National Writing Project records, 1957-2018 (bulk 1974-2012), approximately 1957-2018

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Creators:
National Writing Project (U.S.)
Abstract:
This collection documents the growth and activities of the National Writing Project, a nationwide professional development network for teachers of writing, from its inception as the Bay Area Writing Project in 1974 to its programs in 2014. Collection material includes correspondence; funding and financial documentation; program files generated by its national programs and initiatives; production files for its major publications; administrative files for its national networks of sites, as well as review and survey processes; legislative material; and material documenting the activities of the national leadership. Also included are materials from the early days of the Project, the papers of founding director James Gray, and the records of an early affiliate, The Center for the Study of Writing. The collection also contains photographs and audiovisual material relating to the activities of the Project.
Extent:
136.5 linear feet (109 cartons, 3 boxes)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], National Writing Project records, BANC MSS 2014/229, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection documents the growth and activities of the National Writing Project, a nationwide professional development network for teachers of writing, from its inception as the Bay Area Writing Project in 1974 to its programs in 2014. Collection material includes correspondence; funding and financial documentation; program files generated by its national programs and initiatives; production files for its major publications; administrative files for its national networks of sites, as well as review and survey processes; legislative material; and material documenting the activities of the national leadership. Also included are materials from the early days of the Project, the papers of founding director James Gray, and the records of an early affiliate, The Center for the Study of Writing. The collection also contains photographs and audiovisual material relating to the activities of the Project.

The collection is divided into six series:

Series 1 (Early History Archive) is divided into three subseries: James Gray papers; Early history material; and Center for the Study of Writing material.

Series 2 (Administrative files) is divided into three subseries: Financial records; Departmental records; and Site files.

Series 3 (Board of Directors records) documents the activities and the board of directors of the NWP and its national leadership.

Series 4 (Program records) is divided into two subseries: Publications and publicity and National programs and initiatives.

Series 5 (Photographs) contains photographic prints and negatives of various NWP events, as well as classroom photos and teacher portraits.

Series 6 (Audiovisual materials) includes video and audio recordings of live events, program videos, and audio recordings of Legacy Study interviews and talks given for the Center for the Study of Writing.

This collection also contains digital material, which includes images of NWP events, such as annual meetings and gatherings for national programs; live footage of various events; publication files for books, periodicals, annual reports and writing retreat anthologies; site productions; annual review files and award letters; and an Early History audio interview with founding director James Gray. This material is currently in process.

Biographical / historical:

The National Writing Project began in 1974 in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley, where James Gray and his colleagues established a university-based program for K–16 teachers called the Bay Area Writing Project (BAWP).

James Gray was hired as a teacher trainee supervisor at the University of California, Berkeley in 1961, and was soon afterwards invited to become a teacher of English. Gray's experience as a high school teacher; director of English, language arts, and reading for Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) in Europe and ME; and a National Defense Education Act (NDEA) colloquium director for the University of Hawaii and UC Davis Institutes informed the development of the Writing Project model. While at UC Berkeley, he was also involved in the inception of the California Area III English Project (1964) and the California English Teacher Specialist Program (1968-1970).

Responding to a renewed concern in the early 1970s about American students' writing skills, and the teaching of writing in particular, Gray and his colleagues developed the Bay Area Writing Project concept: a "teachers-teaching-teachers" model of professional development for teachers of writing. In 1972, the first meeting of interested teachers was held at the UC Berkeley Faculty Club. Following the support, in 1973, of Provost and Dean of the College of Letters and Science, Rod Park, the Bay Area Writing Project held its first invitational institute in 1974, with 29 teacher participants.

In 1976, the Bay Area Writing Project received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, which suggested an expansion of participating sites. By the end of that year, the NWP had grown to 14 sites in six states, including nine across California. Over the next 15 years, the network continued to grow, with funding for writing project sites made possible by foundation grants and matching funds from local sources. In 1991 NWP was authorized as a federal education program.

The NWP now receives a core grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which is supplemented by local, state, and private funds. Its network has expanded to include nearly 200 sites in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All sites are co-directed by faculty from the local university and from K–12 schools and adhere to a national program model, in which they design and deliver customized inservice programs to local schools, districts, and higher education institutions. The invitational summer institutes continue to play a central role in developing policy and training the teacher leadership (called "teacher-consultants"). NWP also operates a series of national programs intended to support specific aspects of site development across the country.

Acquisition information:
The National Writing Project records were given to The Bancroft Library by the National Writing Project on December 22, 2014. Additions were made in June and August of 2015 and in February and May of 2016.
Processing information:

Processed by Lori Dedeyan in 2015-2016. 2017 paper additions processed by Lara Michels.

Arrangement:

Arranged to the folder level.

Accruals:

Future additions are expected.

Physical location:
Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research, with the exception of unprocessed digital materials.

Terms of access:

Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], National Writing Project records, BANC MSS 2014/229, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
Contact:
510-642-6481
bancref-library@berkeley.edu
Website