Redwood Writing Project

(The workshop) contributed to my thinking and teaching in many ways. I felt confirmed and inspired.
—Stacey Navarre, Pacific Union Elementary School,  Humboldt County 2011 Teacher of the Year

From the beginning, when co-writing a grant for funding, to the end, when implementing the Cross-Cultural Fluency project with students, the Redwood Writing Project has provided seamless, timely professional development support for my staff.
—Chris Hartley Principal, Six Rivers Charter High School

If not for the Redwood Writing Project--its support, inspiration, validation and sheer excitement about the profession--I would not still be teaching.

Tracy Duckart, TC 1999,  Humboldt State University

Redwood Wrting Project has empowered me to be a teacher leader and to be confident in my abilities as a professional.
-Melanie Nannizzi, TC,2007, Jacoby Creek

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Why RWP?

Redwood Writing Project facilitates needs assessment and develops collaborative models for staff development in response to K-16 teacher, school, and district needs. Partnerships with RWP provide educators with consistent professional support, allowing them to develop solutions to complex instructional and curricular issues related to student writing, literacy, and achievement. RWP’s core goal is to promote student achievement by providing research-based, teacher-centered professional development.

RWP Teacher/Consultants possess in-depth content knowledge that supports the Content Standards for California Public Schools. Teacher/Consultants share research-based “best practices,” model effective writing instruction, and facilitate time for participants to apply newly acquired knowledge to their specific classrooms.

The format of RWP’s professional development training is based upon school/district needs and may include:

  • Partnerships (in-depth, ongoing professional development to build knowledge and pedagogy about effective writing instruction across content areas)
  • Site Conferences
  • Workshop Series (two-hour, half-day, or full-day options with a varying numberof sessions)
  • Lesson Study Teams
  • One-on-One Coaching
  • Professional Learning Communities

 

RWP professional development focuses on equipping teachers to meet literacy goals such as:

  • Using technology to support effective writing and critical thinking
  • Enriching current writing programs through teacher collaboration and reflection
  • Developing a scope/sequence for writing instruction across content areas
  • Improving writing through revision and editing, conferring, and peer evaluation
  • Developing and implementing rubrics and standards-based assessments
  • Preparing students to be successful in on-demand writing situations (including the 4th & 7th grade writing assessment,CAHSEE, SAT, and AP exams)
  • Improving reading comprehension across content areas through writing instruction
  • Designing currlculum to address Common Core Standards

 

Options for Funding


As a National and California Writing Project affiliate, RWP is a federal and state-approved inservice provider. RWP programs may therefore be paid for with categorical funding sources including but not limited to NCLB; 80-hour professional development follow-up component to the 40-hour English/Language Arts instructional materials training (SB 472); California’s Education Technology K-12 Voucher Program; GATE; Incentive Grants; and School Improvement Program and Special Education professional development funds.

RWP can assist Local Education Agencies in designing professional development plans that meet one or all NCLB goals and in writing grant applications. Program cost will be determined through an assessment of staff needs and based upon the number of participants, format of professional development, and level of ongoing support.

RWP Recent Partnerships

Orick Writing and Multimedia Grant
Orick School District
Orick School is working with Redwood Writing Project in a professional development partnership designed to help students  produce writings that reflect a sense of place and promote the Orick Community. These writings will be made into multimedia presentations suitable for public viewing. Inservice topics include writer’s workshop, developing voice and a sense of audience in writing, interviewing and note-taking techniques, revision, digital media techniques, and genre study.

Write the World: Authentic Classroom Connections through Cross-Cultural Fluency Projects
Northern Humboldt Union High School District
Six Rivers Charter High School
In the Write the World: Authentic Classroom Connections through Cross-Cultural Fluency Project, teachers at Six Rivers Charter High School, a charter school in the Northern Humboldt Union High School District, are developing, implementing, assessing, and disseminating a professional development project called Cross-cultural Fluency (CCF).  CCF integrates a unit of subject study with writing across the curriculum strategies, incorporating Internet genres with remote peer audiences in cultures around the world. CCF motivates students to improve and practice writing strategies, while enhancing cultural understanding through relationships developed with students abroad.  The Redwood Writing Project is providing SRCHS teachers across several disciplines with a comprehensive, collaborative inservice that focus on curriculum development, digital literacies, and writing-across-the curriculum pedagogy, while expanding upon current efforts at SRCHS to enhance multi-cultural awareness.

Writing Across History
Northwestern California Teaching American History Program
Focusing on content literacy in the social sciences, a cohort of middle and high school teachers representing ten schools from across Humboldt County is reviewing and researching literacy strategies, mapping to content standards, and modifying lesson plans to incorporate write-to-learn practices.  Between face-to-face meetings, findings and questions are shared amongst participants through a blog.  Each participant will also have the option of an in class demonstration lesson or lesson observation. The Redwood Writing Project is providing the training and support for the inquiry--both live and online--and the Northwestern California Teaching American History program will provide participants with professional content-literacy texts and the funding to attend one professional conference upon completion.

Redwood Writing Project

Humboldt State University
Nelson Hall West 234
Arcata, CA  95521

707.826.5109
fax: 707.826.5099

rwp@humboldt.edu
www.redwoodwp.org

Office Hours:
M-Th, 9 am - 2 pm