The Summer Community

Bill Tucker, Director

Make no mistake: the Writing Teacher’s Leadership Institute is a close relative of the Summer Invitational Institute of bygone years, but it has evolved into a variety of the species. Now everyone (even alumni/ae) is invited, demonstrations are planned and performed in teams, duration is condensed to three weeks, and teacher leadership is a prominent theme. Because we had two SI veterans attending with the first-timers in 2014 and because we had a stream of seven of our own teacher leaders describing their leadership roles, we have begun to think of the summer institute as a leadership community.

Teachers are now coming to the summer institute to find their niche in leadership: as writers and advocates, as consultants in writing, as classroom researchers, as school improvement leaders, as literacy coaches, and as family literacy presenters.

One other difference: the free institute has gone the way of the hula hoop (oops, the hula hoop is not dead, if you ask Erin Umpstead). This summer you will pay $1950 for three graduate credits or $750 for state clock hours. As I predicted, 2014 was the last summer of the free ride.

The dates? June 29 - July 17, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Monday- Friday, (Campus Closed Friday, July 3, 2015). The location? EMU Student Center 320. That has not changed.

It is not too early to approach your principals or department heads about subsidizing your vacation, er. . . professional development. The familiar application is attached, but the experience will be novel and inspiring. We promise!!