If we say we care about our students and want to give them a world-class education with 21 Century Skills, then we need to care about those who teach them. The National Writing Project does just that. As a network of local sites associated with area colleges and universities, the NWP provides premier ongoing professional development for teachers across disciplines and levels of instruction.

I first became associated with the NWP when I attended the Summer Institute for the Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP).   For three weeks I had the opportunity to reflect on classroom practices and learn more about the teaching of writing from other teacher consultants. During this precious time, we read the research, experienced writing in many forms, and  participated in journal groups to extend our thinking about writing for our personal and professional use. I returned to my classroom the following September with renewed enthusiasm and higher expectations for teaching writing to my students. I  incorporated writing across the curriculum with authentic purposes, choice and audience. My students began to love writing and as one third grader put it, “Writing is like brushing your teeth - you do it two, three or four times a day.” I later participated in  the Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project (PAWLP) at West Chester University. Once again I increased my repertoire of strategies and found more connections between literature and writing.

The NWP is not a “one-and-done” experience. There are many opportunities to stay connected in both the national and local networks through workshops, listserves, and conferences.  I am very grateful for the many opportunities that helped me grow as a teacher, become more advanced in the use of technology, and gain confidence in my presentation and facilitating skills.  I cannot  imagine my life as a teacher now without the wonderful, caring, resourceful people I have met through PhilWP, PAWLP and out-of-state NWP friends.

Through its teacher consultants, the NWP reaches students across the country. If we want our students to have opportunities for achievement and value lifelong learning, we need to save the NWP, an organization that truly cares about the teachers serving today’s students.