Ozarks Studies Institute - Ozarks Writing Project

 

Writing Retreat

Goals | Background | Participation

2008 Ozarks Writing Project Writing Retreat Flyer / Application (.pdf, 294K)

The National Writing Project was founded on the belief that practitioners at all levels should be active contributors to the knowledge base about the teaching of writing and on the belief that teachers of writing should themselves write.

The NWP Professional Writing Retreats link these beliefs by supporting teachers and scholars in their professional writing and by providing a model for local programming focused on professional writing and publication.

The retreats highlight the value of teachers writing about their practice and create the time and support for this work. Writing from the retreats finds its way into local, regional, and national publications, making visible the beliefs, practices, and research of writing project teachers to a broad audience of teachers, administrators, legislators, and policymakers.

Participants are supported to think broadly about how professional writing can be supported at their local writing project site as part of a rich set of continuity programs for teacher-consultants.

Goals

The Professional Writing Retreats were developed with the aim of making professional writing more visible and prominent in the NWP network and at local sites. The Professional Writing Retreat program has the following goals:

• To support NWP members in their efforts to produce and publish professional writing
• To develop resources to support local writing projects in their efforts to expand professional writing at their sites.

Background

Since 2006, the Ozarks Writing Project has held a Fall Writing Retreat in October. At this retreat, teachers spend two days writing. The Ozarks Writing Project Writing Retreat serves as a starting point for year-round continuity programs offered by our site. An important writing retreat goal is to establish a community of teacher writers.

To encourage this community, the group eats meals together, shares writing, and meets with facilitators for frequent check-ins as well as in small writing groups. The additional opportunity to share progress with the collective group on the final day will encourage completion and build confidence. A night of sharing stories and poetry at the end of the retreat furthers this goal of group cohesion. The writing retreat establishes a balance between creative and professional writing during future summer institutes. The OWP Professional Writing Retreat increases the participants’ comfort in dealing with professional article topics and make participants more aware of their role as a teacher researcher and writer.

Participation

Participation in Professional Writing Retreats is open to teacher-consultants and teachers interested in becoming teacher-consultants. The Ozarks Writing Project Writing Retreat is held in the fall and participation is by application only.