Twenty-five years ago, I participated in the Western Massachusetts Writing Project’s second annual Invitational Summer Institute (now called the Summer Leadership Institute).
My longtime mentor, Charlie Moran, a professor of English at UMass, had encouraged me to take part in what was then still a fledgling program. The institute included four weeks of working on my own writing, thinking about and sharing aspects of my teaching practice, researching classroom concerns in the educational literature, and — most important — collaborating with other teachers across grade levels, subject areas, and school districts. That summer changed my life.
Far from being just a summer workshop venue, the Western Massachusetts Writing Project (WMWP) — and the National Writing Project (NWP), of which it is a part — became a way of life and a professional home. Since 1994, WMWP has given me opportunities not only to participate in professional learning activities but also to become a teacher leader (“teacher-consultant” in Writing Project parlance): to facilitate workshops for other teachers, teach graduate courses, design programs, develop curriculum, engage in research projects, apply for grants, and much more.
Ultimately, I had the privilege of serving two terms as WMWP’s site director (2003-2007 and 2014-2019), and in that role I have had the chance to connect with hundreds of other teachers, locally and across the NWP network, as well as university colleagues, school district leaders, and community partners.
Witnessing the work that such dedicated educators do on behalf of students day after day, year after year, in ever-more-complex school environments, is inspiring. It’s not just that they are talented, though talented they certainly are. What distinguishes them is their willingness to reflect on their classroom experience, to engage in inquiry about educational issues and practice, and to work cooperatively to respond to the needs of students, teachers, and schools. These are the qualities that have helped WMWP to thrive over the past quarter-century.
From its modest beginnings, WMWP has grown into an ever-evolving network of teacher leaders and programs that serve over a thousand participants per year. Site-sponsored activities include two annual conferences for teachers, a Certificate in the Teaching of Writing program, and a robust professional development initiative that partners with local schools and districts on topics ranging from writing to learn to project-based learning to supporting all learners.
WMWP student programs include an annual Youth Writing Adventure on the UMass campus and week-long summer writing workshops. The site’s leadership team includes six co-directors, all from area schools. Besides leading specific site programs, they coordinate efforts in technology integration and language, culture, and diversity.
WMWP receives support from the UMass College of Humanities and Fine Arts and is guided by an Executive Board with delegates from the UMass English Department and College of Education, Westfield State University, and Springfield Public Schools, as well as teacher representatives.
Several recent WMWP programs have developed from partnerships with local and national organizations. Working with rangers at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, teachers from Springfield’s Duggan Academy,and collaborators from the Veterans Education Project, WMWP teacher-consultants have developed and led a series of free summer camps for Springfield middle school students that have focused on writing and historical topics such as immigration and women in the workplace.
A Mass Humanities grant supported this project for two years. An extended partnership with the Collaborative for Educational Services has included WMWP’s taking a lead role in developing four instructional guides (English, science, math, and history) for teachers in Department of Youth Services (DYS) facilities. DYS coaches and teachers have also participated in the grant-funded College, Career, and Community Writers Program, a research-based NWP effort to improve the teaching of argument.
Other national grants have led to the development of science literacy and civics literacy leadership programs. And for the fifth time this summer, WMWP will host the New England satellite institute of the Holocaust Educators Network, which is sponsored by the The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (and supported this year by Mass Humanities).
All of this good work — and much, much more that I haven’t named — is the product of teacher leadership. When teachers have opportunities to work together and support each other, they accomplish meaningful change — for students and families, for school and society, and for the teaching profession.
As I step back from a leadership role in WMWP, I feel confident that the network will continue to mature, guided by new Site Director Anna Rita Napoleone, Professional Development Coordinator Jane Baer-Leighton, the co-directors, and above all the teacher-consultants who fuel its growth with imagination, dedication, and commitment to justice for all.
Bruce M. Penniman is a teacher-consultant with and the outgoing site director of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project. He is also an adviser of the Sene-Gambian Scholars Program at Amherst Regional High School, where he taught English for 36 years. He can be reached at penniman@umass.edu.