We conduct a comprehensive annual assessment of WriterCoach Connection and this year, teachers at our middle- and high-school sites shared the following comments about the impact of the program in their classrooms:
"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.The attention paid on such an individual level made a HUGE difference in their writing skills."
"I saw tremendous growth class-wide in ELD 4, a course focusing on English language acquisition and reading, writing, listening and speaking academic English at the appropriate grade level. I was thoroughly impressed with the efforts of the writer coaches and their ability to keep students actively engaged. ELD 4 has writers ranging from low-skilled to advanced level, and in each case, I saw growth in articulation of ideas and concepts, confidence in claims with textual support, and submissions of strong writing, whether revised or single draft. Comparing this year's ELD 4 class to last year's, it is clear that WCC had an immense impact on student work, writing craft, and quality of work. Rarely as a teacher am I available for my students to give them the time and attention they sorely need. WCC was an experience that has changed the lives of many. A number of ELD 4 students transitioned out to mainstream courses and were redesignated proficient in English, and it is no question that WCC played a big role in this regard."
"Students really enjoy having one-on-one coaching with their writing. They come back from a session excited about their work and ready to make the necessary edits and revisions to improve their writing."
"Students step up their game when it is time to share their work with an interested adult! Having another set of eyes and the opportunity to re-read work is a great way for students to develop revision skills, and hopefully develop an 'editorial' voice. Without the time with writer coaches this would be very difficult."
"Students become very used to their writer coaches and ask when the next time they'll be coming is. They often return from a coaching session proudly waving their work. Because coaches have students explain their thinking out loud, coaching pushes students' analysis of evidence to a deeper level. The regularity with which the coaches come is good for all types of writers but especially for low-skilled or reluctant writers."
"The one-on-one interaction with another adult has implications beyond just the writing. I have watched students engage with coaches who have been with the program with them since middle school. This consistency in their lives is a significant factor in helping the students' confidence. Working one on one with their writing, students complete assignments, understand the editing process, and learn new ways of looking at their writing."
"Just tonight at Open House, several students told their parents about essays they worked on with their writer coach. They were so proud of their work!"
Bob Menzimer
