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San Marcos Writing Project
The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) is one of 190 sites of the National Writing Project (17 in California), which is a professional development network of teachers whose goal is to improve student-writing achievement by improving the teaching and learning of writing in the nation's schools.
The writing project is a resource for teachers and school districts. During the school year, writing project teachers can also provide professional development workshops for other teachers in their schools and communities. We host Open Institutes around relevant topics in the summer or two to three day workshops during the school year. We also host Young Writer's Camps in the summer at CSU San Marcos in North San Diego County, and virtually during the school year for students in grades two through twelve.
The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) provides opportunities in professional development for K-16 teacher practitioners in all disciplines, administrators, and curriculum specialists. The SMWP is a National Writing Project site dedicated to the improvement of student learning through the effective teaching of writing in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. Our aim is for fellows to come away from the Institute with a renewed sense of excitement about and commitment to teaching, writing and the teaching of writing.
Payment Options
- Credit Card
All workshops and camps can now be paid by credit card!
- Check
Make check payable to "CSUSM Corp." and mail to:
Laurie Stowell San Marcos Writing Project Director School of Education, Cal State San Marcos 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd San Marcos, CA 92078
Dear Gov
Join K-16 students and teachers from across California classrooms in shaping the future
of California. Let our next governor, or legislators, mayors, city councils or school
boards learn about issues that matter to you. Go to the website for resources to support
these activities and upload letters, art, podcasts or other media.
Submissions open until the gubernatorial inauguration on Jan. 4, 2027.
2027 Summer Writing Collaborative
(Formerly known as the Invitational Summer Institute)
- Dates: June 21st - July 8th, 2027
- Times: Monday through Friday between 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
- Modality: Hybrid Institute! 2 days virtual and 2/3 days in person each week.
- Stipend: Participants will receive a $400 stipend for attending the three-week Summer Writing Collaborative, and $100 for attending a fall meeting and $100 for attending a spring meeting. There is not cost to district or school.
- More Information about the 2027 Summer Writing Collaborative
- The San Marcos Writing Project, based at CSUSM, was established to give teachers an opportunity to expand their skills in teaching writing.
- Teachers will attend a three-week hybrid institute and two half-day follow-up meetings
on Saturdays during the following academic year.
- Monday and Tuesday will be online.
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be in person.
- Participants will receive a $400 stipend for attending the three-week Summer Writing Collaborative, and $100 for attending a fall meeting and $100 for attending a spring meeting. There is no cost to district or school.
- Participants are eligible to receive up to 3 units of graduate credit for a reduced fee ($99 per unit).
- What to Expect during the Summer Writing Collaborative
In this highly interactive Collaborative we will:
- Cultivate a community of belonging, self-care and sustainability
- Center writing and other equity centered, critical literacy skills as tools for learning and reflection
- Learn and share research-based reading and writing strategies that improve the academic achievement of Non-Native English-speaking students as well as native English-Speaking Students
- Engage in collaborative discussions
- Use writing to renew and care for ourselves and our students.
- Develop staying power in the profession and leadership skills
Participation in the Summer Writing Collaborative is invitational only. Please apply below to be considered.
Application Deadline: June 1st, 2027
Apply for the 2027 Summer Writing Collaborative
Habits of Highly Effective Teachers of Writing
- Dates and Details forthcoming for Summer 2027
AI in the Writing Classroom
- Dates and Details forthcoming for Summer 2027
Teen Writers' Club
- Dates and Details forthcoming for Summer 2027
SMWP In the News
Additional Information & Resources
- ELA Common Core Inservice OptionsIf you are interested in becoming more familiar with the California Common Core State Standards, exploring strategies to align current teaching practices with the new standards, developing materials to use during the school year, and understanding how the new assessments could impact practice, invite SMWP teacher leaders to your school site!
- What is the Writing Project?The San Marcos Writing Project (SMWP) is one of 190 sites of the National Writing Project (17 in California), which is a professional development network of teachers whose goal is to improve student-writing achievement by improving the teaching and learning of writing in the nation’s schools.
- What is the Summer Writing Collaborative?The Summer Writing Collaborative is the centerpiece of the work of the writing project. All writing project sites offer a 20-day Summer Writing Collaborative in the middle of the summer. The San Marcos Writing Project offers a three-week, five days a week Summer Writing Collaborative in July with a daily schedule of 9:00 - 3:30. Teachers apply and twenty to twenty-five are invited to attend. The invitational institute develops teacher leaders in the area of writing. All writing projects operate on a teachers-teaching-teachers model. Teachers attend the invitational Summer Writing Collaborative at Cal State San Marcos to share their own best practice and develop their own writing skills.
- Who attends the Writing Project?The San Marcos Writing Project serves teachers in kindergarten through twelfth grade in all disciplines. It is important for articulation about writing occurs across grade levels. There is also ample opportunity for discussions in grade-alike groups.
- What happens after the Summer Writing Collaborative?All teachers who attended the Summer Writing Collaborative come back together four times a year for reunions. These reunions often have guest speakers who address relevant writing topics. Teachers can also participate in book groups (books provided by the project) and/or writing groups throughout the school year. The San Marcos Writing Project offers a writing retreat at Mission Inn in Riverside once a year in the fall. We also offer an annual professional conference that writing project teachers can attend and present their best practice to other area teachers. Teachers suggest other means of support at the invitational institute. Teachers who attend the invitational institute can take advantage of the support of the writing project for the remainder of their professional careers.
- What else does the writing project do?The writing project is a resource for teachers and school districts. During the school year, writing project teachers can also provide professional development workshops for other teachers in their schools and communities. We host Open Institutes around relevant topics for two weeks in the summer or two to three day workshops during the school year. We also host Young Writer’s Camps for two weeks in the summer at school sites around North San Diego County for students in grades two through eight.
- Summer Institute Website Archive
- Summer Institute Videos
Contact Us
Laurie Stowell, SMWP Director
lstowell@csusm.edu
Nancy Pace-Skinner, SMWP Co-Director
mspsret@gmail.com
