Using the model of teachers teaching teachers, CWP/Fairfield has trained more than 250 teachers, kindergarten through college. In addition, CWP/Fairfield offers a rich assortment of programs including nationally-recognized speakers on reading, writing, and learning issues, Institutes for Urban Teachers, Young Writers Institutes, and Writers Retreats.

The Connecticut Writing Project was designated a Center for Excellence by the Connecticut State Legislature in 1986 and shares with other Writing Project sites the Carnegie Corporation of New York's evaluation as the "best large-scale effort to improve composition instruction now in operation in this country."

Who are we?

• We are more than 200 teacher/consultants, from kindergarten through college. including teachers of math, science, history, English, and language arts.
• We are committed to improving student writing abilities by improving the teaching and learning of writing.
• We provide professional development programs for classroom teachers and school administrators.
• We provide opportunities to expand the professional roles of teachers.
• We believe that teachers are key to educational reform.
• We operate on a teachers-teaching-teachers model. Successful writing teachers attend the Invitational Summer Institutes at their local universities. During the school year these teachers provide workshops for other teachers in the schools.
• We know that writing deserves constant attention, from kindergarten through university.
  We are committed to the idea that exemplary teachers of writing are themselves writers.

What do we do?

• We hold invitational Summer Institutes.
• We provide seven other Institutes in the summer including an Early Literacy Institute, an Institute on the Teaching of Literature, a number of Institutes for Teaching Writing, an Institute for Teachers of English Language Learners, and an Institute for the Study of Issues of Race, Gender, and Equity.
• We provide workshops and in-service programs in 49 districts throughout the state of Connecticut.
• We hold seminars on writing issues with speakers such as Toby Fulwiler, Barry Lane, Ralph Fletcher and Robert Probst.
• We hold retreats for writers.
• We offer outreach programs in writing for local non-profit organizations.
• We offer a Young Writers Institute for students in grades 6 through 10.
• We serve on the boards of professional organizations and committees of the Connecticut State Department of Education.