Summer Institutes

Invitational Summer Institute

Each summer, the SoFlo Writing Project will host an Invitational Summer Institute (ISI) that provides south Florida teachers with opportunities to discuss and integrate critical approaches to teaching, writing, and researching. Because Nova Southeastern University is a private non-profit university, we do not have the same constraints surrounding Florida public school systems and their teachers regarding critical race theory and critical approaches to teaching.

Applications are open between January and April for participation in the calendar year’s Summer Institute.

Upon successful completion of the SoFlo Writing Project’s Summer Institute, applicants to NSU’s M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media program may apply to receive credit for up to two elective courses (6 credits) towards the 30 credits required for the M.A. degree.

 

PROJECTS AND GROUPS

As an affiliate of the National Writing Project, the SoFlo Writing Project involves fellows in all of the following activities:

90-Minute Inquiry Project (Interactive Pedagogy and Research)

Teaching Demonstration: Teaching and Research projects are an integral part of the Institute. Fellows showcase their best classroom practices and educational innovations incorporating contemporary theory and research about teaching, critical thinking and writing. In keeping with the philosophy of the National Writing Project, these 90-minute presentations support the credo of teachers teaching teachers better ways to teach writing or to use writing to promote learning.

Inquiry Project Coaching Groups

Coaching groups are essential to the development of your teacher inquiry project. Fellows participate in small coaching groups to encourage mentoring and collaboration. Group tasks include helping prepare the presentation using protocols from Critical Friends Groups material and offering helpful follow-up for afterward. Coaching sessions help fellows assess their strengths in the presentations.

Inquiry Project Packet

Each fellow will submit a packet of materials (in accordance with their chosen inquiry project) to accompany their presentation. Packet contents will vary and will be 

determined in relation to specified project; however, all packets will include:

  • a cover page with name, date, and title of your project
  • a rationale statement
  • an abstract or formal project description
  • your teaching demonstration (PowerPoint presentation)
  • a participation or evaluation form created for our community to complete in relation to your teaching demonstration
  • an annotated bibliography or literature review

 

Writing

Daily Personal Writing

Fellows write for one hour at the start of each day in the Summer Institute. We create a community of writers as we write together, share our work in response groups, and publish. You may write on any subject(s) you wish. We begin writing at 9:00 each morning. Prompt attendance is essential to fulfill this requirement. Please be ready to ​begin​ writing at 9:00.

Writing & Editing Groups

Each fellow will participate in small groups several times during the institute to respond to colleagues’ writing and to receive response to his/her writing. Google Drive will be used for longer pieces of writing that you will be sharing. More information will be given in your writing groups.

SFWP Writing Anthology

Toward the end of the institute, each fellow will submit personal writing (limited to 4 pages) that celebrates or showcases his or her writing during the Summer Institute. These selections will be published as a group-writing anthology for every member of SFWP. Due at 9:00 a.m. on the final Thursday of the institute.

Daily Log

Each fellow keeps a log for one day during the Summer Institute and shapes those notes into a creative retelling of what happened during that day. You can have fun with this (write it as a recipe, sports analogy, play, letter, blog, etc.). Take notes on the day you sign up for (e.g. June 6th) and prepare your log that night. You are responsible for copies of your log for each of the fellows, Co-Directors and an extra for the archive. You will read your log to the group after lunch on your assigned day (e.g. June 7th).

 

Reading

Common Text(s)

Fellows read from one common text and scholarly articles that are supplemental to our text. This summer, we will provide common texts through a variety of chapters and/or articles.

Selected Thematic Reading

Each person will participate in small reading groups with sections on varied themes. Reading lists and materials will be provided. From this list of readings, each fellow will also choose one reading for a class activity. Fellows will craft a short (20-30 minutes) lesson and activity based on a reading of their choosing for the class to complete. These lessons and activities need to include a writing component that builds from or connects to the chosen reading. Readings will be supplied and cover topics such as

  • Pedagogy
  • Social Justice
  • The politics of language instruction/writing instruction

The purpose of your reading is to promote vibrant dialogue about reading on current issues, practice reading strategies, supplement the research and reading you conduct while preparing your inquiry project, and deepen your general professional knowledge related to the teaching of writing.

Your Thematic Reading Group Required Final Product is to reimagine your teaching philosophy in relation to course readings. This may take the form of direct revision or through new ways to interpret, expand and redefine concepts and ideas already included. You’ll be connecting your teaching philosophy to the texts and materials in explicit ways– though the ways in which you choose to write about this or make these connections may differ in form and expression.

 

Portfolio

The portfolio is a selection of the work you have completed over the Invitational Summer Institute and should reflect both process and product. We ask that you demonstrate growth over time, depth, breadth, and examples of the writing process.

Minimally, the following should be included in your portfolio:

  • a cover letter that explains your choices for the portfolio and what the selections illustrate about your writing process and growth as a writer. The cover letter tells your reader how to read your portfolio.
  • a selection of personal writing, along with a short reflection that works through the process of composing the piece (considering aspects such as invention, revision, and synthesizing feedback)
  • a statement of teaching philosophy. This statement should reflect and to some extent incorporate (reference/expand upon/etc.) the texts discussed in our theme-community reading groups.

 

SoFlo Writing Project Anthology and Archive Pieces

Toward the end of the institute, each fellow will have the option to submit personal writing (limited to 4 pages) that celebrates or showcases their writing during the Summer Institute. These selections will be published as a group-writing anthology for every member of the SoFlo Writing Project. 

Additionally, each fellow will submit a short lesson plan and activity (discussed above as a part of the Selected Thematic Readings) that can be accessed by all SoFlo Writing Project fellows and used or adapted for use in the classroom. These activities should be able to be completed in one class session (full activity and completion time limited to 30 minutes), and the primary function of the activity must involve students practicing or “doing” writing.