The Write Time for an Autoethnography: How Writing Project Has Shaped My Understanding of Professional Learning in Community

Abstract

This study critically examines the cultural and societal phenomenon that comprises the National Writing Project (NWP), specifically reflecting on my experiences of re-designing Gateway Writing Project professional learning experiences as a leader in the organization. I reflect on my encounters, collaborations, and decisions as an Institute instructor and analyze them within the theoretical framework of Communities of Practice using autoethnography as my research methodology. This autoethnographic narrative documents my analysis and understanding of NWP’s framework of social practices, chronicling my journey from participant to advocate and from organizer to leader. Employing the autoethnographic method enabled me to illuminate my own personal and professional growth that has come from continued engagement in social learning practices, leading me to a call of action for educators to find, create, and sustain their own professional learning communities