The Borderlands Writing Project (BWP), formerly the New Mexico State Writing Project, is an affiliate site of the National Writing Project. The BWP serves educators in Las Cruces and El Paso, as well as across the southwestern borderlands of New Mexico. We provide teachers opportunities to explore their own writing, investigate how they teach and assess writing, and reflect on how their students learn to write and how writing helps learning in all areas. In addition, the writing project support educators in diverse, supportive, professional communities where other dedicated teachers share their triumphs and struggles. The BWP organizes a number of events to sustain and rejuvenate participants:
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Annual Invitation Summer Institute (ISI). The ISI is a four-week, intensive workshop where participants engage in inquiry and discuss theoretical and practical approaches to teaching writing and using writing to improve learning in all subjects. The ISI is the first step to involvement in the BWP and participants receive a stipend which may be applied to tuition costs for six graduate credits.
Innovative Literacy, K-13: Saturday Seminar. Borderlands Writing Project, in cooperation with Dona Ana Community College and New Mexico State University proudly presents a professional development opportunity for teachers of all subjects, grades K-13. For resources from our most recent Saturday Seminar, "Innovative Literacy: K-13," click here.
- Annual Retreats. The BWP hosts various retreats to renew educators' dedication to teaching and their own writing. Pictures from the 2009 retreat in Hillsboro, New Mexico are available on the BWP Facebook page.
- Participation in local and national conferences. Some participants of the 209 Annual Summer Institute recently attended the New Mexico Council of Teacher of English Conference in Carlsbad, New Mexico, as well as the National Council of Teachers in English Conference in Philadelphia.
- Teacher Inquiry Communities. The BWP supports ongoing professional development for teachers through Inquiry Communities, providing stipends, tuition credit, and other support for participants and community leaders.
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In-Service Professional Development. The BWP offers a number of opportunities for teachers to participate in workshops on topics relevant to classroom teaching. Participation in these programs can be incorporated into an individual professional development plan.
BWP Mission and Vision
The mission of the BWP is to create professional learning communities to support teachers at every level as they work to improve literacy and learning through writing. Following the NWP model, we provide high quality professional development opportunities to help teachers continuously improve their practice through inquiry, supportive learning communities, and personal reflection. The BWP envisions a future where every person is equipped with the writing, learning and communication, and critical thinking skills needed to participate actively and productively in our communities as well as in our digital, interconnected world.
New Mexico State University Department of English