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Being able to write well by the end of high school is critical for college-bound students. A steady improvement in writing over the four years is necessary to continue making good grades as the courses become more difficult. Then, writing ability becomes a determining factor in SAT and ACT scores, college application essays, scholarship essays, and in making the adjustment to college-level writing. As a writing coach, I can help in each of these areas.
Why use a writing coach? Coaching affords extra time and attention to improve a student’s writing in high school and to prepare for college writing challenges. Coaching is individualized to focus on the student’s specific writing needs. Its one-to-one, personalized approach makes the student special, so coaching is useful as a breakthrough technique to help turn around a writing problem or concentrate on an upcoming challenge. The content and pace of coaching sessions can be adjusted to match the student’s progress. The student gets undivided attention and the full benefit of the writing coach’s experience. The time and location of coaching sessions can be fitted to the student's schedule.
Coaching helps level the playing field. Getting into a good college has become very competitive. Coaching is simply a way to give students help they wouldn't get otherwise. It's a way to achieve parity with other students who attend better high schools and may have advantages like special English composition courses or dedicated writing centers. Coaching is a way to balance out the variables that give some high school students a leg up on others. (I can say from personal experience that it's not uncommon for new college freshmen to call home in a panic after the first week when they realize the students sitting next to them in class may be much better prepared.) I have the greatest admiration for teachers, but they don’t always have the resources to provide what students at other schools might be receiving -- and when that happens there is nothing wrong with parents providing additional resources. Coaching is a way to leverage parental interest and involvement.
Different benefits for different students. Coaching is not just for struggling high school students needing remedial help. Many of the students I coach simply need encouragement and steadying while making headway in the rush of writing demands that hits in their junior and senior years, especially for the SAT and ACT, college applications and scholarships. Coaching is also for students for whom writing is a joy and those who enjoy writing competitions and publication.
A way to build confidence. Writing is “thinking on paper,” a highly personal endeavor that some teenagers may not be comfortable sharing in a group, or with strangers, or with anyone who doesn’t empathize with them. In my experience, many students who don’t do well in writing have problems because of the setting, not because they lack talent or skills. Despite good intentions, teachers can’t control the setting. With one-to-one coaching a student can build writing prowess and self-confidence in a comfortable setting and then emerge as a more confident writer in a classroom setting.
A calm place to fix things in. Some students have writing problems because, for one reason or another, they haven't kept up. Once they fall behind, problems start to compound themselves. A writing coach can create a tranquil space apart from all the worry and rush where a student can catch up and rebuild.
A change of scene. Sometimes a young person can flourish in a fresh setting. My coaching has a “real world” feel and dimension. Often, just the difference between it and the classroom is enough to get things flowing. By its nature, coaching makes the individual feel special, so it can help break through on problems or to focus on opportunities and challenges.
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