About Prairie Lands Writing Project

Prairie Lands Writing Project (PLWP) has a central mission—to improve student writing and learning by improving the teaching of writing. Located at Missouri Western State University (MWSU) in St. Joseph, PLWP supports area teachers and students, schools and districts with a model of professional development that has a thirty-year track record of success and effectiveness.

About Prairie Lands and the National Writing Project 

Prairie Lands is part of the National Writing Project, a network of 195 sites, located in universities across 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Each site conducts a summer institute for teachers in all subject areas, grades k – 16, related to writing and the teaching of writing and sponsors professional development workshops during the school year.

NWP Statement of Philosophy

•   Writing is pivotal to learning, to academic achievement, and to job success.

•   Writing instruction begins in kindergarten and continues through university.

•   Universities and schools in collaboration can provide powerful programs for teachers.

•   Effective teachers of writing regularly write themselves.

•   Exemplary teachers make the best teachers of other teachers.

•   Teachers are the key to reform in education.

•   Professional development begins when teachers enter teaching and continues throughout their careers.

•   Real change in classroom practice happens over time.

About Prairie Lands’ Professional Development Offerings

 As an affiliate of the National Writing Project, Prairie Lands Writing Project is authorized under NCLB,  Title II Part C, as a  provider of standards-aligned professional development for teachers and administrators (http://www.writingproject.org/pressroom/nclb.csp) and is therefore eligible to receive funding under Title II, Part A and D, and Title III, Part A.

Our professional development programs can provide support for school and district NCLB plans.

·     Research-based methods in the teaching of writing and reading

·     Standards-aligned professional development that districts can use to meet state requirements

·     Intensive support for improving student achievement and preparing students for high-stakes, state and university writing and/or reading assessments

·     Special attention to the academic needs of English learners

·     Collaboration with schools and districts to meet adequate yearly progress

·     Designs for comprehensive, effective writing programs

      ·     Strategies for using technology as a tool to teach and improve writing.

To arrange for one or more of our National Writing Project school-based in-services contact:

     Jane Frick, Prairie Lands site director

            (email: frick@missouriwestern.edu; phone: 816 271-431 Web:  www.missouriwestern.edu/prairielands)

or

     Heidi Mick , Prairie Lands professional development director

            (email: mickh@pcriii.k12.mo.us)

Together, we will develop a memorandum of agreement matching the literacy-based services conducted by our National Writing Project certified Teacher Consultants with your school and/or district’s professional development needs.

Find out more about Prairie Lands

Teachers interested in participating in PLWP’s institutes—including certification as a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant or completing a graduate certificate in the teaching of writing—should contact Jane Frick, PLWP site director, at 201 Eder Hall, MWSU, St. Joseph, MO  64507, or at frick@missouriwestern.edu or by phone 816.271.4315.  Other information about PLWP can be found at www.missouriwestern.edu/prairielands/.

 Photos courtesy of Rebecca Dierking