Professional Development
Long-term, school-wide instructional improvement involves a broad campaign with administrative support and teacher input to build understanding and enthusiasm, increase teachers’ professional conversation and mutual support, and develop teacher leadership capacity.
IWP programs help teachers experience effective writing instruction, review best-practice research, and adopt engaging classroom applications. This work supports teachers as they work collaboratively to address curriculum issues like Common Core Standards and serve the needs of all students including English Language Learners and Special Education students. Since many high-quality published writing programs align with our principles, IWP support readily assists with many adoptions.
Led by a highly-qualified, experienced teacher-consultant, each IWP program employs a range of professional learning strategies in which participants actively engage the subject matter, based on the needs and conditions in the school. Options may include:
• Interactive teacher workshops and study groups (see specific listing of workshops here)
• Demonstration lessons & Co-teaching with in-school coaches or individual teachers
• Consulting with grade-level teams or departments
• Attendance at IWP fall and winter conferences
This work may focus on mixed grade-level groups or be adjusted to a narrower span of grades. All activities involve practical classroom applications and renewed energy for teaching.
IWP’s core workshop is 30 hours. However, we can provide longer or shorter programs based on your needs. We can also combine various workshop topics, based on teachers’ needs and interests.
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Every school or district has particular scheduling needs and constraints, and many options have been developed for our programs. Generally, large group sessions and smaller study groups work best in extended sessions over a relatively short span using after-school hours, evenings, weekends, or multiple days in the summer. Even after a long day of teaching, participants find that once sessions begin, morale invariably runs high. Demonstration lessons and team or department meetings can be fit into normal pre-existing school schedules.
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The cost of a typical 30-hour program that includes workshop or study group sessions, demonstration lessons, and team or department meetings is $6,000. This amount covers compensation for the teacher-consultant leading the program, planning time, original copies of all handouts in the course packet, all related administrative work by Project staff, and a final report on the program’s participant evaluations. Enrollment may reach 30 in a workshop group; larger numbers will require a larger leader team and increased cost. The leader’s local transportation expenses may be charged separately, if long distances or overnight travel are involved. Costs are pro-rated for shorter programs.
Additional in-classroom support and other special programs are charged on a basis proportional to the above base rate. Single-session workshops and programs led by the project directors are billed at the individual consultant’s rate.
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Illinois Writing Project typically offers four great workshops for educators each summer, at rotating sites across the region.
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Optional graduate credit for participants is available from Northeastern Illinois University and is paid individually. Per-credit cost is adjusted each year.