a variety of projects:articles, dissertations, and book chapters. I took the opportunity to continue thework I began at the 2000 WMWP Summer Institute. Dinnertime conversationsoffered the opportunity for TCs to share ideas about their local sites.

When we dragged ourselves off to bed each night after long days of writing,sharing, and responding, we rested well knowing the blue skies and red mesaswould greet us in the morning with fresh inspiration. There was even time oneevening for a field trip to downtown Santa Fe for some good old New Mexicangreen chile.

Not only were we given the opportunity to work on writing about the craftof teaching, but we were given the experience of learning first-hand how tofacilitate a Professional Writing Retreat. In fact, next summer WMWP will beholding its own Professional Writing Retreat on-site as an advanced instituteopen to all alums of the Invitational Summer Institute. We look forward to seeingyou there!

Professional Writing Retreatenergizes all participants

Last summer, the WMWP Technology Liaison Paul Oh worked withSummer Institute facilitators Diana Callahan and Bruce Penniman to integratetechnology more fully into the institute. The results were more positive thananyone had imagined. Teachers created inquiry projects using PowerPoint, theycommunicated using e-Anthology, and they posted writing online. The centralcomponent in much of this was the introduction of a Summer Institute weblog(see story, page 2).

WMWP plans to expand the concept first explored in this Summer Instituteby giving TCs the opportunity to enroll in an advanced institute, “MakingTechnology Work in the Classroom,” in which they will learn how to use weblogsto create a community for their classrooms. Embedded in the use of these“blogs” will be an introduction to other tools, such as PowerPoint, digitalcameras, and web resources.

With Paul’s guidance, institute participants will examine relevant literaturethat looks at the reasons for integrating technology into their teaching, as wellas the ways in which technology can, and cannot, create community.

Technology for the classroominstitute planned for 2004

(Continued from page 8)

WMWP Calendar 2003-2004Executive Board MeetingsWednesdays, 4-5:30. September 10,October 8, November 12, Decem-ber 10. January-May dates TBA.The Executive Board consists ofWMWP co-directors and programleaders. To present a concern or anidea for consideration, e-mailwmwp@english.umass.edu.

Writing and Response GroupSaturday mornings, 9-1:00.September 13, October 18, Decem-ber 6, January-May dates TBA.UMass, Bartlett 256.This informal writing group is opento all K-12 teachers in westernMassachusetts. Free.

Best Practices 2003Saturday, November 1, 8:30-3.UMass, Bartlett Hall.The two morning sessions will eachhave four concurrent workshops; theafternoon will include informationalmeetings on topics of interest toteachers and a writing workshop (seepage 5). Fee $10 (includes lunch).

Writing and Teaching WritingThursdays, 4-6:30, Jan. 29-May 13.UMass, Bartlett Hall.English 712, a core course inWMWP’s Graduate Certificate inWriting, will be taught by ProfessorCharles Moran. Tuition and feesapproximately $335.

Teachers as Writers WorkshopSaturday, March 6, 8:30-3.UMass, Bartlett Hall.Treat tourself to a full-day personalwriting workshop for K-12 teacherswith ample time for sharing andresponse. Limit 20. Fee approxi-mately $50 (includes lunch).

Teachers as Writers RetreatThursday-Saturday, May 6-8.Location TBA.Write with other teacher-writers,working in small response groupsin a relaxed environment. Open toall K-12 teachers. Fee TBA.

(Calendar continued on page 7)

Western Massachusetts Writing ProjectEnglish Department, Bartlett HallBox 30515University of MassachusettsAmherst, MA 01003

A-117675

Non-Profit OrgU.S. Postage

PAIDAmherst MAPermit No. 2

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Best Practices conference November 1! See page 5.