The Central Virginia Writing Project is one of seven projects in Virginia designed to help area teachers develop as writers and teachers of writing. Based on similar principles, these seven projects are linked with the National Writing project, which developed from the original Bay Area Writing Project.
One principle of the Writing Project is that you can teach writing best when you yourself practice writing and observe your own writing processes. Another principle is that teachers can gain much from the body of knowledge that is developing about the writing process and the teaching of writing. We ask that you read extensively in assigned and other readings, though not at the expense of your writing and other activites, and that you participate in discussions.
One more basic principle of the Writing Project is that teachers are the best teachers of other teachers. We ask that you prepare yourself to be a consultant to others throughout the curriculum and that you develop a specific inservice for your colleagues at home--based on a sound philosophy and immediately useful in the classroom. You will conduct a portion of your inservice for all of us in the Project and provide an overview of the remainder.
The CVWP, then, is not a traditional class or seminar. The directors of the Project act as advisors, facilitators, and colleagues, rather than class instructors. The Fellows themselves assist in determining the agenda and contribute to the format. In the interest of time and convenience, the directors will pre-schedule certain presentations by guest speakers (often teaching Consultants from previous CVWPSummer Institutes) and the CVWP directors.
Quoted from "Introduction" of CVWP 1997:
Director, Prof. Joseph E. Strzepek (in the middle)