Summer Institutes should involve teachers from all levels of instruction and all disciplines. Writing is as fundamental to learning in science, mathematics, and history as it is to learning in English and the language arts.
Writing needs constant attention and repetition from the early grades through university.
As the process of writing can best be understood by engaging in this process, teachers of writing should write. Real change in classroom practice doesn't happen all at once, but rather, over time. Effective professional development programs are on-going and systematic, bringing teachers together throughout their careers to examine successful practices and new developments. What is known about the teaching of writing comes not only from the research but from the practice of those who teach writing. The mission of the National Writing Project is to improve the teaching of writing and improve learning in the nation's schools.