PhilWP Reflections
Reflection on the 1994 PhilWP Invitational Summer Institute I
by Rita Sorrentino
If I were to design a coin to commemorate my PhilWP experiences, it would contain a mirror on one side and a window on the other. From my beginning days at Summer Institute I in 1994 through continued opportunities for participation and facilitation, PhilWP welcomed me, wowed me, and worked with me as I shed some of my shyness and committed myself to life-long learning.
During Summer Institutes and Continuity Programs, I experienced writing in many forms, participated in journal and inquiry groups, and considered writing for my personal and professional use. With conversations springing from highlighted and notated bulk pack articles, I examined my own practices and beliefs. Slowly but surely, I made certain changes in the classroom to offer my students more choice, ample time, and a wider audience for their writing. With generous support from knowledgeable TCs, I was eager to implement new strategies, reflect on practice, and work on building a community of writers in my classroom that mirrored my PhilWP experience.
Slowly but surely, I made certain changes in the classroom to offer my students more choice, ample time, and a wider audience for their writing.
Long before Twitter, PhilWP was and remains my preferred PLN (Personal Learning Network) of “teachers teaching teachers.” Never a “one and done” kind of professional development, PhilWP extended my learning through study groups, list-serve conversations, and technology initiatives. I participated in Digital Storytelling and Webs of Connections projects that paved the way for my enthusiasm in using digital devices and Web 2.0 tools with students to collaborate on the construction of knowledge, compose all types of text, and communicate with others both near and far.
I am very grateful for the many opportunities that helped me grow as a teacher, become more advanced in the use of technology, and gain confidence in my presentation and facilitating skills. I cannot imagine my life as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia without the wonderful, caring, and resourceful people I have met through PhilWP. Congratulations and best wishes to the PhilWP family on this 25th Anniversary. Thank you for your years of caring for teachers and through them enriching the lives of students, families and school communities. May your presence continue to sustain a network of teachers for many years to come!
Rita Sorrentino is the technology teacher at Overbrook Elementary. Rita joined the Philadelphia Writing Project in 1994 as a teacher consultant. Rita serves on the PhilWP Journal editorial review board.
Rita’s piece was written this year as a reflection on more than 15 years in the Philadelphia Writing Project.