| "The writing coaches were invaluable to my students' growth! It's amazing to see the difference one person
can make for each student. I saw my students come alive with the attention and compassion they received from their coaches. Their voices were heard and the writer within each was really validated." —Albany Middle School teacher |
Since 2000-01, WriterCoach Connection has been taking teams of trained community volunteers into public-school classrooms to bring one-on-one support to students, helping them to become clear and confident writers. Unlike after-school tutoring programs, WCC's coaching is closely coordinated with teachers' current assignments and learning goals and reaches every student in a class. This inclusiveness eliminates the stigma associated with remediation and ensures that struggling writers who might otherwise fall through the cracks receive the help they need and may not seek on their own.
The need for this writing support is acute. Research indicates that a disturbing number of public secondary-school students are not learning to write well enough to succeed in college or in workplaces that promise more than a dead-end job. In study after study, experts agree that teachers and students need to devote more time to writing, and students need more feedback at every stage of the writing process, from teachers and parents. However, teachers are already overburdened with large classes and don't have that extra time to give, and many parents lack the time and skills to offer effective help.
The need for this writing support is acute. Research indicates that a disturbing number of public secondary-school students are not learning to write well enough to succeed in college or in workplaces that promise more than a dead-end job. In study after study, experts agree that teachers and students need to devote more time to writing, and students need more feedback at every stage of the writing process, from teachers and parents. However, teachers are already overburdened with large classes and don't have that extra time to give, and many parents lack the time and skills to offer effective help.
WriterCoach Connection addresses this need directly and effectively, in the classroom. The 2008 Pew study Writing, Technology and Teens helped illuminate WCC’s success when it revealed that teenagers are motivated to work harder and write more by the "attention and feedback from engaged adults who challenge them." For these students, consistent support and guidance from WCC coaches help to mitigate the effects of overcrowded classrooms and the inequality of family resources, a major cause of the achievement gap.
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