History

The Summit was conceived in 2014 by a group of area writing instructors wishing to meet their colleagues at various educational levels and across states in the Northland. Its purpose is to bring together teachers of writing and literacy to exchange ideas, best practices, common challenges, and innovations in the teaching of writing, whether academic, creative, professional, or otherwise.

The Summit values experimentation in our small-group sessions as acts of discovery in teaching and learning. Thoughtful, intelligent sharing in question-and-answer sessions with very active audience participation is the cornerstone of this event. 

In early years, conference fees ranged from $8-15 per attendee. However, since 2015, the conference has been free to attend based on generous donations from area colleges and universities.

2024 - AI: Artificial and Authentic  | Lake Superior College

The Summit explored, discussed, and reflected on the ways AI affects our work.

2023 - Lessons from the Land: Teaching, Learning, Living, and Writing | Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College

The Summit focused on connections between writing and environments.

2022 - Common Ground or Shifting Sands? Students Moving from K-12 to 2- or 4-Year HE Institutions | College of St. Scholastica

The 2022 Summit worked to demystify the pedagogical divide between K-12 and HE educators regardless of the age of their students and to forge collaborative relationships between groups.

2021 - Essential Innovations | University of Wisconsin Superior 

The Summit focused on “Essential Innovations” demanded by the limitations imposed by COVID-19, and considered the three themes of "Teaching with Technology," "Lessons Learned from the Difficult Times," and "Language & Culture."

2020 - Absence to Presence: Nurturing Awareness & Visibility in our Teaching Spaces | University of Minnesota Duluth

This Summit addressed awareness and visibility in the classroom, diverse narratives and perspectives, and challenging conversations related to the teaching of writing and English as a Second Language.

2019 - Engaging Students in a Polarized Nation | Lake Superior College

This Summit examined the importance of writing for engaging students in a polarized nation at a time of particularly troublesome social and political discord.

2018 - Into the Woods | Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College

The Summit invited participants into the woods literally (at FdLTCC's beautiful campus) but also figuratively, to reflect on our complex roles as teachers. 

2017 - Writing Lives in the Northland | University of Wisconsin Superior

The Summit explored the role of writing in the lives of both teachers and students inside and outside the academic contexts and how these relate, contrast, and inform each other.

2016 - Engaging Communities | College of St. Scholastica

Sessions focused around the theme of "Engaging Communities," both in terms of writing teachers engaging their students, as well as how students can learn through community-based writing.

2015 - Bridging Communities | University of Minnesota Duluth

The Summit expanded its focus by collaborating with English as a Second Language colleagues, whose interests dovetail with the teaching of writing. The theme was a figurative nod to bringing disciplines together, as well as a figurative nod to the bridges connecting the Twin Ports of Superior, WI and Duluth, MN.

2014 First Summit | Lake Superior College

The inaugural conference brought college and high school writing instructors in the Northland together for the first time in the existing memories of senior colleagues (upwards of 20 years).