In her 2012 article “The Writing Revolution,” Peg Tyre explores how one struggling US school effected radical change by rethinking how students were being taught: eschewing what has become the traditional approach of asking students to express themselves creatively, the New Dorp teachers returned to classic grammar instruction, giving students the tools to write clearly and substantively.
Tyre writes: “In a profoundly hopeful irony, New Dorp’s reemergence as a viable institution has hinged not on a radical new innovation but on an old idea done better. The school’s success suggests that perhaps certain instructional fundamentals–fundamentals that schools have devalued or forgotten–need to be rediscovered, updated, and reintroduced.”
Options Solutions Writing Coach Marisa Grizenko concurs with this assessment. “Students are always telling me they’re terrible writers,” she says, “but that’s almost entirely because they haven’t been given the tools to succeed.” She describes how writing issues plague students at every level and and at every school, private and public: “Even my best students often have trouble correctly placing apostrophes and commas. There’s a kind of hazy confusion about writing that prevents mastery.” However, when students are given knowledge of grammar rules, “it’s like a light bulb goes off in their heads,” she says. “It’s a very empowering process.” Once the essentials are mastered, everything else improves, too. As Tyre writes, “Research has shown that thinking, speaking, and reading comprehension are interconnected and reinforced through good writing instruction.”
In her English Essentials Workshop, which features both instruction and hands-on application, Marisa covers the fundamental concepts of English grammar and powerful writing, so students leave with the knowledge to communicate effectively and confidently. The session is Saturday, September 12th from 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM at the South Granville office (3195 Granville St, Suite 109).
For more information about the session, or to register, call (604) 922-8456 or e-mail info@options-wp.chhdev.com.
