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center for writing | minnesota writing project

Minnesota Writing Project

The Minnesota Writing Project aims to improve K–college literacy in Minnesota. Housed within the Center for Writing at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, MWP is the local site of the National Writing Project, an authorized provider of No Child Left Behind.

showcasing mwp teachers:

Much of what we read in the local education section of the newspaper describes shifting tests scores or school closings. It is infrequent that we are offered a peek into the mind and heart of teachers. Our new Teacher Showcase feature will give our recent ISI participants a chance to speak their mind about the teaching of writing and the need for quality professional development. Return often to read these profiles.

Leslie Geissler
Grade you teach: 7th & 8th Language Arts
School: Chaska Middle School East
Summer Institute Writing: Budging
Summer Institute Demonstration: Interdisciplinary Unit with Civics and ELL—Using Anticipatory Guides (.pdf file)

Reflections on teaching: How has the MWP experience impacted your teaching? MWP gave me the opportunity to become a student of the game through finding myself again as a writer, sharing my writing and reflecting on and about writing! It also gave me experience as a student writer, enabling me to reflect on and connect with a much more powerful writing experience as a writer in progress. I continuously write and share my writing with my students—we give each other feedback making it a shared experience—a two-way street rather than a one-way!

What are your beliefs about writing? Writing is a form of communication and expression. With technology, writing has become even more important as a means to communicate and express oneself.

What is a book on writing or the teaching of writing that you would recommend (and why)? Everyone needs to read Kelly Gallagher's Teaching Adolescent Writers—it is filled with writing strategies that truly enhance, engage, and develop student writers.

Believing that teachers can empower other teachers, members provide an environment in which teachers can learn from one another and then share that learning with others in their classrooms, departments, schools, and districts. MWP is committed to improving the literacy of all students, strengthening university and school collaboration on reading and writing instruction, and increasing the professional power of teachers in meeting state standards and the curricular demands of NCLB.

mwp

Identifies exemplary teachers who can teach other teachers

Encourages teachers to write

Assists schools and districts in identifying their literacy needs and supports them in meeting those needs through pertinent staff development

Supports long-term reform and improvement in literacy instruction through classroom-based, action research

Maintains partnerships between schools and the University

Promotes cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity and understanding within MWP

For additional information, see About MWP.

Contact

Muriel Thompson, Director
612.625.6323
murielt@umn.edu

The Minnesota Writing Project is funded in part by the Center for Writing, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, and the National Writing Project.

Visit our News & Events page for more information and for additional MWP Summer Programs for Teachers

Check out our new Center for Writing alumni pages!