Close-up of 'The Egg' at Empire Plaza

About the Capital District Writing Project

The Capital District Writing Project, a local site of the prestigious National Writing Project, serving in partnership with the University at Albany and the Greater Region Teacher Center, invites all area teachers to join us in our quest to improve writing, writing instruction, literacy, and learning.

The National Writing Project believes that access to high quality educational experiences is a basic right of all learners and a cornerstone of equity. Through its extensive network of teachers, the NWP seeks to promote exemplary instruction of writing in every classroom in America. Essential components of NWP philosophy include the following beliefs:

  • Improving writing is crucial to learning in all subject areas, not just English.
  • Reading and writing are reinforcing literacy skills and need to be taught together.
  • Learning to write requires frequent supportive practice.
  • Students have diverse abilities and instructional needs, and so teachers must use multiple strategies to improve students' writing.
  • Effective writing instruction pays attention to both the product and process of writing.

Current research shows that students taught by teachers associated with the National Writing Project do better in all observed categories than students taught by teachers who are not. According to the NWP website, www.nwp.org, independent national scorings of student writing show that NWP students' improvement outpaces that of students in carefully constructed comparison groups. Consistently favorable results are particularly noteworthy for the quality of students' ideas, organization, voice, and use of conventions in their writing. The studies further document improvements in participating teachers' practices, providing evidence that differences in teaching practice can account for student outcomes. Finally, the LSRI studies confirm that NWP programs--while varied by context--maintain a commitment to high-quality professional development. A link to the full study is available on our website and more information is also available at the National Writing Project website.

The National Writing Project recognizes the primary importance of teacher knowledge, expertise, and leadership. To that end, NWP has been providing exemplary professional development in literacy and teacher leadership for more than thirty years. In their recent book Teacher Leadership, Ann Leiberman and Lynne Miller report on their multi-year study of the National Writing Project model and list the ten social practices of the NWP model that lead to excellent professional and leadership development:

  1. Approaching each colleague as a valuable contributor.
  2. Honoring teacher knowledge
  3. Creating public forums for teacher sharing, dialogue, and critique.
  4. Turning ownership of learning over to learners.
  5. Situating human learning in practice and relationships.
  6. Providing multiple entry points into the learning community.
  7. Guiding reflection on teaching through refection on learning.
  8. Sharing leadership.
  9. Promoting a stance of inquiry.
  10. Reconceptualizing professional identity and linking it to professional community.

The Capital District Writing Project offers many ways for teachers to join other professionals in collaborative work on improving writing, writing instruction, literacy, and learning in our local schools. Some of the ways are the workshops, retreats, study groups, and institutes listed below. So join us at one--or more than one--and bring a colleague to share the experience.

For more information about the Capital District Writing Project or inservice possibilities for your school or department, please contact:

Dr. Robert Yagelski at (518) 442-5002 or Carol Forman-Pemberton at (518) 399-7545.

CDWP Director: Dr. Robert Yagelski is an associate Professor of English in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice at the University at Albany, where he teaches courses in composition, critical pedagogy, and research. He has spearheaded initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of writing in several states, and serves in a leadership position in national educational associations. A former freelance writer and high school English teacher, he is the author of Literacy Matters: Writing and Reading the Social Self (Teachers College Press, 2000), The Thompson Reader: Conversations in Context (2007) as well as many other publications.

CDWP Co-director: Carol Forman-Pemberton has recently retired from a 33 year career teaching secondary English in the Capital District. She has served as the Staff Development Coordinator for the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake CSD, planned and implemented activities through CELA and CASDA. She has a number of publications in the journals of the National Council of Teachers of English and New York State English Council as well as commercial publications. As co-director of the Capital District Writing Project, she has developed and implemented a growing inservice program and worked to implement the successful professional development program of the NWP model. She has served as a consultant to numerous area schools and school districts in the areas of literacy, writing across the curriculum, developing critical thinking and learning skills, and differentiated instruction. Carol has also made presentations at a many local, state, and national conferences, most recently the National Writing Project Conference in November, 2007 and the SUNY Council on Writing Conference in April, 2007.

CDWP Co-director: Alicia Wein has taught English at Guilderland Central High School for eleven years. She has served on the leadership team of the Capital District Writing Project for five years. Alicia is an adjunct professor in Syracuse University's Writing program, a NYSEC Educator of Excellence, a TA in the department of Educational Theory and Practice at UAlbany, and an advocate for authentic professional development for educators. Alicia’s most recent presentations have been at the National Writing Project Conference in November, 2007 and the SUNY Council on Writing Conference in April, 2007.

CDWP Leadership Team:

  • Leah Claron, Niskayuna High School
  • Roger Gaboury, Schenectady High School
  • Molly Fanning, Farnsworth Middle School
  • Dan McBride (Tech Liaison), Guilderland High School
  • Bonnie Persico, Greenville Elementary School
  • Aosta Edelman, Bethlehem Middle School
  • Liza Schofield, Guilderland Elementary schools
  • Aaron Thiell, Brittonkill Elementary School