IUSWP is a local site of the National Writing Project. There are five NWP sites in Indiana. The Indiana University Southeast Writing Project site has the unique distinction of being the only NWP local site south of the Indianapolis, IN area. The mission of the National Writing Project (NWP) is to improve the teaching of writing and improve learning in the nation’s schools. Through its professional development model, the National Writing Project recognizes the primary importance of teacher knowledge, expertise, and leadership. Ann Lieberman and Diane R. Wood in their article The National Writing Project write,” The National Writing Project’s distinctive social practices and networks create the learning communities that teachers need. Compelling descriptions of how teachers learn and studies of the organizational settings that facilitate professional learning have pointed to new ways to improve the professional development of teachers (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993; Darling-Hammond, 1993; Fishman & McCarthy, 2000; Hargreaves, 1994; McLaughlin & Talbert, 1993). These findings make it more apparent than ever that the old workshop delivery model for teachers must give way to vibrant and ongoing professional learning communities where teachers generate, as well as gain, knowledge. The National Writing Project believes Continue reading »
The seven conditions for effective writing. Written by, Donald Graves. Buy A Fresh Look at Writing. Click Here for Amazon.
I‘ve often been asked, “What is your method for teaching writing?” I think in my earlier books I tried to respond to the question by giving specific instructions—first this, then that. Granted, there are some systematic and highly structured elements to teaching writing, but I didn’t realize until I wrote the introduction to Nancie Atwell’s In the Middle that good writing doesn’t result from any particular methodology. Rather - the remarkable work of her students was a result of the conditions for learning she created in her classroom. This chapter is intended to give you an overview of the conditions that encourage good writing (most of them will be explored in greater depth in subsequent chapters).
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