Programs for Educators
Words Taking Flight: Inspiring Writing With Place-Based Education
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2023 NWP-KSU Event Calendar |
2023 Invitational Summer Institutes Registration OPEN!

Choose one of FOUR locations:
Summit County ESC (Cuyahoga Falls)
June 12-15 & 19-22, 2023
In person, 8 am - 3:30 pm
Leetonia Schools (Columbiana County)
June 12-15 & 19-22, 2023
In person, 8 am - 3:30 pm
Sandusky City Schools (Erie County)
July 17-20 & 24-27, 2023 (hybrid)
Virtual via Zoom
July 31-August 3 & August 7-9, 2023
Synchronous from 8 - 11:30 am
Summit County ESC (Cuyahoga Falls)
June 12-15 & 19-22, 2023
In person, 8 am - 3:30 pm
Leetonia Schools (Columbiana County)
June 12-15 & 19-22, 2023
In person, 8 am - 3:30 pm
Sandusky City Schools (Erie County)
July 17-20 & 24-27, 2023 (hybrid)
Virtual via Zoom
July 31-August 3 & August 7-9, 2023
Synchronous from 8 - 11:30 am
Each site will have an orientation in May 2023.
- Applications due May 15, 2023 with $200 nonrefundable deposit
- Click for a downloadable flyer with more info including dates and credit options.
- Registration now available here.
- Register early! We must reach a minimum number of participants at each site to hold an Institute there!
Awakening the Writer Within: Teachers as Writers [Spring Writing Cohort]
Ready to dedicate your energy to your own journey as a writer? Join a Writing Cohort of fellow TCs from March to May: set your own writing goals, read and provide feedback to fellow writers, get to know fellow teacher-writers, and develop writing pieces. TC Mike Sexton will once again lead us through the writing process and help us meet our personal writing goals. What will you write this spring? A research paper? A short story? Two pieces of flash fiction? Three to five Poems? One chapter of a novel/novella? The possibilities are endless. Submissions can range from zero drafts to polished and edited work in need of final copy edits. This is your chance to bring wherever you are in your writing journey to a supportive writing community.
Timeline
Friday, December 16 to Friday, March 3, 2023: Registration Open
Monday, March 6: Google Meet Orientation @ 6 PM
March 6 - May 12: Writing, peer review, revision time [with a variety of interim deadlines]
Saturday, May 13: Celebration of Writing [In-person or online TBD]
Questions? Contact TC Mike Sexton at michael.b.sexton@gmail.com
Interested? Register for the Writing Cohort here.
Credit: You may also sign up for 1 hour of KSU workshop credit.
Timeline
Friday, December 16 to Friday, March 3, 2023: Registration Open
Monday, March 6: Google Meet Orientation @ 6 PM
March 6 - May 12: Writing, peer review, revision time [with a variety of interim deadlines]
Saturday, May 13: Celebration of Writing [In-person or online TBD]
Questions? Contact TC Mike Sexton at michael.b.sexton@gmail.com
Interested? Register for the Writing Cohort here.
Credit: You may also sign up for 1 hour of KSU workshop credit.
Spring 2023 Book Study Underway: Jeff Anderson's Patterns of Power

Join us for the next NWP@KSU book study! This spring, we will be discussing the many iterations of Jeff Anderson’s Patterns of Power. If you, like many teachers of writers, are looking for answers on how to get students applying conventions of grammar, this book study is for you! Participation in this workshop is free; KSU workshop credit is available for attending all book discussions and completing an independent project applying the concepts of the book to your classroom.
Dates: February 8th, March 8th, April 12th & May 10th
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm via Zoom
Title: Choose and purchase the title that most closely aligns to your grade level(s)!
Patterns of Power: Teaching Grammar Through Reading & Writing, grades 9-12
Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, grades 6-8
Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers Into the Conventions of Languages, grades 1-5
Patterns of Wonder: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Languages, grades K-1
Interested? Contact Lori Wilfong, lgkrug@kent.edu, with questions!
Credit: 1 hour of KSU workshop credit available. Y you may sign up for credit at the first book discussion on 2/8.
Dates: February 8th, March 8th, April 12th & May 10th
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm via Zoom
Title: Choose and purchase the title that most closely aligns to your grade level(s)!
Patterns of Power: Teaching Grammar Through Reading & Writing, grades 9-12
Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, grades 6-8
Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers Into the Conventions of Languages, grades 1-5
Patterns of Wonder: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Languages, grades K-1
Interested? Contact Lori Wilfong, lgkrug@kent.edu, with questions!
Credit: 1 hour of KSU workshop credit available. Y you may sign up for credit at the first book discussion on 2/8.
Past Events
Highlights from the NWP-KSU TC Reunion Sat., February 11, 2023
NWP-KSU teacher consultants from around the state met for our first NWP-KSU Reunion on February 11, 2023. Dr. Lori Wilfong, NWP-KSU director, welcomed attendees to the Kent Stark Campus with coffee and breakfast. Former NWP-KSU Director Dr. Alexa Sandmann inspired us with a short talk titled “Writing: The Art of It”. A Grounds for Thought gave us all the opportunity to write and share. We enjoyed a book swap, shared lessons, and relaxed and reconnected with NWP friends and colleagues.
Pop-Up at Cuyahoga Valley National Park during Write Out 2022

On a beautiful fall day, visitors to Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) stopped at NWP-KSU and CVNP’s Pop-Up table.
TC Maggie Chernick was there to encourage writing as a way to celebrate park moments.
Phrases from visitors included…
"Wonderful turtles basking in the sun without a care in the world"
- "Live life in the moment"
- "Sand is like a violin, moving when someone touches it"
- "The sky opens before me framing the fall rainbow,"
- "A noble glimpse of the bald eagle between the trees."
Kernels of Wisdom Highlights Narrative Writing Strategies
Saturday, November 5, 2022 9 a.m. to Noon via Zoom
More than 50 educators from throughout Ohio attended the 5th Annual Kernels of Wisdom Workshop held online Saturday, November 5. Presented by the National Writing Project at Kent State University and Power of the Pen, Kernels of Wisdom focuses on effective and engaging teaching of narrative writing.
The keynote speakers, Power of the Pen coaches Jenn Sauvey and Beth Toerner of Wyoming Middle School, discussed ways to guide students in developing characters that readers care deeply about. TCs Jeff Harr, Jean Kanzinger, and Tammy Sullivan led breakout sessions on writing a gripping climax, using description effectively, and working with younger writers.The morning also included a Power of the Pen track related to coaching and judging.
Participants shared their enthusiasm on a Padlet:
The keynote speakers, Power of the Pen coaches Jenn Sauvey and Beth Toerner of Wyoming Middle School, discussed ways to guide students in developing characters that readers care deeply about. TCs Jeff Harr, Jean Kanzinger, and Tammy Sullivan led breakout sessions on writing a gripping climax, using description effectively, and working with younger writers.The morning also included a Power of the Pen track related to coaching and judging.
Participants shared their enthusiasm on a Padlet:
- "I feel excited to write with my students! They will love using phobias to inspire story ideas. I also can't wait to use the NY Times photos in some of my lessons."
- "I'm excited to rework my current narrative writing unit to include craft moves as revision steps!"
- "Keynote Gold! Thanks to the keynote speakers for a wonderful session packed with ideas and generous resources. I'm eager to share the craft exercises as I use picture books as well and it will be a great fit for my students!"
- "I need to write more with my students. I had so much fun writing creatively today during the sessions, and I realized that I haven't stretched those muscles in a while!"
![]() Workshops
NWP-KSU offers workshops in the teaching of writing. 2021 events will include a Write Where You Are workshop at Cuyahoga Valley National Park and a Kernels of Wisdom narrative writing workshop at Kent State University. |
![]() Book Clubs
The Wandering Book Club meets in the Akron-Cleveland area throughout the school year. Mahoning Valley Book Club meets year-round at the border of Boardman and Canfield. |
Programs for Schools
Educator In-Service: Reading and Writing Workshops
NWP-KSU will custom design professional development packages based on your organization's goals and needs. These sessions help teachers work toward student improvement in writing and reading across the content areas, which leads to student success on state-required tests. We specifically have in-services designed to help teachers meet Ohio's Learning Standards.
In operation since 1997, NWP-KSU in-service programs have consistently received excellent ratings and results in classrooms and school districts throughout Ohio. We can provide whole-school, department and/or grade-level sessions, as well as classroom demos and book studies. |
The following workshops and programs can be customized to meet individual schools' needs:
• Writing Craft
• Content Area Literacy • Close Reading Strategies • Revision and Editing |
• Technology and Writing
• Multi-Genre Research • Working with Rubrics • Developing Listening and Speaking Skills |
• Using Research
• Writing/Reading Workshop • Informational Writing • Argumentative Writing |
• Narrative Writing
• Response to Literature • Evaluating and Assessing Student Work • Text Complexity |
Thirty teachers is the maximum for an in-service.
On-site custom service: $250 per hour
One-half day (3 hours): $650
Full day (6 hours): $1,250
Mileage may be an additional charge, depending on distance covered for the duration of the in-service.
Contact us to schedule an in-service program.
On-site custom service: $250 per hour
One-half day (3 hours): $650
Full day (6 hours): $1,250
Mileage may be an additional charge, depending on distance covered for the duration of the in-service.
Contact us to schedule an in-service program.
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