What is the Oklahoma Writing Project?
The Oklahoma Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project, is a network of programs dedicated to improving the quality of composition instruction in elementary and secondary schools. In 1984, the National Writing Project was honored by the American Association for Higher Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching "as an outstanding and nationally significant example of how schools and colleges can collaborate to improve American Education." The National Writing Project now includes more than 160 sites throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Who are the Teacher Consultants and who does Oklahoma Writing Project serve?
The Oklahoma Writing Project celebrates good teachers and good teaching. Successful teachers from elementary through college level and from all subject areas are trained in summer institutes held at the University of Oklahoma to conduct inservice workshops in Oklahoma schools. Since the inception of OWP in 1978, more than 200 teachers have been trained in summer institutes and more than 300 inservice workshops have been held in schools across the state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Writing Project is sponsored by the University of Oklahoma, the College of Education, the National Writing Project, the State Regents for Higher Education, and the State Department of Education.

Why is the Writing Project Model so successful?
The Oklahoma Writing Project's staff development program succeeds because it is based on the following Basic Assumptions:

1. The goal of writing excellence is shared by both universities and schools. This common goal can best be reached through collaboratively planned university-school programs.
2. Student writing can be improved by helping teachers improve the teaching of writing, and the best teacher of teachers is another teacher.
3. Change can best be accomplished by thoughtful programs designed and implemented by those who work in the schools rather than by one-time consultants and packets of teacher-proof materials.
4. Programs designed to improve the teaching of writing should involve teachers at all grade levels and from all subject areas.
5. Classroom practice and research have generated a substantial body of knowledge on the teaching of writing.
6. Because practicing teachers can conduct useful studies in their classrooms, the institutions of Teacher-Consultants can be productive sites for field-based research.
7. Teachers of writing must themselves be writers.

When and where can you attend an OWP Project?
See the newsletter for current activities or contact the OWP directly.

How can you become an OWP Teacher Consultant?

If you are interested in becoming certified as a teacher consultant for the Oklahoma Writing Project you must first participate in the five week Invitational Summer Institute at the University of Oklahoma (stipend provided). Please contact Priscilla L. Griffith,
Director of OWP (pgriffith@ou.edu), or Janis Cramer, Director of Inservice (cramerj@sbcglobal.net).