Lake Superior Writing Project

The Lake Superior Writing Project is a group of teachers interested in building a network of support for teachers who share a passion for literacy and the teaching of literacy. We are exploring ways to establish support for teachers from across the Lake Superior Arrowhead region. An affiliate of the Minnesota Writing Project, we explore and facilitate conversations among teachers leading to an understanding of and appreciation for Native American culture, history, and literature.

LSWP Mini-Institute

The fourth Lake Superior Writing Project mini-institute took place on July 8 through 12, 2013. Find out more about what the teacher writers did on the 2013 mini-institute page.

The third LSWP mini-institute brought together twelve regional teachers on July 9 through 13, 2012, on the UMD campus. For more information, go to the 2012 mini-institute page.

The second mini-institute took place on July 11 through 15, 2011, at the University of Minnesota Duluth campus, and was attended by nine area teachers. See the 2011 mini-institute page for more details of the exciting week.

Thirteen classroom teachers participated in our first mini-institute held at UMD from August 9 through 13, 2010. Check MWP’s Winter 2011 Newsletter for information on the activities held in conjunction with the first institute, and click on the 2010 mini-institute page for links to writing by some of the participants.

LSWP news

Four UMD alumnae at the 2013 LSWP Mini-Institute featured on UMD homepage!

LSWP teachers selected for Writers Read Anthology
Four LWSP educators submitted writing on the theme “In the Elements” and were chosen to read at the Writers Read event at Stage North in Washburn, Wisconsin, January 4th and 5th. Meridel Kahl (LSWP 2010), René Montgomery (LSWP 2010; MWP 2011), Kathy Noteboom (LSWP 2012), and Susan Perala-Dewey (MWP 2008; LSWP Co-facilitator) were published in the 2012-2013 WritersRead 2012-2013 Volume I.  Each of us agrees it was an honor to be part of such a unique and rich community literacy event.

LSWP teachers attend “Cultivating Compassion: Empathy, Leadership, and Social Change” on March 6, 2013, UMD
LSWP co-facilitator and co-chair of the College of Liberal Arts Change Team at UMD, Susan Perala-Dewey, helped plan, organize, and facilitate a day-long conference centered around the theme of empathy for students, faculty, staff, area teachers, and community members. Among over 420 participants were ten LSWP educators. The conference was part of campus efforts to create an inclusive, respectful, and compassionate campus climate. Along with over sixteen breakout sessions on empathy, the conference brought together local poets, a practitioner in non-violent communication, and the Echoes of Peace Choir to celebrate the day’s events. View the keynote speech Empathic Action Rocks: Join the Movement that can Change Your Life and Change the Worldby Dr. Anita Nowak of McGill University’s Social Economy Initiative and related educational resources to learn more.

LSWP Writing Group
Our previously named “Friday Night Writes” group is no longer meeting on the first Friday of each month. We are in the process of determining a better day and location for the 2013-14 school year. If you are interested in joining our writing group, please call or email Susan Perala-Dewey @ 218.724.3987 or speralad@d.umn.edu.