San Marcos Writing Project

The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) is one of 190 sites of the National Writing Project (17 in California), which is a professional development network of teachers whose goal is to improve student-writing achievement by improving the teaching and learning of writing in the nation's schools.

The writing project is a resource for teachers and school districts. During the school year, writing project teachers can also provide professional development workshops for other teachers in their schools and communities. We host Open Institutes around relevant topics for two weeks in the summer or two to three day workshops during the school year. We also host Young Writer's Camps for two weeks in the summer at school sites around North San Diego County for students in grades two through eight.

Resources for Educators during School Closings due to COVID-19

Upcoming Events

Using Writing to Support Social-Emotional Learning
March 6 & March 20 | 9:30am - 12pm

Learn More!

Invitational Summer Institute
June 21 - July 22, 2021

Learn More!

Contact Us

Laurie Stowell, SMWP Director
lstowell@csusm.edu

Nancy Pace-Skinner, SMWP Co-Director
mspsret@gmail.com

Teen Writers' Camp July 26-30, 2021

July 26-30, 2021: Oak Valley Middle School
Each day 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. will include: workshop setting, writing Project-trained teachers, writing notebook and writing supplies provided

Objectives:

Creative Writing - Writing Prompts and Strategies, Mentor Writing, Poetry, Writing Strategies, Author
Visits
Academic Writing - Argument Writing, Tips for Writing Success, Self-Editing and Monitoring, Visits from
those in Writing Careers

Young Writers' Camp August 2-6, 2021

August 2-6, 2021: Highland Ranch Elementary
Each day 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. will include: participate in daily lessons that focus on social, emotional and individual strengths for each child, learn about genre and figurative language focused lessons, write in a friendly, supportive setting, write fiction, poetry, or autobiographical sketches and essays, work on correctness for publication: grammar, spelling and punctuation

The San Marcos Writing project invites students entering 2nd through 6th grade to participate in a
workshop led by Writing Project teachers. Registration fees include a notebook, writing materials and all
supplies necessary for the workshop. Please join our Writing Camp that will emphasize social, emotional
and individual growth for each child.

New Teacher Writing Institute

July 19-23, 2021: 2021 New Teacher Writing Institute
Each day (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) will include: demonstrations with practical resources to use
immediately; time to work with experienced classroom teachers; and opportunities to collaborate
with grade-level colleagues.

This 5-day, virtual (via Zoom) writing institute for new K-12 teachers (0 to 5 years) will provide numerous opportunities for you to become more comfortable with engaging students with high-interest writing. Writing Institute topics will include:
• Creating the conditions for standards-based, effective writing in your classroom
• Providing meaningful feedback for student writing, all while handling the “paper load”
• Writing with ELD & Special Ed students
• Using technology to facilitate learning
• Meeting students’ social-emotional learning needs

Invitational Summer Institute

The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) provides opportunities in professional development for K-12 teacher practitioners in all disciplines, administrators, and curriculum specialists. The SMWP is a National Writing Project site dedicated to the improvement of student learning through the effective teaching of writing in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. Our aim is for fellows to come away from the Institute with a renewed sense of excitement about and commitment to teaching, writing and the teaching of writing. This institute will focus on effective reading and writing strategies in face to face and online classrooms.

June 21 - July 22, 2021 | Monday - Thursday, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Plus 2 half-day follow-up meetings on Saturdays during the 2021-2022 Academic Year (1 in Fall, 1 in Spring)

Participants will receive a $500 stipend for attending the five-week summer institute and $100 for attending a fall meeting and $100 for attending a spring meeting. There is no cost to district or school.
Participants may receive up to 6 units of graduate credit for a reduced fee.

Apply Today! Informational Flyer Contact Laurie Stowell with Questions

SMWP 20th Anniversary Celebration: Postponed

Postponed until Spring or Summer 2021. Details to be released.

SMWP In the News

Conferences

SD CUE 2013:
- Laurie Stowell: Common Core Reading and Writing with mobile devices
- Jo Ann Fox: App Differently Session, Twitter is a Teacher Superpower, Twitter Preso

Additional Information & Resources

Show All

ELA Common Core Inservice Options
If you are interested in becoming more familiar with the California Common Core State Standards, exploring strategies to align current teaching practices with the new standards, developing materials to use during the school year, and understanding how the new assessments could impact practice, invite SMWP teacher leaders to your school site! Learn more.
What is the Writing Project?
The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) is one of 190 sites of the National Writing Project (17 in California), which is a professional development network of teachers whose goal is to improve student-writing achievement by improving the teaching and learning of writing in the nation’s schools.
What is the Summer Invitational Institute?
The summer invitational institute is the centerpiece of the work of the writing project. All writing project sites offer a 20-day summer institute in the middle of the summer. The San Marcos Writing Project offers a five week, four days a week summer institute in July with a daily schedule of 8:30-4:00. Teachers apply and twenty to twenty-five are invited to attend. The invitational institute develops teacher leaders in the area of writing. All writing projects operate on a teachers-teaching-teachers model. Teachers attend the invitational summer institutes at Cal State San Marcos to share their own best practice and develop their own writing skills.
Who attends the Writing Project?
The San Marcos Writing Project serves teachers in kindergarten through twelfth grade in all disciplines. It is important for articulation about writing occurs across grade levels. There is also ample opportunity for discussions in grade-alike groups.
What happens after the summer institute?
All teachers who attended the summer institute come back together four times a year for reunions. These reunions often have guest speakers who address relevant writing topics. Teachers can also participate in book groups (books provided by the project) and/or writing groups throughout the school year. The San Marcos Writing Project offers a writing retreat at Mission Inn in Riverside once a year in the fall. We also offer an annual professional conference that writing project teachers can attend and present their best practice to other area teachers. Teachers suggest other means of support at the invitational institute. Teachers who attend the invitational institute can take advantage of the support of the writing project for the remainder of their professional careers.
What else does the writing project do?
The writing project is a resource for teachers and school districts. During the school year, writing project teachers can also provide professional development workshops for other teachers in their schools and communities. We host Open Institutes around relevant topics for two weeks in the summer or two to three day workshops during the school year. We also host Young Writer’s Camps for two weeks in the summer at school sites around North San Diego County for students in grades two through eight.
Summer Institute Website Archive
Summer Institute Videos