The Penn State Lehigh Valley Writing Project (LVWP), your local National Writing Project (NWP) site, draws on the wisdom and practice of a dynamic network of educators from across the region and around the country to provide customized, research-based professional development in writing and literacy instruction NWP sites adhere to a set of shared principles and practices for teachers’ professional development. In addition to developing a leadership cadre of local teachers, called Fellows, NWP sites provide a diverse array of continuing education and research opportunities for teachers at all levels.
With over 25 years’ experience developing classroom teachers into literacy leaders, LVWP works in partnership with schools, districts, and other educational organizations to design and deliver in-service workshops, modeled lessons, and classroom coaching programs to improve the teaching of writing and learning in all grades and disciplines. National research studies have confirmed significant gains in writing performance among students of teachers who have participated in NWP programs. Let us help you support your teachers and students.
Literacy Workshop Series:
A targeted series of half or full-day workshops customized to meet teacher readiness and district needs. Topics include, but are not limited to: Understanding and implementing process writing; Teaching the modes of writing: Narrative, Informative & Argument; Assessing student writing; Using student writing samples to inform instruction; Designing literacy rich instruction in all content areas; Supporting struggling learners. This option is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction or review of foundational principles of writing instruction.
Practice in Action Series:
A targeted series of mini-workshops on customized topics, combined with demonstration lessons to model workshop practices in district classrooms and facilitated planning and rehearsal time for teachers to test out their learning before taking it back to their students. This option is designed to provide structured support for the immediate implementation of professional learning.
Classroom Coaching:
Cultivate a core of teacher-leaders to build in-house supports for writing instruction. This classroom-embedded approach to professional development emphasizes sustained growth and learning in a supportive, non-evaluative, environment. Aligned to district goals, this personalized, teacher-driven approach to PD both empowers teachers and builds capacity. LVWP offers a multi-stage approach to classroom coaching: the onboarding of teachers with orientation, goal-setting, and debriefed modeled lessons; a series of coaching cycles, involving co-planning, co-teaching, and debriefing; and ongoing collaboration between cohort members.
Lesson Study:
A classroom-embedded approach to professional development that supports teacher collaboration across grade levels and buildings, encourages a focus on reflective lesson planning and student learning, and emphasizes sustained growth in a supportive, non-evaluative environment. Aligned to district and grade-level goals, lesson study provides communities of teachers a shared, classroom-tested approach to literacy instruction. This option is designed to build an ongoing culture of reflective practice and collaboration to support student success.
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