Overview
The Central Connecticut Writing Project, a National Writing Project site, began in 2005. Our central mission is to develop teachers as writers and as teachers of writing. Since 2005, approximately 100 teachers have impacted their classroom instruction as a direct result of their participation in the Invitational Summer Institute (ISI).
NWP
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. The NWP is a network of sites anchored at colleges and universities and serving teachers across disciplines and at all levels.
Sites provide professional development, develop resources, generate research, and act on knowledge to improve the teaching of writing and learning in schools and communities.
Central Connecticut Writing Project is a National Writing Project site.
ISI
The Invitational Summer Institute provides the single-most lasting impact on teachers and, in turn, on their students.
The ISI is held each year for teachers interested in developing as writers and as teachers of writing. Teachers benefit immediately from their institute experience. But it doesn't stop there. When the teachers return to their classrooms, their students benefit from being members of a class that quickly becomes transformed into a vibrant community in which writing is incorporated in meaningful, standards-driven ways across the curriculum.
Furthermore, through both formal and informal professional development, CCWP teachers share new knowledge and expertise with their colleagues. The benefits to Connecticut teachers and students are far reaching.
Professional Development
The CCWP works in partnership with area districts to offer high-quality professional development programs for educators.
Examples of programs include:
- A workshop series on teaching digital writing
- A student writing program on persuasive writing
- An open-institute idea exchange
- Establishing an on-site professional learning community
- Writing to learn
- Home-school-community academic connections
- Facilitated study groups
- Teacher inquiry projects
Findings from teachers who participated in our annual CCWP Invitational Summer Institute
- 96% reported that they made significant changes in their teaching of writing as a result of participating in CCWP activities.
- Teachers reported being more prepared and comfortable with teaching (33% before CCWP, 100% after CCWP).
- Teachers felt confident as writers (55% before CCWP, 87% after CCWP)
- 81% reported that they have participated in leadership activities in their district after CCWP involvement.
- 95% reported that they have facilitated professional development on teaching writing either in their local districts, state, regional, or national conferences.
A Brief History of CCWP
The first institute opened in the summer of 2007. The 2013 institute will be our 7th.
140 students have taken part in CCWP institutes in New Britain, East Hartford, and Deep River, CT.
The CCWP has published 6 anthologies. Our latest and future anthologies will all be professionally printed and bound paperbacks.
The CCWP has welcomed students from Hartford, East Hartford, New Hartford, New Britain, Glastonbury, North Granby, Simsbury, Suffield, Enfield, Harwinton, East Lyme, Old Lyme, Deep River, North Haven, Haddam, Avon, West Hartford, Manchester, Marlborough, Farmington, Windsor, Rocky Hill, Barkhamstead, Cheshire, Newington, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and South Korea