College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaPrograms Overview

Hawaii Writing Project (HWP)

Invitational Summer Institute

Delivery Online

The Hawai‘i Writing Project (HWP) works with educators, across grades and disciplines, introducing them to writing practices and theories that will motivate teachers and students alike, and help them discover—or rediscover—its joys.  Those who complete the Invitational Summer Institute (ISI) become Teacher Consultants whose job it is to provide motivation and leadership in the teaching of writing within their communities. Together, we are dedicated to improving writing instruction in our nation’s schools and to promoting the use of writing as a tool for thinking and literacy learning across disciplines.


Summer 2023 Details:
May 17 & 24 – 5:00pm to 8:00pm
June 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 – 8:30am to 3:00pm
September 20 – 5:00pm to 8:00pm
*If accepted, you must commit to attending all synchronous sessions of the Institute

  • Location: Synchronous & asynchronous sessions online (participants must attend all synchronous classes)
  • Participants can earn 6, FREE UH-Mānoa graduate credits
  • Cost*: Outreach College Fee for 6 UH graduate credits (approximately $140, subject to change)
  • Applications are due Friday, February 24, 2023

Course Instructors:
Dr. Charlotte Frambaugh-Kritzer
Dr. Stephanie Buelow

*Participants are only required to pay the administrative Outreach College fee of approximately $140  (vs. $3000) thanks to a partnership with the COE and Pacific Literacy Consortium. 

HIDOE teachers are eligible to enroll in EDCS 604 for reclassification credits, pending principal approval. See guidelines here

Check back in January 2024 for Information on next year’s HWP Invitational Summer Institute!

Hawai‘i Writing Project Mission: Literacy Leadership and Partnership

The Hawai‘i Writing Project is celebrating over 40 years of providing literacy-related teacher professional development to K-16 educators across the Hawaiian Islands. The HWP mission is “to improve and integrate the teaching of writing and reading in Hawai`i’s schools.” Committed to serving the broadest range of teachers and students in Hawai`i, HWP is particularly interested in:

  • Helping teachers to understand the power of writing as a way of learning in all subject areas, connecting reading, writing, and thinking;
  • Honoring Hawai‘i’s diverse peoples, rich cultural heritage, language, and unique island environment; and
  • Working in partnership with others for the betterment of education and community in Hawai‘i.
State affiliate of the National Writing Project

The Hawai‘i Writing Project is the Hawai‘i state affiliate of the National Writing Project. The NWP began at the University of California at Berkeley in 1974. Today, there are 200 writing project sites across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as sites in Canada and Europe. The NWP is the only federally funded program that focuses on the teaching of writing. Support for the NWP is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, foundations, corporations, universities, and K-12 schools. The NWP and its state affiliates are successful because they support teachers in becoming competent writers themselves and better teachers of writing. Research has shown the effectiveness of the NWP teacher professional development model of “teachers teaching teachers.” For more information about NWP research, visit their website (https://www.nwp.org/).

The Summer Institute's Impact on Teachers

“I recommend every educator taking this course! I have had so many AHA experiences and the fact that we learn from one another was so diverse and enriching. I now have a whole year worth of writing lesson workshops and unit ideas. I’m blessed to have been accepted to take this class! MAHALO!”

“This was the most effective and meaningful course I have taken. I cannot wait to come back later this year and share the wonderful things I have done with my students.”

“I think the community that the instructors created really helped everyone to feel comfortable with all of the tasks that were asked of us to do. Also, the amount of support that was given to us was outstanding.”

“Steph and Charlotte are masterful professors and are incredible at what they do! I learned the most from their demos and the demos of the fellow teachers of lesson ideas I’d like to implement in my classroom. This class was very valuable!”

— 2022 Invitational Summer Institute Teacher Consultants —

Contact Info

Photo of Stephanie Furuta

Stephanie Furuta

Program Liason

(808) 956-4390