Directed by English Professor Jeffrey
Wilhelm, the BSWP offers programming throughout the year, including two annual
conferences, a variety of courses and institutes, in-service series for
schools, workshops and workshop series, retreats, programs for student writers,
and sponsored speeches and workshops with literacy experts. The centerpiece of BSWP programming is the
Invitational Summer Institute, which brings approximately 25 Idaho teacher
leaders to campus for an institute aimed at improving the teaching of writing and
literacy in schools, K-12.
The Boise State Writing Project site, an
affiliate of the National Writing Project, was established at Boise State
University in 2005. The NWP has a 30-years history, and has been
described by the Carnegi
e Commission as the "most important and
influential grassroots movement for teacher improvement in the history of North
America". Before this year, Southern Idaho and the Treasure Valley
was the largest geographic and demographic area in the contiguous 48 states
without an NWP site. That is now corrected, thanks to the leadership of
Professor Jeffrey Wilhelm at Boise State University!
This past summer, the BSWP sponsored 22
teachers from Eastern, Southern and Southwestern Idaho, and one international
fellow from Tasmania Australia at their Invitational Summer Institute.
The participants read widely in professional literature and research, worked in
reading and writing groups, presented a teaching demonstration on an area of
expertise, composed multimedia compositions, and wrote publishable pieces. They
are now involved in their fellowship year and are undertaking various
initiatives to improve literacy instruction in their own classrooms and
schools.
This past year, BSWP served over 1050
teachers with over 20,000 contact hours of programming.
BSWP generated about $150,000 this past year through various grants and programs. Proceeds were used entirely to support teachers and teacher activity. This in turn leads to improved instruction, student achievement, etc.
All BSWP programs are designed to assist teachers and schools. We have several ongoing initiatives with schools in both Southern Idaho and in the Treasure Valley to improve instruction.
In 2008 BSWP teachers engaged in a National Reading Initiative throughout the year and created five instructional DVDs. Other BSWP TCs participated in a year round New Teacher Mentorship program that was a great success.