“This year, students handed in the largest, most ambitious and complex narrative essays I’ve ever seen. I got some 20-page submissions,
and one 30-page paper. It was because they had three writer-coach sessions on this assignment.”
—Curt Douglas, English Dept. Chairperson, El Cerrito High School
and one 30-page paper. It was because they had three writer-coach sessions on this assignment.”
—Curt Douglas, English Dept. Chairperson, El Cerrito High School
Testimonials
Much can be learned from quantitative assessment, but numbers never tell the full story. We feel it's important to share conversations, testimonials, stories and quotes to illustrate the observations, thoughts, and feelings of the constituents we serve. Only then do we truly have a holistic view of the results of our program.
Writing as Agency
Cynthia Barnes-Slater started coaching in 2003 at Willard Middle School, and became a CAFL board member in 2010. She is a graduate of San Francisco's Lowell High School and her two sons were educated in public schools in the East Bay.
The most important lesson I learned as a young African American teenager in San Francisco in 1968-69 was that being able to write clearly about what you think is powerful and influential. Writing well can move people to act, to speak, to think.
Read the interview >
The most important lesson I learned as a young African American teenager in San Francisco in 1968-69 was that being able to write clearly about what you think is powerful and influential. Writing well can move people to act, to speak, to think.
Read the interview >
Take It from a Teacher
We interviewed Curt Douglas, the English Department Chairperson at El Cerrito High School, just prior to his return for the 2012-2013 school year. We're excited to return to ECHS this fall to build on the results we saw last year.
Before we started with WCC, I saw students who slipped repeatedly beginning to fall behind—and worse, as a consequence, to give up on themselves little by little. Consistent encouragement from WCC coaches kept kids from getting overwhelmed.
Read the interview >
Before we started with WCC, I saw students who slipped repeatedly beginning to fall behind—and worse, as a consequence, to give up on themselves little by little. Consistent encouragement from WCC coaches kept kids from getting overwhelmed.
Read the interview >
Students Speak about WCC
Since the big education budget axe fell in Albany several years ago, Albany Middle School has not had funding for a full year of WriterCoach Connection. But the school administration and teachers have refused to lose their writer coaches completely, and have found a way to pay for a limited WCC program, serving every 8th grader in the school with writing support on their I-Search research projects for eight weeks in the spring. But never think that eight weeks of coaching, as opposed to 20, doesn't make a difference. Here is what some AMS 8th graders wrote to their coaches recently as they approached the end of their I-Search assignments for spring 2012:
"Thank you so much for helping me with a part of my I-Search. You really helped me improve my writing. Without your help, I wouldn't have done my best. I really appreciate you taking time from your day to help me out. Thanks for the help!"
"Thank you so much for taking the time to help me with my I-Search! I appreciate your suggestions, reading through my writing patiently, and helping me spot grammar and spelling errors. I liked how you didn't have me read my work aloud and were very enthusiastic throughout our meetings. Thanks again!"
"Thank you so much for all the help. Thanks for helping me with every assignment. Without you my work wouldn't be as good. It was very fun to correct my work with you! Thanks again!"
"Thank you for helping me edit my media search paper and also my OSO [onsite observation] paper. It really helped me get a better grade for my I-Search. THANK YOU!"
"Thank you for helping me edit my Media Search and OSO paper. I agree that it is nice to do a research project on a topic of my choice. It was nice to have someone to talk to about Alcatraz. Thank you again."
"Thank you so very much for all the great feedback you have given me. It really helped me get an awesome grade on my media search paper. I am so glad to have been able to work with such an experienced writer."
"Thanks a lot! I came later for the 8th grade, so I was really confused with all the I-Search stuff. You helped me a lot with these things. You helped me especially with the O.S.O. final draft. Thanks for the patient [sic] with me. I learned a lot with you .. One more time, THANK YOU!"
"Thanks for helping me make a better letter by helping brainstorm questions for each location I sent to. Sadly, I did not get a reply from any of the people I sent to, but it was still good experience for writing business letters. Thanks!"
"Thank you so much for helping me with everything! I am especially thankful for your help with the 'Letters to the Experts.' I really got some good ideas from you. I really enjoyed talking to you. THANK YOU."
"Thank you so much for all of your help with my I-Search. I thought that writer coaches would be boring, but you made it interesting. You reviewed my papers, and then we talked about fun things, like Portal, Las Vesas, and GTH. Thank you."
And from all of us, a big thank you to AMS site coordinator Peg Healy and her coaches for providing the expert support that generates these heartfelt expressions of appreciation!
"Thank you so much for helping me with a part of my I-Search. You really helped me improve my writing. Without your help, I wouldn't have done my best. I really appreciate you taking time from your day to help me out. Thanks for the help!"
"Thank you so much for taking the time to help me with my I-Search! I appreciate your suggestions, reading through my writing patiently, and helping me spot grammar and spelling errors. I liked how you didn't have me read my work aloud and were very enthusiastic throughout our meetings. Thanks again!"
"Thank you so much for all the help. Thanks for helping me with every assignment. Without you my work wouldn't be as good. It was very fun to correct my work with you! Thanks again!"
"Thank you for helping me edit my media search paper and also my OSO [onsite observation] paper. It really helped me get a better grade for my I-Search. THANK YOU!"
"Thank you for helping me edit my Media Search and OSO paper. I agree that it is nice to do a research project on a topic of my choice. It was nice to have someone to talk to about Alcatraz. Thank you again."
"Thank you so very much for all the great feedback you have given me. It really helped me get an awesome grade on my media search paper. I am so glad to have been able to work with such an experienced writer."
"Thanks a lot! I came later for the 8th grade, so I was really confused with all the I-Search stuff. You helped me a lot with these things. You helped me especially with the O.S.O. final draft. Thanks for the patient [sic] with me. I learned a lot with you .. One more time, THANK YOU!"
"Thanks for helping me make a better letter by helping brainstorm questions for each location I sent to. Sadly, I did not get a reply from any of the people I sent to, but it was still good experience for writing business letters. Thanks!"
"Thank you so much for helping me with everything! I am especially thankful for your help with the 'Letters to the Experts.' I really got some good ideas from you. I really enjoyed talking to you. THANK YOU."
"Thank you so much for all of your help with my I-Search. I thought that writer coaches would be boring, but you made it interesting. You reviewed my papers, and then we talked about fun things, like Portal, Las Vesas, and GTH. Thank you."
And from all of us, a big thank you to AMS site coordinator Peg Healy and her coaches for providing the expert support that generates these heartfelt expressions of appreciation!
