FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
After three-year absence, local chapter of National Writing Project
is back at its original home
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Writing Project (RIWP), founded at Rhode Island College in 1985, has returned to its original home after a three-year absence, led by Site Director and RIC Professor of Educational Studies and English Education Janet Johnson.
RIWP supports writing, reading and learning in Rhode Island’s schools through meaningful and relevant professional development for teachers in all content areas and at all grade levels. The RIWP’s model is “teachers teaching teachers,” positioning teachers as leaders in their schools and communities who encourage and sustain students as they become avid and ac-complished writers, readers and inquirers.
After the tragic passing of previous RIWP Site Director Jenn Cook in a 2014 car accident, RIWP continued independently for a year and then was housed for two years at Roger Williams University. Now, due to the dedication of the project’s core of co-directors and ex-ecutive board, and with the support of the Rhode Island College administration, RIWP has returned to its place of origin.
“Roger Williams was supportive of RIWP and Dr. Susan Pasquarelli did a nice job keeping the organi-zation healthy and afloat for two years,” says Johnson. “Being back at RIC, the largest school of ed-ucation in the state, means that we can reach more Rhode Island teachers, teacher candidates and K-12 students. It’s a better fit for the project’s mission, because most of the teachers who graduate from Rhode Island College stay in state, whereas many RWU students are from out of state.”
RISP 2018 programming includes:
- Renewal@RIC – A half-day workshop on Saturday, Feb. 3, for teachers, counselors, social workers and youth workers consists of activities that support their emotional, physical and social well-being.
- Annual Spring Conference – A professional development experience for teachers on Saturday, March 3, features keynote speaker Troy Hicks, professor of English and education at Central Michigan University and director of the Chippewa River Writing Project.
- Youth Writing Camp – An opportunity for K-12 students to improve their writing, from July 9-20.
- Summer Institute – This three-week, credit-bearing program, from July 9-27, serves as the program’s touchstone experience for teachers.
- Open Air Institute – This three-day, place-based program, from Aug. 7-9, is for teachers who have attended the Summer Institute.
RIWP has also launched a monthly writing group called Write Time, an opportunity for teachers to cultivate their writerly identities. This group meets on the third Sunday of every month from 3-4 p.m. on the second floor of Donovan Dining Center.
“RIWP is about affirmation, advocacy and agency for teachers,” says Johnson. “We affirm educator knowledge and expertise, advocate for teachers and students and provide support for teachers to see themselves as agents of positive change in their schools.”
“With RIWP back at RIC, we are home,” adds Brittany Richer, project co-director and coordinator of RIC’s M.Ed. program in advanced studies in teaching and learning. “We're excited to continue to ex-pand the network by inviting in new teachers and reconnecting with veterans of the program. We're excited to have RIC's support as we develop opportunities for teachers to write, learn and lead in their classrooms and beyond.”
Learn more about Rhode Island Writing Project events and programs at
www.ric.edu/riwp.
Established in 1854, Rhode Island College serves approximately 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students through its five schools: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the School of Business, the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. For more information, visit
www.ric.edu.
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