Passing this along from Patty Schmid.....
Dear Parents:
Writing skills are accomplished in the same way bike riding, soccer skills, learning a song, or memorizing lines in a play are achieved-practice, determination, modeling, and coaching. As parents, we would never put a child on a two wheeler and just say “go for it!” Most certainly we would build confidence with a smaller bike, gradually move to larger bikes that had training wheels and finally holding the backseat of the bike and running along side, we would guide our child to balance and pedal on his/her own. Lots of cheering and encouragement would be necessary along the way.
In a similar fashion, writing skills are most often improved when children have many opportunities to practice, hear other ideas from peers, learn strategies to enhance expression and receive guidance and coaching from an adult. Originally, I was struggling with my own children when I knew they needed to write “more” but couldn’t figure out exactly how to “coach” them without just telling them what to write.
Writing is a life skill. It can be the difference between getting into college, getting the job, getting the refund, or convincingly changing a person’s mind. Writing will carry you forward, demonstrate academic strength and will be a reflection on a student’s education.
I have taught for 16 years and have worked with children in first through eighth grades in writing. I have had extensive training in teaching the strategies that help students become successful writers. For the past year and a half, I have had the pleasure of running Writers’ Workshop classes on Thursdays, in one of the classrooms in the Church of the Living God, in Manchester.
I would love the opportunity to set up class times for small group instruction in the many areas of writing-friendly and business letters, fiction stories, persuasive and expository writing. In the past we have also worked on writing strong paragraphs, main ideas with details, how to organize a 5 paragraph essay, poems, book reports and research.
Before you sign up for art, gymnastics, piano, or sports in the fall, please consider reserving a spot for weekly classes on Thursday afternoons for Writers’ Workshop! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Kathleen Fitzgerald
knfitzgerald23@gmail.com
Writers' Workshop Lessons will begin in January 2012!
I will be glad to meet you at a Meet & Greet to learn more
about my program on January 12, 2012 @11AM at the Church of the Living God in Manchester.
Please RSVP if you are interested in attending the Meet & Greet.
Please do not hesitate to respond to my email if you have any questions.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Kathleen Fitzgerald
*Writing lessons for Grades 3-5 are on Thursdays from 12:30-1:45
Grades 6-8 are on Thursdays from 2-3:15
