Raising the bar for student writing
Founded in 2002 by Dr. Erick Gordon, the Student Press Initiative (SPI) is part professional development, part artist collaboration and part non-for-profit publisher. Our mission is to revolutionize education by advancing teacher leadership in reading and writing instruction. Working in partnership with teachers and school communities across the US and internationally, we create project- and inquiry-based curricula across disciplines and produce all-inclusive learning experiences that culminate with students “going public” with their writing.
Drawing on a wealth of research, resources, and talent, our team helps teachers build and facilitate units that provide opportunities to address audiences outside of the classroom, as well as link content-specific reading and writing skill development with the excitement of real-world learning.
Through publication, we raise the bar for what, how, and why students write.
Drawing on a wealth of research, resources, and talent, our team helps teachers build and facilitate units that provide opportunities to address audiences outside of the classroom, as well as link content-specific reading and writing skill development with the excitement of real-world learning.
Through publication, we raise the bar for what, how, and why students write.
What makes student publishing so valuable?
Support students in establishing their voices as writers: By engaging in an intensive genre study of real-world texts, including analysis of content, structure, and craft, students can hone their individual writing skills. Our research shows that student writing skills improve by 25% after engaging in a publication project with SPI.
Experience higher levels of engagement: What are your favorite texts? Who are your favorite authors? Questions like this can help breed inspiration at the start of a publication project, and they allow teachers and students to build upon their shared interests. When working together toward a common goal, students are more engaged and more enthusiastic in their learning.
Connect writing to a larger purpose: Student writing is often read by one person (a teacher), and for one reason (a grade). Writing for an authentic audience and purpose allows students to gain skills and perspectives that will serve them beyond the classroom. After publishing their work with SPI, students often reflect that through their writing, they feel they're having a greater impact on the world.
Support students in establishing their voices as writers: By engaging in an intensive genre study of real-world texts, including analysis of content, structure, and craft, students can hone their individual writing skills. Our research shows that student writing skills improve by 25% after engaging in a publication project with SPI.
Experience higher levels of engagement: What are your favorite texts? Who are your favorite authors? Questions like this can help breed inspiration at the start of a publication project, and they allow teachers and students to build upon their shared interests. When working together toward a common goal, students are more engaged and more enthusiastic in their learning.
Connect writing to a larger purpose: Student writing is often read by one person (a teacher), and for one reason (a grade). Writing for an authentic audience and purpose allows students to gain skills and perspectives that will serve them beyond the classroom. After publishing their work with SPI, students often reflect that through their writing, they feel they're having a greater impact on the world.
REIMAGINING THE WRITING PROCESS
Student writing is often read by one person (a teacher), and for one reason (a grade). But what if it could be different? |
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE
Writing for a real-world audience heightens curiosity and injects energy into a student's writing process. |
CELEBRATING STUDENT VOICE
Writing for publication can raise a student's awareness, increase their social consciousness, and equip them with essential life skills. |
Publications
Over the past 18 years, we've had the privilege of publishing over 12,000 student authors, across more than 850 publications. Each publication serves as a powerful reminder that everyone has a story to tell. We encourage educators who are interested in bringing a publication project into their classroom for the first time to use these publications not only as accessible mentor texts, but as inspiration for instruction and curriculum design.
Browse our newest releases below, and head here to check out selected works, organized by genre. To speak with our team about initiating a publication project with your students, reach out to us.
Browse our newest releases below, and head here to check out selected works, organized by genre. To speak with our team about initiating a publication project with your students, reach out to us.
New releases
Sample projects
Our projects and methods of support are customized to match your school and classroom learning objectives. We bring our coaching philosophy to all our collaborations, and in doing so, we help to create learning environments that celebrate excellence, equity, and the power of student voice. Browse a selection of our projects below, and imagine what your students might create.
If you are interested in re-imagining your current writing curriculum and practices by creating projects that culminate in publications, please contact us!
If you are interested in re-imagining your current writing curriculum and practices by creating projects that culminate in publications, please contact us!
Exploring national & international human rights
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A Time for Change: NYC Teens Speaking Up Against Human Rights Violations
Global Learning Collaborative (GLC) New York, NY Genre: Research-based narratives Audience: Classmates at GLC Purpose: Raise awareness of human rights violations In the midst of a global pandemic, Social Studies students at the Global Learning Collaborative (GLC) explored the 30 Articles of Human Rights, many of which have been heightened and exposed as a result of COVID. Students read the articles, chose one they personally connected with, and wrote about why it resonated with them in their short, autobiographical accounts. They researched the ways in which these articles have been violated in the past, and how they continue to be violated today. Their published pieces are particularly relevant to current events surrounding COVID-19 and the many protests around inequitable treatment of citizens in the US. In this collection, the authors provided examples of how human rights abuse is both national and international, and reflect on how basic human rights affect them, their families, and their community at large. Through this publication, students elevated their voices and connected to the world around them. |
Looking back to look forward
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Origin Stories
Hisar School Istanbul, Turkey Genre: Multi-genre Audience: The Hisar community Purpose: Examine the origins of thoughts, ideas, and experiences Origin Stories — the first publication from students at the Hisar School — showcases a multi-genre anthology consisting of stories, personal essays, non-fiction essays, and graphic artwork. One of the central structures of this project was to match each writer to a peer editor who would read their work and offer feedback to support the writing process, as well as inform specific revision strategies. Students also played a major role in the production of the project, making decisions on the design, layout, and formatting of the publication, as well as creating the cover and interior art. This strong sense of collaboration and creativity is reflective of a true community of learners. |
Using food to express culture and community
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We Are What We Eat
Kingsbridge International High School Bronx, NY Genre: Food-based memoirs Audience: High school students Purpose: Share personal stories related to food and recipes One second-year ENL teacher and one first-year ELA teacher partnered with us to create a unique publication with their 10th grade students — many of whom are English Language Learners and recent immigrants. Though these students were not experienced in project-based learning and did not have a positive outlook on writing, they brought a strong sense of collaboration to the project. Food was a main talking point among this group of learners, and their teachers seized the opportunity to use food as a way to discuss significant parts of their students' cultures and identities. After exploring cookbooks, drafting recipes, and interviewing relatives & local restaurants, these young authors created a meaningful anthology that reveals the ways in food can shape our memories. |
Overcoming personal obstacles
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The Barriers We Faced, the Bridges We Built
Bronx High School of Business Bronx, NY Genre: Personal narratives Audience: Younger students, particularly those new to the BHSB community Purpose: Share stories of struggle and hope Our partner at the Bronx High School of Business (BHSB) was eager to introduce a project that would provide her students with an opportunity to share meaningful experiences through writing. With this in mind, we worked alongside 9th and 10th grade Special Education students to craft this publication, beginning with identifying its audience and unpacking what we wanted readers to take away from the pieces within. After careful consideration and deliberation, the authors felt strongly that they wanted to write to younger members of the BHSB community — primarily incoming students — in an effort to offer meaningful advice. Over the course of the project, they honed their writing to match their audience’s needs, choosing to include more colloquial language and tone, which they recognized would be most effective for communicating with their young and familiar audience. The culmination of their work is The Barriers We Faced, The Bridges We Built, a collection that showcases how its authors persevered in order to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges, and built the bridges necessary to conquer their personal barriers. |
Exploring social issues through dystopian fiction
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Future Present Tense
Singapore American School Singapore Genre: Dystopian fiction Audience: Singapore residents Purpose: Raise awareness of social issues In this collection of dystopian stories, juniors and seniors at the Singapore American School explore a future where humans are threatened by issues ranging from social media abuse to genetic modification. While satirizing that which makes them feel powerless, they hope to shed light on the injustices in the world around them. While creating this publication, the authors sought to focus their writing on pressing social issues, particularly those that are important to their lives and their community. Throughout the publication process, this group was incredibly collaborative, deciding each element — from audience and genre, to book title and cover — democratically. Not only did these students take responsibility for publishing their stories, but they also took on all aspect of the publishing process — including editing, formatting the book's interior, and designing the cover for their work. |
Cultivating a love of language
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Le Français du lycée Osborne
Osborne High School Marietta, GA Genre: Picture book Audience: Beginner French learners Purpose: Educate children about the basics of French This imaginative picture book, created by first-year French students, offers a glimpse into beginner-level French curriculum. The project was inspired by one French teacher's desire to bring their curricula to life, and give it purpose beyond the classroom. Created for children who are new to the language, as well as more proficient French speakers, this collection will take you on a journey through the foundations of French, while offering inventive scenarios imagined by its authors along the way. This publication is a powerful example of what project-based learning can look like and how students can cultivate a love of language, explore their creativity, and celebrate their learning in ways that extend beyond the classroom. |
Sample curriculum
We've collaborated with hundreds of schools and teachers to build Common Core-aligned, project-based curricula that helps students work through the writing process — from initial brainstorming to the final, published piece. By publishing student work and presenting it to the public, students are able to examine the complexity of the issues that are important to them, connect to global conversations that relate these issues, and discover how their voices can contribute to a larger discourse.
In addition to employing a backwards planning approach to writing that often stems from the concerns students have about their communities, our work is rooted in the core beliefs of creating a community of learners, providing opportunities for real-world authorship, focusing on project-based instruction, and celebrating every student voice. You can learn more about these core values here.
Check out the unit plan overviews for an example of our approach to publication projects!
In addition to employing a backwards planning approach to writing that often stems from the concerns students have about their communities, our work is rooted in the core beliefs of creating a community of learners, providing opportunities for real-world authorship, focusing on project-based instruction, and celebrating every student voice. You can learn more about these core values here.
Check out the unit plan overviews for an example of our approach to publication projects!
