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Teachers teach. Writers write. We do both.
WHO WE ARE
We are a non-profit organization of, by, and for teachers dedicated to improving the teaching and uses of writing at all grade levels (K–16) and in all disciplines by offering writing workshops throughout the year.
PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS
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To customize the text style for all items, click Edit Text. You can change font, size, scale text and more. To show dynamic content from a collection, Connect to Data.
PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS
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To customize the text style for all items, click Edit Text. You can change font, size, scale text and more. To show dynamic content from a collection, Connect to Data.
Write a title here
To customize the text style for all items, click Edit Text. You can change font, size, scale text and more. To show dynamic content from a collection, Connect to Data.
TESTIMONIALS
“I found all of it meaningful, but I especially valued the part where we discussed why students use AI, and how robotic, formulaic writing tasks (like 5 paragraph essays) either cause students to reduce themselves into human chatgpts, or encourage students to foist the writing off on the AI. It has made me reconsider what writing tasks I use in my classroom.”
“Thank you for hosting and facilitating the discussions. Something I didn't realize was how deeply invasive AI is, but also how inextricably embedded it is in our everyday lives (thank you, Dr. Marachi). Professor Warner's talk about personal and collective responsibility for the ways in which we will continue to allow AI to be part of our lives was thought-provoking."
“I will spend my summer assiduously planning how I can make writing fun, rewarding, but most importantly bring out student voice. I love how student centered, justice centered, and community centered the conversation was."
"Bronwyn, Andy, and Scott's presentations have made me rethink the calendars I've been working on this summer for all my classes the upcoming school year and what activities/lessons will provide structure and allow creativity. Finally, I am rethinking my own use of AI – in lesson planning, providing feedback, and as a tool to lighten my teaching load. I hadn't really thought about the ethical and environmental implications. I will be thinking about all of this all summer.”
“This session 100% contributed to my growth as a teacher.”
“Loved all the discussions and perspectives and resources."
“This PD has helped me get ideas about how to use AI effectively in my classroom for next year. My colleague and I were able to develop a mini unit to start with our incoming freshmen that would help teach academic integrity, etc, with the materials provided.”
“I love how student centered, justice centered, and community centered the conversation was.”
CURRENT PROGRAMS
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For Teachers
From Weeds to Beads: Repurposing Harmful Messages into Poems of Beauty and Power
In this workshop, participants will explore a form of blackout poetry that transforms divisive, dehumanizing, or violent messages into expressions of beauty, empowerment, and hope. As the name implies, blackout poetry "blacks out," or redacts, select words from a text and preserves others to form an original poem. We will examine exemplars, including from students, constructed from literary and political texts that blend empowering messages with humanizing imagery. Open to educators of all grade levels.
For Teachers and Students
Day of the Writer
Join novelists, teachers, and students for our annual Day of the Writer event with the San José Area Writing Project and author in residence Hannah Jayne. We’ll blend individual writing time with prompts, brainstorms, food, and open mic activities to build community while we raise our voice and share our stories. Whether your inclination leans toward fiction or personal essays or writing for social justice, consider carving out a few hours to write and connect.
For Teachers
Asilomar 72
Knowledge Across Communities -- Language Arts, Teaching, and Organizing in a Time of Transformation
Running October 2-4, 2026. SJAWP teachers will lead session #13: Being Peace -- Cultivating Healing, Love, and Hope through Multigenre Writing. Participating teachers are eligible to purchase units through SJSU and the SJAWP.
For Students
Teen Writer's Institute
This summer writing program for teens offers a curriculum designed to develop and support students’ imaginative and academic writing across literary genres. The Teen Writers Institute features guest presenters, authors and various workshop choices for 8th to 12th graders.
June 15-18, June 22 - June 26, 2026
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