What is the Oregon Writing Project?

The Oregon Writing Project (OWP) is a collaborative effort by Oregon schools, colleges, and private foundations to improve the teaching of writing and literacy at all grade levels throughout the state.

Established in 1977, OWP is devoted to increasing the opportunities for experienced teachers to continue their professional education.

In intensive summer workshops, teachers learn new strategies, improve their own writing, and develop ways to introduce new methods in their schools. During the school year, these teachers share with their colleagues and participate in other inservice activities to disseminate what they learned.

There are now five campus sites comprising the OWP state network, with the UO site the oldest. Others are at Lewis & Clark College, Portland;Willamette University, Salem; Southern Oregon State Collge, Ashland; Eastern Oregon State College, La Grande. OWP is affiliated with the National Writing Project Network at UC, Berkeley, where the project began as the Bay Area Writing Project.