What we do
The National Writing Project focuses the knowledge, expertise, and leadership of our nation’s educators on sustained efforts to improve writing and learning for all learners.
In 2016, 185 Writing Project sites, based in universities nationwide, supported
3,000 new teacher leaders who joined a network that worked with
80,000 educators in classrooms and
2,000 youth-serving practitioners in museums, libraries, national parks, youth programs, and more
to strengthen thinking and writing among more than 1.4M students (pre-K through college).
How we do it
In 2016, local Writing Project sites revitalized teachers and built their leadership skills through the core work of summer institutes, on-site coaching, and local networks. More targeted programs achieved such aims as increasing youth civic engagement through writing and deepening programs to support English learners and their families.
How we do it
Design for Leadership
Our core work identifies and supports great teacher leaders. Leadership institutes mix it up, bringing together experienced teachers of different grade levels and disciplines and expanding the local cadre of teachers able to support their peers in pursuing educational excellence. Every year inspired teachers then lead additional programs such as College, Career, and Community Writing Programs (C3WP) which support youth in writing about real issues for real audiences.
“The best thing about C3WP is it creates a lot of student writing and the ‘worst’ thing is it creates a lot of student writing!” — Peter Reed, Teacher-Consultant, Louisville Writing Project, Louisville, KY
NWP’s online networks, research, and national programs continue to support educators’ enormous creativity and youth civic engagement.
In 2016 13,000 youth wrote and published letters to the next president.
Our news and resources reached 7.5M people on Twitter and
5M people on Facebook.
“I created a lifelong class for me that’s still ongoing [by] getting involved with organizations in networks like the National Writing Project.” — Meenoo Rami, Teacher-Consultant, Philadelphia Writing Project, Philadelphia, PA. From Transformative Teachers: Teacher Leadership and Learning in a Connected World (Kira Baker-Doyle, 2017).
How we do it
Design for Impact
Research confirms that connected educators continue to improve their craft and stay in the profession longer. NWP’s legacy study showed that NWP teachers stay in education, on average for 22.7 years. Seventy-two percent of NWP teachers stay in the classroom; while others become principals, district leaders, and superintendents. Others enter higher education, becoming university faculty members and Writing Project directors. They connect a new generation of educators to the Writing Project network and each other through workshops, conferences, model lessons, and of course, invitational leadership institutes.
For instance, for the last ten years 7 Writing Project sites in Kentucky
have delivered intensive (20+ hours) professional development to 4,800 teachers
Provided events for youth, families, and whole communities to 13,600 participants
And networked 2,600 teacher leaders across the state of Kentucky.
“Well-designed professional learning communities, such as those instituted by the NWP, can integrate these elements [of effective professional development] to support teacher learning in support of student learning gains.” — From Effective Teacher Professional Development, Learning Policy Institute Research Brief, June 5, 2017.
Where we work
More than 180 university-based sites connect teachers nationwide to networks, resources, and research.
Support for NWP is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, private foundations, corporations, universities, K-12 schools, local community programs, and individuals.