Since 1995, PEN in the Classroom (PITC) has proudly published the written work of thousands of talented youth. PITC sends professional writers into classrooms to teach creative writing residencies, in which students learn about contemporary authors and different literary genres, and develop a body of creative writing work. The resulting PITC anthologies are windows into students’ lives—their struggles, hopes, and the collective experiences of their generation. PITC is part of PEN Center USA’s mission to stimulate and maintain interest in the written word, to foster a vital literary culture, and to defend freedom of expression.

For more info, please contact the Program Manager, Heather Simons, at heather@penusa.org.

The application period for PITC 2011 - 2012 is now open. The application is available for download:

If you are a writer who would like to apply to teach a PITC Academic or Community Residency, please download the application and contact Program Manager Heather Simons.

 
 

PLEASE NOTE: Normally, past PITC Instructors with applications on file may contact PEN to express an interest in teaching another PITC Academic or Community Residency without filling out a new application. However, we have made some changes to the 2011-2012 application, and all returning PITC Instructors must complete and sign the application addendum and send it to Program Manager Heather Simons.

 

After receiving a request for a PITC Academic Writing Residency, the PITC Program Manager begins the process of coordinating a residency for the fall or spring semester of the upcoming academic year. PITC Academic Writing Residency Instructors are selected from PEN’s diverse membership to best match the needs of the school where they will teach.

Working with the Host Teacher, the PITC Instructor develops a curriculum that is tailored to the needs of the classroom where they will teach. In preparation for a PITC Academic Writing Residency, PITC Instructors and Host Teachers attend a mandatory orientation session at the PEN office and plan a teacher/instructor meeting. A PITC Academic Writing Residency is comprised of in-class writing workshops, the publication of a student anthology, and a final public reading. The PITC Program Manager makes three visits to each classroom throughout the semester and communicates with all PITC Academic Writing Residency Instructors on a weekly basis.

See a list of schools where PITC Academic Writing Residencies have taken place.

If you would like to apply to become a Host Teacher, please contact Program Manager Heather Simons for more information.

A PITC Community Writing Residency is a generative writing workshop that takes place in a community center; for instance, a nonprofit organization, shelter, or reservation. PITC Community Writing Residency Instructors are selected from PEN’s diverse membership to best match the needs of the community where they will teach.

Working with the Community Leader, the PITC Instructor will develop a curriculum with the goal of completing a solid body of creative writing work. PITC Community Writing Residencies typically last ten to twelve weeks. Selected works from each student are published in an anthology at the end of the residency. Occasionally, a PITC Community Writing Residency is implemented as a precursor to a PITC Academic Writing Residency.

If you would like to host a PITC Community Writing Residency in your community, please contact Program Manager Heather Simons for more information.

The PITC Literary Journal Program aims to introduce students to a range of genres over the course of one year by providing a series of in-class genre clinics at a Host School.  These clinics happen monthly and allow Host Teachers and a variety of PITC Instructors to assess where student interest lies for a follow-up PITC Academic Writing Residency.

The program also allows the Host Teacher to accept school-wide submissions from student writers, which may be published in the final PITC anthology. Accepting open submissions provides Host Teachers with an opportunity to get students outside of the creative writing class involved with writing and any PITC Academic Writing Residencies that might result from the PITC Literary Journal Program.

The first PITC Literary Journal Program was launched at Animo Pat Brown L.A. in October 2009.

Curriculum

Timeline