The River Bend Writing Project at the University of Southern Indiana is a National Writing Project site serving southwestern Indiana, southeastern Illinois, and western Kentucky. The National Writing Project is a Congressionally-funded professional development program for teachers in all disciplines, from kindergarten through college, who are committed to improving the literacy skills of our students.
In place of a top-down model of professional development, the National Writing Project focuses on building a reflective community of practice amongst exemplary teachers of reading and writing. At River Bend, we believe that knowledge comes from many sources – from theory, from research, from practice, and from experience. Our Invitational Summer Institute (ISI), held annually from late May to early July, brings together area k-16 teachers to share their most successful strategies for teaching reading and writing. Additionally, the ISI creates opportunities for participants to reconnect with their love of reading and writing and to develop their own teacher-inquiry projects.
USI has a long history of involvement in regional development. The River Bend Writing Project joins an array of community-university partnerships, such as the Center for Applied Research and Connect with Southern Indiana, which reflect the university’s desire to be part of the Tri-State’s regions continued growth and success. The ISI awards graduate credit through USI’s Master of Science in Education or Master of Arts in Liberal Studies programs; teachers may also be able to apply the ISI to continuing education credits required by their states. Throughout the school year, teachers who have completed the ISI host workshops and in-services at USI and area k-12 schools, making ISI participants literacy leaders in our local schools and colleges.
We welcome all area teachers and administrators to become involved with the River Bend Writing Project, regardless of grade level or discipline. And we extend a special thanks to the Evansville Diocese Schools, USI’s official partner for this program.