Advisory Board

As a school librarian, Kari supports and collaborates with teachers daily. Kari has found a renewed passion for teacher collaboration, thanks to the Nebraska Writing Project. Through her time participating in an Embedded Institute, Kari saw the power in district teachers meeting together once a week. “When we collaborate across the school, grade, or district, our teachers can be more informed about the students we have in our classroom. When teachers participate in an embedded institute, they find an environment that builds a community that lets our teachers know that we can count on each other, even if we teach different grade levels in different buildings.”

Mike has been connected with NeWP since attending a Summer Institute in 2009. Since then he has participated in several other institutes and served as a co-researcher/facilitator for the C3WP project. He is a member of the Educational Theatre Association, the International Thespian Society, and the Teaching Artist Alliance where he offers workshops in creative writing and playwriting. He has taught English in Millard since 2006. He describes his first Summer Institute as a seachange in his approach to teaching and assessing writing. He has led a number of staff development sessions in his building and district to share the vision of the NeWP with his fellow teachers. He describes his experience with the members of the Nebraska Writing Project as “energizing and positive. The people involved with the writing project are excellent writers and teachers, excited to collaborate and share. [He comes] away from [his] time with other project members energized. The sense of belonging and support, and the encouragement to be a better writer and a better teacher provides [him] with both motivation and comfort.”

When asked how Bill's classroom has changed by his time in the Nebraska Writing Project, he said, "Everything we do now ends with writing. We read literature and we work through the literature, but what matters about the texts is what comes from them---the writing process around the literature we consume helps students develop their sense of self in relation to what they've read. They go further faster as writers than ever before. They're much more confident writers and their thinking becomes more sophisticated. You see them writing beyond the time limit we give them, or carry out their projects beyond the classroom. Writing becomes a form of meditation for them and it shows. There was a time when education was 'done to students,' but my involvement with NeWP has made me realize is that they have to be invested and they have to have the tools they need to make decisions about their own writing. When they do, they're going to do it, even the most reluctant of writers. The National Writing Project gave me that framework of viewing of writing this way, and it has transformed the way that I approach teaching and inspired me to continue my career in education."

Through the community that the Nebraska Writing Project creates, Emily found the support she needed to continue teaching. She says, "Teachers are valued and supported in the Nebraska Writing Project. I left my first Summer Institute rejuvenated and refreshed by the principles that the NeWP upholds. The idea that teachers are valued for their expertise and their professional judgement were important for me to hear at a time when I felt worn down by the daily demands teachers have to meet. By writing every day and sharing my work with my fellow teachers, I saw that this act fostered empathy and vulnerability that writing requires. I felt affirmed that I was a good teacher, that I had expertise in my field, and that I could make choices that bridged the school district's requirements with the kind of writing I know is beneficial for my students." Emily became more comfortable and confident in teaching the way she knew she needed to teach: "My classroom changed after the Summer Institute because I brought in more conversation, I showed my writing more, and I talked about the process and how hard it is to actually do writing. I saw that you can let your students write creatively, use their own positionality, and their own voices in their writing. Their words matter outside of the state testing site."​

Katrina came to NeWP because she was looking for a place to grow and belong.  She wasn’t really sure what that place looked like, but after being encouraged by friend, colleague, and fellow “NeWPer”, Jennifer Troester, she joined the Summer Institute in 2009, and it was in that experience that NeWP became another “home”. In the subsequent years, Katrina enrolled in and helped facilitate multiple NeWP courses and workshops and joined the Advisory Board.  In 2017, she stepped away to focus on other academic content and leadership pursuits, but took the important lessons learned within NeWP with her, infusing them consistently in her classroom, especially student writing conferences and writing marathons in Washington DC with her Holocaust Literature students.  Katrina rejoined the Advisory Board in 2022.  She just finished her first year working for ESU 8, serving schools in Northeast Nebraska as a Professional Development Coordinator specializing in Social Studies, Secondary ELA, Career and Technical Education, and Curriculum Design and Implementation. “NeWP helped me discover, cultivate, and grow skills and passion that I didn’t know I had inside of me. This community helped me find and refine my voice, and in turn, it helped me grow into a teacher who can help other teachers and their students find and refine theirs.”

When asked how the Nebraska Writing Project has affected his view of writing and teaching writing, Mark says, "The NeWP continually teaches me that my classroom should be a place where writing is not just talked about but done. That includes me. Before taking my first summer institute, I almost never shared my own writing with my students. Now, my teaching is much more about modeling my own practice for my students to learn from and adapt. The other teachers in that first summer institute helped me have the courage and desire to share my work, and the writing project's core principle that "The best teachers of writing are writers themselves" taught me why writing alongside my students is so important. We spend so much more time actually writing and talking about each other's writing in class now. The NeWP has also broadened my view of what student writing can be and what it is for. I've learned to treat my students' work with the same respect, care, and excitement that I do published authors. This enthusiasm spreads to the students when we look at their work together in class. Professionally, The NeWP has changed my life. I have met mentors and developed a network of other teachers that have helped me finally move from working as an adjunct to pursuing my PhD. My public school colleagues in the NeWP also continually help me understand what my college students are bringing to my classroom and help me better scaffold my assignments and classroom activities. Without The NeWP, I would not be doing the student-centered teaching that I love so much today."

When asked how her students have been impacted by the Nebraska Writing Project, Jan said, “The idea that the NeWP introduced me to was that writing is a continual process. My students started to write in groups and share their work in those groups. They could ask their peers for feedback, and I would give them feedback. Then they began to re-write, and they could see how their writing continued to improve over time. Before the NEWP, I don’t think I even understood that. I started showing them my own drafts, and they began to see that writing wasn’t a “one and done” type of process. Their writing didn’t go out into the ether. What they said mattered and could be used beyond this one assignment. It’s important for them to understand that when you learn to write, it’s never going to be the best thing you’ve written the first time around. It takes time to develop those skills and techniques. For a lot of them, it was a revelation.”

Before the Nebraska Writing Project, Brenda was unsure how long she could continue in her field, saying, "I was burnt out. I didn't have the motivation to grade any more papers or do the work required of an English teacher. When I attended my first NeWP Institute, I was able to network with other professionals and see what they were doing in their classrooms. They gave me the confidence to entirely change my own teaching philosophy, from sitting down with students to write with them or assigning low stakes writing tasks. I left refreshed and ready to continue teaching." When asked how the NeWP changed her mindset, she replied, "I let go of the idea of 'being perfect' for my students, and they noticed that change. The ability to show our real selves helps us connect with each other. Society has deemed perfectionism as the ultimate goal everywhere, not just in the classroom, but that's unrealistic. If we as teachers can show vulnerability and model our own thought process revealing that we don't have the perfect idea right away, then our students, will be more willing to share themselves, make mistakes, and try again. Writing needs to be something we learn together; the more I share with them, the more they see that there's no such thing as a perfect writer."​

As a new teacher, Tina found the collaborative and supportive environment of NeWP to be instrumental to her growth. The 2021 Summer Institute was a source of energy while teaching during a pandemic. It was affirming to share ideas, explore difficult questions, take risks in writing, and try out innovative instructional methods—all of which are values she strives to prioritize in her classroom. NeWP revealed the powerful social dimension of writing, where the act of coming together to write can be a way to build and strengthen communities. Working with NeWP teachers showed her how writing together can be an avenue for better understanding oneself and others.

While attending the NeWP Summer Institute, Jennifer found herself surrounded by teachers who shared her passion for using teaching for social justice and advocacy. She discovered a community of educators who shared her view of writing as a revolutionary tool and could support her implementation of these values in the classroom through their knowledge and experience. Jennifer described this environment as transformative, saying, “The teachers have awesome spirits and hearts for writing and teaching. It would be impossible to be uninspired sitting in a Nebraska Writing Project Meeting. It keeps your fire fueled.” This inspiration carried her into multiple positions in the Nebraska Writing Project, where her heart for using writing for change can be clearly seen. She facilitated a Summer Institute, as well as coordinated her own embedded writing institute for her school district, where teachers were able to share their curriculum with one another and craft creative solutions for school wide policies. With the help, support, and resources the Nebraska Writing Project provides, Jennifer has found ways to make writing transformative for teachers and students alike.

When asked about the Nebraska Writing Project experience, Gretchen said “Participation in the Nebraska Writing Project Summer Institute in 2021 showed me that I was not alone. It was invigorating to hear ideas from teachers who had a wide variety of classroom experiences. They were willing to support me and to remind me of the joy in teaching writing. I had lost that joy.” The expectations for teachers to passionately innovate and reinvigorate students that were deeply impacted by the events of 2020, were beyond any that professional development could teach. There was a new ‘normal’ for life and for teaching in the classroom, and time was needed to help students and teachers to reflect on their feelings and lives. “I felt empowered to implement the philosophy and values of the NeWP into my own classroom. It was not the time to be rigid and unyielding, but instead to embrace the messiness of ideas and encourage thought in the writing experience. I saw growth come out of it, and that’s a big win. Writing needed to be about thinking authentically through humility and vulnerability, not perfect grammar and checkbox thinking.”

With her time as a facilitator for the I Love to Write Workshops, Sandra sees firsthand how the Nebraska Writing Project has the potential to transform communities of writers and learners. Working with elementary, middle school, and family writers, the workshops build on the basic techniques of writing and provide writers a variety of fun and meaningful writing activities. Sandra described this process saying, "Workshop writers have another place to write beyond their classrooms, and the opportunity to interact with a new community of people who also enjoy reading and writing. No matter what age level, they quickly understand that we all have something to say. This idea inspires them to continue to write beyond the workshops and identify themselves as artists who can use their voice to transform their lives and the lives of others. When asked how writing helps with this transformation, Sandra said,"I see writing as a foundation for understanding. Creating a community of writers, allows us to express ourselves freely, respectfully and responsibly. In working alongside these writers, we practice choosing words carefully and think about how the words we speak and write apply to each of us. Then, we can integrate and clarify our own thoughts, consider other perspectives, and accept other people's ideas that we may not have understood or agreed with before. This sharing helps to create a dialogue of similarities and differences, creates valuable conversations, and helps communities grow together as thinkers, writers, and learners.​"

When asked to describe the community that the Nebraska Writing Project creates, Jennifer described it as supportive and inspiring. She explains, "I feel very lucky to have this group to turn to if I have questions, if I need someone to talk to, or to exchange ideas for stronger student engagement. They always look to the future and find new ways to cultivate learning in the classroom. As a teacher, I like to set a strong foundation of learning for my students, but also implement innovative practices that allow them to be creative within the realm of writing. One innovative program that is implemented into my classroom is the Online Writing Exchange. My students share their writing with pre-service teachers, who mentor them as they develop their own writing process. My students can see that their writing has a life beyond the classroom, and that college students genuinely care about what they have to say. It also helps them see the 'why' behind what they're learning." Not only has Jennifer's teaching experience been transformed, but her life as a writer has also been impacted by the community that the NeWP creates. After reflecting on her time as a teacher, Jennifer said, "Through the Nebraska Writing Project, I was able to secure a grant so that I could learn abroad in Italy to better understand Place Based Writing. I then participated in a Place Conscious Workshop through the Sherwood Foundation with others across the state. For my enriching experience, sponsored by the foundation, I traveled to France for a travel writing class. I would have never had those opportunities had it not been for the network that the Nebraska Writing Project opened up for me. I now have the courage to share my work and take ownership of my identity as a writer."

Through participating in the NeWP Summer Institute, MaryGrace grew in her understanding of her own writing process and her connection to others more deeply. She explains, “I could see how the practice of reflective writing could be expanded into our communities and into our teaching. When I teach my classes, I involve reflective writing, which allows me to see the deep and rich processes that my students write about. Outside of the classroom, the NeWP opened up avenues for me to practice my own writing in a community of writers and allows us to positively process our experiences.” MaryGrace describes the importance of the small writing groups that are formed during the Institute, saying, “We were able to share our writing with others in gentle, compassionate ways that is also constructive. Writing came from an internal place that, in turn, opened the door to let others into that space. From that, we can learn from each other, and we can grow. I have found lifelong friends through my time at the Summer Institute, and I still write with some members of my small group. I want to be close to the work that the Nebraska Writing Project is doing. They create a foundation for family; everyone that I worked with built trust with one another. In doing so, we become aware of ourselves inwardly, and we become aware of others’ different perspectives. That interpersonal space becomes strengthened when we are vulnerable in our writing and with one another.”