NWP Philosophy

Our site is a member of the network of National Writing Project sites. The core principals of NWP are:

• Teachers at every level—from kindergarten through college—are the agents of reform; universities and schools are ideal partners for investing in that reform through professional development.
• Writing can and should be taught, not just assigned, at every grade level. Professional development programs should provide opportunities for teachers to work together to understand the full spectrum of writing development across grades and across subject areas.
• Knowledge about the teaching of writing comes from many sources: theory and research, the analysis of practice, and the experience of writing. Effective professional development programs provide frequent and ongoing opportunities for teachers to write and to examine theory, research, and practice together systematically.
• There is no single right approach to teaching writing; however, some practices prove to be more effective than others. A reflective and informed community of practice is in the best position to design and develop comprehensive writing programs.
• Teachers who are well informed and effective in their practice can be successful teachers of other teachers as well as partners in educational research, development, and implementation. Collectively, teacher-leaders are our greatest resource for educational reform.

Fall Writing Conference

2024 Conference Theme: Writing Out Loud: Community Literacy, Censorship & The Future of Democracy

We are so excited to invite you to the Fall Writing Conference hosted by the Charlotte Writing Project at UNC Charlotte on September 19, 2024 from 9 am to 4:00 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City! This year’s Writing Project conference seeks to bring together scholars, educators, community members, and practitioners to engage in critical dialogue and innovative practices to address the ongoing challenges surrounding free expression. We are seeking proposals in the following categories: (1) culturally sustaining community partnerships, (2) digital literacies, (3) censorship & banned books, (4) high-impact strategies. The Call for Proposals closes on May 31, 2024. If you have any questions, reach out to Lucy Arnold at lucy.arnold@charlotte.edu or Heather Coffey at hcoffey@charlotte.edu.

School Partnerships

The Charlotte Writing Project offers customizable professional development in K-12 schools. Partnerships can take the form of workshops, two-week intensive summer institutes, or visits during PLC meetings. Click here for more information, or email unccwritingproject@uncc.edu.