Oregon Writing Project Courses

On campus

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ED 539 Oregon Writing Project: Special Studies

Content: Oregon Writing Project courses focus on the teaching of writing. Writing is essential to success--in school and the workplace. Yet writing is a skill that cannot be learned on the spot; it is complex and challenging. Our courses are taught with varying emphases based on grade level, content area, or specific genres. All of our courses help teach students to write in all subjects with clarity and style, seek deeper and more critical understanding of writing and the world, wake up their own voice and authority, take command of their own learning, and manage portfolios and other exhibition forms.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1-4 semester hours.

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ED 590 Oregon Writing Project: Teaching the Emergent K-2 Writer

Content: This practical, hands-on class is designed specifically for K-2 teachers. A key assumption of this course is that the best way to learn about writing is to write in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes, and to reflect on the complex processes involved in that act. Participants can expect to write regularly. Low-stakes experiments in different genres, informal reading responses, and portfolio reflections will be part of the mix. Class members will learn how to find a rich variety of texts that provide their students with a clear vision of writing, they will discover how to strategically select texts to support whole-class learning as well as individual choice, and they will learn how to embed writing into their year-long curriculum. Participants will share ideas and draw on the experiences of their colleagues while taking away lessons and strategies directly applicable to the K-2 classroom.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Current employment, or on temporary leave, as a public or private school K-2 teacher.
Credits: 2 semester hours.

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ED 592 Oregon Writing Project: Workshop in Teaching Writing

Content: The four-week Invitational Summer Institute provides a supportive, dialogic environment in which to explore possibilities as writers, teachers and leaders. The theory and practice of writing are examined through individual demonstrations, reading and discussion of current research, and writing and sharing in writing response groups. Twenty-five K-12 participants develop their leadership potential for a variety of roles, including local school/district reform efforts that support the education and success of all of Oregon's diverse student population. Social justice and social action undergird the experience in an attempt to embrace democratic ideals.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Participants must submit an application and have an interview to be accepted into this program.
Credits: 7 semester hours.

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ED 594 Oregon Writing Project: Practicum in Teaching Writing

Content: After the camaraderie of the Summer Institute, too often teachers return to the isolation of their classroom. But you can reclaim your institute community in the Saturday Seminars. Whether you long for the conviviality of teachers sharing stories or you miss a community of teacher-writers who seek to increase their students' love for writing or ability to punctuate, you will fill your needs in the Saturday Seminars. Saturday Seminars are a year-long series of 3-hour workshops facilitated by the OWP director and co-directors as well as OWP teacher consultants. This class will focus on practical classroom strategies and discussions that help develop students as writers as well as teachers as writers. Topics vary from session to session, but each will include time for writing and reflection as well as a framework or lesson to take back to the classroom.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692.
Credits: 1-2 semester hours.

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ED 596 Oregon Writing Project: Advanced Institute

Content: This course is part of a series of OWP courses for teachers interested in working as writing coaches in schools and districts. Participants will examine current research from writing and coaching fields to learn effective coaching practices, develop grade-level and content-level inservice workshops, practice presentation skills. Participants will engage in an individual inquiry to apply the principles they develop through the course to support local school and district reform efforts aimed at improving writing instruction for diverse learners.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692, ED 594/ED 694.
Restrictions: Consent of instructor.
Credits: 2 semester hours.

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ED 597 Oregon Writing Project: Writing for Publication

Content: This course is part of a series for OWP graduates interested in becoming writing coaches in schools/districts. Teachers will write narratives of school/teaching life, articles about theory and practice grounded in classroom lessons, opinion pieces about issues in the teaching of writing for publications. First class is a three-day writing retreat.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692, ED 594/ED 694.
Restrictions: Consent of instructor.
Credits: 3 semester hours.

Off campus

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ED 639 Oregon Writing Project: Special Studies

Content: Oregon Writing Project courses focus on the teaching of writing. Writing is essential to success--in school and the workplace. Yet writing is a skill that cannot be learned on the spot; it is complex and challenging. Our courses are taught with varying emphases based on grade level, content area, or specific genres. All of our courses help teach students to write in all subjects with clarity and style, seek deeper and more critical understanding of writing and the world, wake up their own voice and authority, take command of their own learning, manage portfolios and other exhibition forms.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1-4 semester hours.

Print This Course

ED 690 Oregon Writing Project: Teaching the Emergent K-2 Writer

Content: This practical, hands-on class is designed specifically for K-2 teachers. A key assumption of this course is that the best way to learn about writing is to write in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes, and to reflect on the complex processes involved in that act. Participants can expect to write regularly. Low-stakes experiments in different genres, informal reading responses, and portfolio reflections will be part of the mix. Class members will learn how to find a rich variety of texts that provide their students with a clear vision of writing, they will discover how to strategically select texts to support whole-class learning as well as individual choice, and they will learn how to embed writing into their year-long curriculum. Participants will share ideas and draw on the experiences of their colleagues while taking away lessons and strategies directly applicable to the K-2 classroom.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Consent of Oregon Writing Project program coordinator.
Credits: 2 semester hours.

Print This Course

ED 692 Oregon Writing Project: Workshop in Teaching Writing

Content: The four-week Invitational Summer Institute provides a supportive, dialogic environment in which to explore possibilities as writers, teachers and leaders. The theory and practice of writing are examined through individual demonstrations, reading and discussion of current research, and writing and sharing in writing response groups. Twenty-five K-12 participants develop their leadership potential for a variety of roles, including local school/district reform efforts that support the education and success of all of Oregon's diverse student population. Social justice and social action undergird the experience in an attempt to embrace democratic ideals.
Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Participants must submit an application and have an interview to be accepted into this program.
Credits: 7 semester hours.

Print This Course

ED 694 Oregon Writing Project: Practicum in Teaching Writing

Content: After the camaraderie of the Summer Institute, too often teachers return to the isolation of their classroom. But you can reclaim your institute community in the Saturday Seminars. Whether you long for the conviviality of teachers sharing stories or you miss a community of teacher-writers who seek to increase their students' love for writing or ability to punctuate, you will fill your needs in the Saturday Seminars. Saturday Seminars are a year-long series of 3-hour workshops facilitated by the OWP director and co-directors as well as OWP teacher consultants. This class will focus on practical classroom strategies and discussions that help develop students as writers as well as teachers as writers. Topics vary from session to session, but each will include time for writing and reflection as well as a framework or lesson to take back to the classroom.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692.
Credits: 1-2 semester hours.

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ED 695 Oregon Writing Project: Writing in Schools: (Topic)

Content: Inquiry course designed to improve the teaching of writing. Participants examine and evaluate current research on writing instruction; they investigate writings from generation to revision and editing by participating in writing workshops themselves. Teachers also design a writing curriculum to take back to their classrooms. They keep reflective journals analyzing their students' writing processes and products. Teachers deepen their understanding of the complexities of teaching, learning, and writing.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 1-2 semester hours.

Print This Course

ED 696 Oregon Writing Project: Advanced Institute

Content: This course is part of a series of OWP courses for teachers interested in working as writing coaches in schools and districts. Participants will examine current research from writing and coaching fields to learn effective coaching practices, develop grade-level and content-level inservice workshops, practice presentation skills. Participants will engage in an individual inquiry to apply the principles they develop through the course to support local school and district reform efforts aimed at improving writing instruction for diverse learners.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692, ED 594/ED 694.
Restrictions: Consent of instructor.
Credits: 2 semester hours.

Print This Course

ED 697 Oregon Writing Project: Writing for Publication

Content: This course is part of a series for OWP graduates interested in becoming writing coaches in schools/districts. Teachers will write narratives of school/teaching life, articles about theory and practice grounded in classroom lessons, opinion pieces about issues in the teaching of writing for publications. First class is a three-day writing retreat.
Prerequisites: ED 592/ED 692, ED 594/ED 694.
Restrictions: Consent of instructor.
Credits: 3 semester hours.