The
Hawai`i Writing Project is celebrating 30 years of providing
literacy-related teacher professional development to K-16 educators
across the Hawaiian Islands. The HWP mission is “to improve and
integrate the teaching of writing and reading in Hawai`i's schools.”
Committed to serving the broadest range of teachers and students in
Hawai`i, HWP is particularly interested in:
• Helping teachers to understand the power of writing
as a way of learning in all subject areas,
connecting reading, writing, and thinking;
• Honoring Hawai`i's diverse peoples, rich cultural
heritage, language, and unique island
environment; and
• Working in partnership with others for the
betterment of education and community in Hawai`i.
The Hawai`i Writing Project is a state
affiliate of the National Writing Project. The NWP began at the
University of California at Berkeley in 1974. Today, there are 200
writing project sites across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the
Virgin Islands, as well as sites in Canada and Europe.
The NWP is the only federally funded program that focuses on the
teaching of writing. Support for the NWP is provided by the U.S.
Department of Education, foundations, corporations, universities, and
K-12 schools.
The NWP and its state affiliates are successful because they support
teachers in becoming competent writers themselves and better teachers
of writing. Research has shown the effectiveness of the NWP teacher
professional development model of “teachers teaching teachers.”
For more information about NWP research, visit their website at:
http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/results/results_research.csp.
The Hawai`i Writing Project
is housed at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, College of Education,
Department of Curriculum Studies.
Teachers may earn five professional development credits or up to six
graduate credits upon completion of an institute and classroom inquiry
project. Professional development credits are offered through the
Hawai`i State Department of Education. Graduate credits are offered
through the Outreach College and Department of Curriculum Studies at
UHM.
Each year, HWP offers its three-week Invitational
Summer Institute.
Teachers often begn their involvement with HWP in this institute as
they explore their own writing lives first, and then explore
innovative ways to support their students' writing across the school
curriculum and in their daily lives.
In addition, HWP offers Continuity
Institutes on
a wide range of literacy topics. Continuity Institutes are especially
geared toward Summer Institute fellows - teachers who have participated
in an Invitational Summer Institute - although all teachers are
welcome to register.
HWP teachers may continue their literacy-related professional
development by participating in online book
clubs and lesson study groups.
They may form reading groups with their students and then talk with
authors of the books with their students during the HWP-supported Celebrate Reading Festival and Writing
Workshops.
HWP teacher-consultants also offer in-service
professional development geared toward the needs of particular
schools and complexes. Writing across
the Curriculum Institutes provide in-service professional
development to post-secondary faculty from a wide range of disciplines.
View a slideshow presentation about HWP.
As you
can see, HWP has something for everyone. Come join us as we continue to
support local literacy leadership in Hawai`i!
Contact Us
Rhonda Nowak, HWP Director, at 956-5359 or rnowak@hawaii.edu, or
Mona Chock, HWP Administrative
Director, at 956-4523 or monac@hawaii.edu.
Hawaii Writing Project
University of Hawaii at Manoa
College of Education
1776 University Avenue
Everly Hall, Room 223
Honolulu, HI 96822