- Consistent. Ideally, students write a little bit every day, or close to it. Writing is rewriting. Revision is not optional. Practice makes perfect!
- Constructive. Critiques are constructive, conversational. I do not “mark up” papers and send them back for “correction.”
- Flexible. Students can work when it fits their schedules. Content and pace can be adjusted as needed. Students and parents can suggest and choose projects and topics, if desired.
- Collaborative. Writing is a solitary activity. You have to be left alone to “think it out.” However, no writer can improve in a vacuum. Even Pulitzer Prize winners solicit feedback. The online model allows students the space and time needed to write (no hovering tutor, no ticking clock on the classroom wall) while providing the support, guidance, and camaraderie that make writing a little less agonizing and, hopefully, more fun.
- Customized. The workshop caters to the individual, so the level of challenge is always “just right.” I get to know a student. Then I create a customized “curriculum” that arises organically from the work he produces, focusing on the most critical skills. Also, I work in partnership with parents, when applicable. They keep me informed about how things are going. We can make adjustments as we go, if needed.
- “Objective.” Students are more receptive to criticism about their writing when it doesn’t come from their parents. (Fact: My workshop has been known to significantly reduce domestic strife!)