Professional Writing

NWP's invitational summer institutes give teachers time to write themselves. Summer institute writing activities are not limited to personal writing. A variety of genres—creative, nonfiction, professional writing—support the institute's inquiry into the practice of writing. NWP's E-Anthology provides teachers with a national audience.

The resources below describe the variety of approaches to writing in the invitational summer institute.

Professional Writing in the SCWriP Summer Institute: Letter to Summer Fellows by Sheridan Blau

Sheridan Blau, director of the South Coast Writing Project at the University of California in Santa Barbara, gives new summer institute participants the following piece, which examines the genres and purposes for professional writing in the institute. More ›

Working Writing into a Comfortable Fit

Even though Karon Henderson thought of herself as a confident teacher of writing, it wasn't until she attended the Central Texas Writing Project Summer Institute that she considered herself a writer and experienced all the discomfort writing can entail. More ›

The E-Anthology: A Catalyst for Professional Writing?

The E-Anthology was established to encourage teachers to write about their summer institute experiences, share classroom practices, and discuss key issues in education. How can the online forum include more professional writing as a platform for discussion? More ›

Professional Writing Retreat Handbook

Recently revised by retreat coordinators, this new edition of the Professional Writing Retreat Handbook offers advice about planning, funding, and conducting a retreat to support teachers as writers. This 93-page booklet also provides tools and resources to help sites design local retreats, including such things as deciding pre-retreat readings and the role of facilitators. More ›

Well-Seasoned Teacher Thrives at Summer Institute

A middle-school teacher for twenty-eight years, Carol A. Lafrance finds she can still be a learner when she attends the Third Coast Writing Project's summer institute. More ›