We (Anita and Molly) launched the Old School Writing Workshop (OSWW) in the Fall of 2009 in response to the need, described by parents we know, for better writing instruction for our children. Most seem to agree that while we are blessed to live in communities that offer our children an excellent education, our grade school kids lack competence in the core writing skills crucial to their success in high school, college, and the "real" world. The need for better instruction is compounded by the effects of communication technology: our children live in a world where the ever-more-casual written and spoken word dominates their lives. Still, parents know that strong communication skills --those that include proper grammar, strong vocabulary, well-supported opinions, and audience awareness-- can set students (and adults, for that matter) apart. With all of that in mind, last summer we set out to offer the community a writing course focused on the "old school" skills that parents once took for granted as part of any complete education. The result of our efforts is the Old School Writing Workshop. Twelve middle-school students have completed the OSWW Fundamentals course. Starting in Fall 2010, Kate Dulla will co-lead all OSWW programs, including the Fundamentals session, with Molly.
What can you expect your middle-school child to gain from participating in the OSWW Fundamentals course? One message we try to convey clearly to parents and students is this: strong writing skills do not develop overnight. The process is more organic and messy than it is linear; it involves periods of struggle and success, and skills must be refined continually. For students to improve, they have to put forth consistent, focused effort over years. The OSWW is a jump start for writers committed to improving. Commitment means work: those kids who put in the effort to carefully do their homework (about 30-45 minutes per week) gain the most. After the workshop ends, students are better prepared to tackle their writing assignments with confidence; parents, should they choose to be involved (something we strongly suggest), should have a solid understanding of how they can help their student progress. What we promise is that kids leave the class with a better understanding of parts-of-speech, proper grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, and good paragraph construction; each student also will be familiar with effective self-editing/revision skills. It is then up to them, with the support of their parents, to exercise those writing muscles with discipline. To help kids and parents with that, we will be offering more programs, like Spot Tutoring , to meet the writing needs of kids entering or already in high-school.
