Oregon Writing Project at Eastern Oregon University
Serving kindergarten through college teachers in all content areas since 1991
Leadership and Networking
As an affiliate of the National Writing Project, the Oregon Writing Project at Eastern Oregon University encourages teachers to network across regions and across state boundaries to share strategies with other practitioners and to take leadership roles in their buildings, schools, districts, and communities as advocates for effective teaching and professional development.
Teaching Ideas Institutes
Leadership training begins in the OWP Teaching Ideas Institute where teachers demonstrate for their peers teaching strategies that have succeeded in their classrooms.
Opportunities to Offer Professional Development
Subsequent OWP professional development invites teachers who have been through the summer institute, OWP Teacher Consultants, to assist in designing and delivering workshops. OWP Teacher Consultants may become Continuity Fellows or Co-Directors, assisting in offering the summer institutes. They may also be called upon to offer professional development in the schools. Most recently, Teacher Consultants Karen Spears Zacharias, author and journalist, and Lisa Cretien of Hermiston High School’s Innovative Learning Center presented a teacher workshop at the Eastern Oregon Word Round-Up.
Advanced Leadership Institutes
OWP Teacher Consultants also have the opportunity to participate in Advanced Leadership Institutes (ALIs) where they develop leadership projects to benefit their districts. The Treasure Valley ALI in 2010 resulted in the Oregon Writers’ Collaborative Network, a year-long workshop series led by Cairo Elementary teacher Linda Erlebach that culminated in a visit from Barry Lane. The 2011 ALI in Joseph, OR, focused on grantwriting. In 2012, Central Oregon teachers developed leadership projects on which they have embarked during this academic year.
Networking with Other NWP Sites
OWP Teacher Consultants also have the opportunity to network with other National Writing Project sites, particularly Idaho and Montana sites involved in the Northern Lights Regional Network and the NWP’s Rural Sites Network sites, whose teachers and schools share similar joys and challenges with teachers in the OWP’s rural service area.
