Northeast Arkansas teachers explore writing development at summer institute

June 3, 2010 -- The Arkansas Delta Writing Project (ADWP) will begin its second Summer Writing Institute for Teachers on Wednesday, June 9. The four-week summer institute is being held at Arkansas State University in the Department of Teacher Education. The program concludes Wednesday, June 30.

Fourteen teachers, from  locations as varied as Wynne, West Memphis, and Jonesboro, have devoted this portion of their summer vacation to study the latest research and development of effective writing and teaching practice. Participants include teachers from kindergarten to college level. More than 200 National Writing Project (NWP) sites on college campuses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, will do the same.

The chosen educators have received a fellowship for graduate credit at Arkansas State University, free books, and a new network of friends and colleagues through the National Writing Project. The participants will experience technology sessions offered by ASU experts, process-based writing demonstrations, theory about learning and writing, anthology preparation, a writing marathon event, journaling and sharing time, and writing across the curriculum strategies. Central to the writing institute are their own demonstration lessons based upon their expertise and classroom experiences. Teacher leaders and previous summer writing institute participants help facilitate the four weeks of community-building and writing experiences.

Immediately after the end of the four-week summer institute, a recognition and recruitment drop-in event will be held on Thursday, July 1, from 1-3 p.m. in the Spring River Room on the third floor of ASU’s Reng Student Services Center/Student Union. The catered event will feature the achievements of the summer writing fellows and the recruitment of ADWP fellows for the summer of 2011.

The 2010 ADWP fellows are: Kerri Bennett from the ASU Department of English, Timothy Bennett from Batesville’s Southside High School, Beverly Campbell from Weiner Elementary, Gina Chitwood from Weiner Elementary, Melanie Corbett from Academic Plus Charter School, Shelly Eichman from West Memphis Junior High, Peggy Gipson from Nettleton’s Fox Meadow Intermediate Center, Jodi Hancock from Oak Grove Elementary, Star Martin from Jonesboro’s Kindergarten Center, Crystal Micheli from Westside Elementary, Teri Spilman from Walnut Ridge, and Amy Walton from Wynne Intermediate. Directors of the Arkansas Delta Writing Project at ASU are Dr. Dixie Keyes and LaToshia Woods. Teacher Facilitators for the 2010 Summer Writing Institute include Trina Walls from the Nettleton School District and Carolyn Ponce from ASU’s Department of Music. Dr. Audrey Bowser is the Technology Liaison.

Educators from kindergarten to college, in all content areas, are invited to apply for the summer institute each year. "Teachers who attend NWP summer institutes return to their classrooms with new strategies for teaching writing and with experience using digital tools," said Sharon J. Washington, NWP executive director. "Eighty percent of Americans believe there is a greater need now than 20 years ago for a person to be able to write well in order to succeed. Summer institutes are one of many writing project programs that address this need."

National research studies confirm significant gains in writing performance among students whose teachers participate in NWP programs.

Visit the Arkansas Delta Writing Project online at http://www2.astate.edu/a/centers-programs-and-institutes/arkansas-delta-writing/, or e-mail Dr. Dixie Keyes (dkeyes@astate.edu), for more information.

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