All are part of the National Writing Project. The national project, begun in 1973, emphasizes university-school partnerships to improve the teaching and learning of writing in the nation's classrooms. Mississippi's program is unique in that it involves a collaboration among a number of state universities. The program draws on outstanding classroom teachers to teach their colleagues. An annual summer institute brings teachers together to learn from peers who excel in using writing as a learning tool.
Participants complete their own writing assignments, and they explore current research.
These teachers return to their schools as consulting staff for the state's writing projects. And we also believe that the best teacher is another teacher. The institute's programs often are transforming experiences for teachers, she says. Support for those who lead our schools For school administrators who work to provide effective learning environments, education today means more than delivering a grounding in skills for the future. Given increasing public scrutiny and demands for accountability, those who lead the state's schools also must demonstrate how successful the educational process has been.