Welcome to the Green Mountain Writing Project

The Green Mountain Writing Project (GMWP), established in 1996 on the campus of The University of Vermont, is a university-based organization of, by, and for teachers of writing.  A site of the National Writing Project , GMWP is committed to improving writing and learning in the nation’s schools through its instructional leadership and professional development offerings.

About The National Writing Project

The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development network that serves teachers of writing at all grade levels, primary through university, and in all subjects. The mission of the NWP is to improve student achievement by improving the teaching of writing and improving learning in the nation’s schools.

A Network of University-Based Sites

The more than 200 local sites that make up the NWP network are hosted by universities and colleges. Co-directed by faculty from the local university and from K–12 schools, local sites serve all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Sites work in partnership with area school districts to offer high-quality professional development programs for educators. NWP continues to add new sites each year, with the goal of placing a writing project site within reach of every teacher in America. The network now includes two associated international sites.

A Successful Model Customized for Local Needs

NWP sites share a national program model, adhering to a set of shared principles and practices for teachers’ professional development, and offering programs that are common across the network. In addition to developing a leadership cadre of local teachers (called “teacher-consultants”) through invitational summer institutes, NWP sites design and deliver customized inservice programs for local schools, districts, and higher education institutions, and they provide a diverse array of continuing education and research opportunities for teachers at all levels.

National research studies have confirmed significant gains in writing performance among students of teachers who have participated in NWP programs. Support for the NWP is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, foundations, corporations, universities, and K-12 schools.

Research Shows Writing Improvement for Students of Writing Project Teachers

Results of nine studies in five states demonstrate positive effects on the writing achievement of students of writing project teachers across a range of grade levels, schools, and contexts. More ›