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The following pieces of writing were created by Teacher Consultants, who were all participants in the Summer Institute. 

A Collaborative Poem from TCs 26

The Forgotten Place

Buried under dust and memories, lies a forgotten place. 

It’s filled with happiness and no regrets.

There is warmth and nostalgia, and I can still hear the sound of laughter.

It is a place of safety – a place where we are safe to be ourselves,

And to remember when life was simple with uncomplicated memories.

But the beauty of secrecy is always tarnished by profit,

Changing our perspective as we grow,

Changing that place so hidden, so treasured in thought and cool, dark earth, that it hardly occupies a space at all.

And only work and money and responsibility are left.

But the place still remembers—the happiness, the beauty, the warmth—even if we do not. 

Six-Word Memoirs Based on a "Hidden" Person 

From TCs 2026

Childhood besties. Grown apart. Best wishes.

Arrogance, disguised as love. Biggest regret.

Morgan, a friend. Now, a memory.

Left and returned, your audacity proceeds.

My hero consists of broken promises.

German lover. Now a forgotten dream.

Import friend, grown apart, best regards.

Friend,  a teacher. Now a memory

Friend to the World, dependable smile

The pianist, and I, never eternal.

Old friend, warm laughter, distant now

Seven years. Little princess finally home.

Waterfalls Poem

by Cristi Julsrud, teacher in Alexander County Schools, NC

Some days it feels effortless to

Slip back into this version of me.

The one who is comfortable in her skin

Companionable with silence

Feels little need to chase the chaos

The roiling tumult of life 

Funneled crashing through the rocks of another year.

I am older

More reflective

But wiser? Maybe–

Learning to navigate the quick currents of expectation into

The calmer, flat pool of satisfaction,

But knowing the the calm is deceiving,

And currents just beneath the surface wait 

To pull me back into the river’s flow.

For now, I’ll take a moment to pause

Think about the sun’s warmth

The way it feels different now- softer somehow

The way the light hits with fewer bright glints but more

Soft twinklings somehow enhanced by the darker shadows.

Maybe I’m different now, or just accustomed to 

The play of sun and shadow-

Maybe I’m more still. A moment

To see the way tree roots offer a seat for my 

Limbs, a prop for my back, and time enough

To notice the dappled mirror-reflections on the leaf canopy

Overhead.

I’m content on this rocky shore-

Away from the rapids.

Here the waters don’t crash, but ripple

Don’t erode, but lap gently at the banks.

Perhaps I disturbed the universe. 

Perhaps I’ve grown old.

Nevertheless, in this moment

There is time.

Reset

Aug. 29, 2022

I challenged myself to come up with one word to describe my experience with the Summer Institute.  There were several good candidates including friendship, reflection and joy.  But I have settled on "reset" as the best description.  After 22 years of teaching English and history at the middle and high school levels, I had a serious case of burnout.  When I headed up the mountain, I was also carrying some grief, exhaustion and malaise.  I expected to be able to get “lost in the crowd” as we sometimes do during professional development. That didn’t happen!

The “crowd” ended up being three of the most inspiring, intelligent and caring educators that I have ever met!  The format allowed for a personal and professional reset that was beyond what I could have imagined.  It has been quite a while since I felt the creative energy that I had as a youth.  I had forgotten the joy I feel when I write. It had been many years since I had the time to focus on reflection and myself.  I have changed for the better, because now I am more of my authentic self.

I have incorporated many of the things I “remembered” matter to me!  I have been writing, reflecting, and painting more.  I stop to consider the necessity of tasks and have quit succumbing to high levels of stress.  That treadmill I have been running on at work doesn’t serve anyone well. The dogs and I start every morning with a walk--today we encountered two deer!  I am eating better, having more fun and enjoying my life more.  Will this transformation help my students this year?  I certainly hope so!

-Karen Squiric, 

Teacher Consultant

AMWP Summer Institute 22