Heart of Texas Writing Project

Begun in 2002, the Heart of Texas Writing Project (HTWP) is affiliated with both the University of Texas at Austin and the National Writing Project. HTWP is committed to providing all children in Central Texas with highly effective writing instruction. To accomplish this goal, HTWP offers a variety of professional development services to local teachers and school districts. The centerpiece of the project is the Summer Invitational Institute, a four-week workshop for strong, experienced teachers that draws upon a teachers-teaching-teachers model and is aimed at developing teacher leadership in the region. In four years, 45 teachers will have participated from the following school districts: Austin, Eanes, Leander, Lake Travis, Pflugerville, and Taylor. Valerie Taylor, Eanes ISD, and Dr. Colleen Fairbanks, Associate Professor in the Language and Literacy Studies program area, direct the project. Lynn Masterson, a current graduate student, serves as Co-Director.

Teacher consultants who complete the summer institute are then poised to assume various kinds of leadership roles within and across school districts. For example, HTWP Teacher Consultants offer week-long seminars on topics of interest to teachers. This summer, HTWP will offer two workshops, “Organizing Writers Workshop in Grades 3-8” and “Writing Camps for Struggling Writers.”

HTWP also engages in long-term partnerships with school districts to assess local needs and to organize and implement professional development. We are currently working with Eanes and Leander ISDs to design and organize both a two-week summer workshop for beginning teachers and school-year follow-up workshops.

We have made two additions to our programs this year. The first includes writing camps for young writers. This summer, Teacher Consultants from the HTWP will facilitate three camps, two to be held at UT and one to be held at Taylor Middle School. The latter is geared specifically toward English language learners. The second, Saturday seminars, held once per semester for area teachers, brings nationally known educators to Central Texas. The inaugural seminar featured Harvey Daniels, best known for his work on literature circles and high school reform.

Visit the National Heart of Texas Writing Project Web site