Professional Development for the ISAT/PRAIRIE STATE/SAT/ACT ESSAYS

A culture of writing will bring a sense of security and positive challenge to the classroom. When students write frequently and understand how to use peer editing, revision techniques, brainstorming and thesis creation to provide structure and focus to their own ideas, they will welcome the opportunity to express themselves. The impromptu essays required for standardized tests are a challenge for all students. By integrating creative writing techniques into assignments, developing a repertoire of writing prompts, providing students with challenging and relevant quotations and reading models, teachers can prepare their students to write with focus and power on nearly any topic. A two-hour writing workshop will give teachers a new set of tools for their classrooms. I can also create a full-day or half-day writing retreat.

Dear Administrators,
Your professional development money continues to shrink as the demands of No Child Left Behind and your own passionate commitment to student achievement increases. For the past eight years I have taught at one of the finest high schools in the country, Evanston Township High School. Before Evanston I taught at Senn High School, prior to that I spent eleven years as a college writing instructor. I understand what teachers and students need to be successful.
The prompts in standardized tests are frequently difficult for students to address because they are not aware of their own stories or how their unique experience affects the world around them. Every essay written by a student should be persuasive and should have a personal connection. We want our students to pay attention to their own ideas and beliefs. The technical demands of good writing are a matter of practice, revising and rewriting. Since my experience with both adult learners and students is extensive, I am qualified to work with both. I have been teaching creative writing and Honors English for a long time. To create an effective writing culture in your classroom requires an arsenal of techniques and strategies. Over the years I have grown to believe that writing, like reading, can save children’s lives. English and History teachers are uniquely positioned to develop the hearts as well as the minds of their students. I would like to help with that process.
Sincerely.
Molly Moynahan

For more information and fees, please contact us.