Bluegrass Writing Project - Advanced Institute

Kentucky has been a pioneer in supporting opportunities for teachers to further their understanding of best practices in teaching reading and writing. The Kentucky Reading Projects and the Kentucky Writing Projects are exemplary professional development programs for teachers. Yet studies suggest that little real progress in literacy occurs when reading or writing is studied in isolation. Researchers increasingly see a synergy between reading and writing. This synergy is what the Bluegrass Writing Project would like to explore in an Advanced Institute. Open to teachers who are fellows of the reading and writing projects, the fifteen participants would investigate this reading/writing synergy, explore ways to make the readinglwriting connection across grade levels and disciplines, and plan and learn strategies to make this readinglwriting connection in the classroom. All participants will be actively engaged in the workshop and the follow-up meetings. Follow up activities will be designed by the institute participants. The Advanced Institute would adapt the assumptions of the National Writing Project to guide the institute conversation: " the best teachers of teachers are other teachers " the best teachers of reading and writing are teachers who read and write. The Advanced Institute would meet for one week during the summer (five days, 9:00 - 3:30 each day) with three follow-up meetings during the school year.