University of California
Department of English
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, California 92521
(951) 827-3666 / (951)
827-6330 Fax
We
are a university-based, teacher-centered professional development organization.
The IAWP is a member of a state and national network of writing projects
and has a history of proven success since 1975. By sharing expert practices,
teachers develop a range of strategies to improve their own classrooms
and those of other teachers.
To assist all teachers, K-14, who are seeking to improve their students'
writing
To
assist those teachers to become better writers, in order to understand
and appreciate the struggles and accomplishments of their own students.
To
enable all students to become accomplished writers of English, including
those with diverse second-language backgrounds as well as those struggling
with one language.
To
keep teachers informed and prepared in relation to State Standards in
Writing.
Some of the services the IAWP provides are inservice
programs, ELL training and teaching, and a number
of other programs , Institutes and workshops that
we host on the UC Riverside campus. Many of our programs can earn Continuing
Education credits through UCR's Extension or the offices of Summer Session.
Inservice
Opportunities
The IAWP is a large
network of teacher-consultants with experience and knowledge to help schools
and districts meet their goals.
A sampling of our
available topics include:
Writing Assessment for State Standards
New Teacher Workshops
Managing the Curriculum
Special Workshops for Teachers
of ELL Students
Preparing Students for academic
writing on the college level
Fees for inservices are based on
the number of teachers attending and the length of the programs scheduled.
Schools, districts and department
chairs may contact Jean Bristol,
Inservice Co-Director for more information.
The IAWP offers workshops specifically
geared toward teachers of ELL. Districts and schools may also opt to host
their own inservices to address ELL Teaching. Fees to schools and districts
for inservices are based on the number of teachers and the length of the
workshops.
Some of the topics covered in ELL
workshops and inservices include:
vocabulary development
SDAIE techniques
literature circles across grade
levels
writer's workshop
ELA-ELD standards and testing
student-led conferences
descriptive writing, analysis
and application
portfolios
structured and formulaic writing
oral language activities to promote
writing
museum walk and expressive poetry
For information about ELL inservices,
please contact Rose Vilchez,
ELL Co-Director.
Every year, the IAWP hosts several
programs and workshops in addition to our hundreds of inservice and outreach
programs. Some of the events we host are:
The Invitational Summer Institute - The Summer Invitational Institute is an intensive, 20-day workshop
devoted to sharing and developing teachers' expertise in the teaching
of writing at all levels, (K-14) and in all subjects and disciplines.
In a university setting, participants have the opportunity to rediscover
themselves as writers, as readers of research on the teaching of writing
and as valued presenters of their own expertise to fellow teachers.
The program is limited to 20 teachers who are selected based on an application
and interview.
The Invitational Summer Institute is held every summer, usually during
the month of July. The application process starts in March of each year.
The Institute grants up to eight units of 300-level graduate credit
and the State of California privides stipends for teachers who complete
the Institute. Workshop graduates become IAWP fellows and are encouraged
to take part as paid teacher-consultants. The program is geared toward
attracting proven leaders as well as teachers with a high potential
for leadership.
Subject A / AWPE Outreach: University of California Analytical Writing Placement Exam (formerly the Subject A) - Each year consultants from UC Riverside visit high schools students'
preparation for the UC AWP Exam. Classroom visitations are generally
held from January to May each year. For more information, contact Martha
Plender at the IAWP.
Palm Springs Art Museum programs - Students from the Inland Empire, Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas are invited to the museum for writing tours and programs geared to inspire writing through art tailored to your specific curriculum requirements. Schools who want to participate in the museum programs must make arrangements through the IAWP office by contacting Dr. Martha Plender, Co-Director of the IAWP. Information about the museum and specific exhibits can be found on the museums web site at http://www.psmuseum.org/.
Writing Retreats - Held three times throughout
the year, the IAWP Writing Retreats are geared toward IAWP Fellows (those
who have gone through the Summer Invitational Institute). These retreats
allow participants to focus on their own writing in a variety of areas:
short stories, poetry, essays and other forms.
Professional Development Programs: the SMP Philosophy
Professional development
programs should address long-term as well as short-term goals.
They should address the needs and interests of teachers as well as
administrators, while expanding the horizon of those concerns so that
other topics related to the curriculum come into play.
They should involve discussion of specific examples of students' work,
and the goals that teachers, schools, and districts have for students'
achievement.
They should pay careful attention to the State Standards, and to the
need to address those standards by means of a systemic approach to teaching.
They should attract teachers by working with them to develop inservice
programs, and by giving teachers the option to attend.
They should build on good things already being done. They should recognize,
encourage, and use the "best practices" of participating teachers.
They should offer stipends or other incentives to participating teachers.
They should "build capacity" by finding and cultivating teacher-leaders,
and by developing programs that rely on those leaders to help in their
own schools and in the district.
They should attempt to build site teams, if necessary beginning with
a pair of teachers, so that faculties begin to share and improve upon
best practices on a routine basis.
They should encourage various forms of self-assessment within individual
classrooms, schools, and in the district itself. (See item 3.)
They should offer ways for teachers to network with other professional
development opportunities, especially the offerings of the Subject Matter
Projects.
They should take the long view. Good self-sustaining professional
development programs take years to mature.
The goal of the IAWP programs and institutes is to develop
strong teacher leaders. A Leadership Advisory Group, directed by Phyllis Dinwiddie, meets monthly
to discuss ways to improve the services the IAWP offers and to develop
programs to strengthen the leadership within the teaching community.