We're planning the continuation of WCC for next year at Berkeley High's Green Academy, where we are coaching 12th grade students this year. Teacher Dagny Dingman is hoping we can expand writer coaching next year to include Green's 9th grade composition classes.
In the course of conversations about next year, Dagny had this to say about WCC:
"The program has been fabulous, has worked very well with my courses. The students have gotten a lot out of their work with coaches. Their writing has become more autonomous, less about me directing the writing process, and more about them being engaged in the writing process as it comes from them and from their work with people besides me. Their work therefore more accurately reflects what they'll be doing with their writing after high school, when they'll be more on their own. WCC also forces me to assign more writing, so the kids simply do more of it. We work on assignments longer, with more revisions. For the students, writing becomes less of an isolated activity, more of a constant exercise. WCC helps to demystify writing for my students."
We certainly hope to be back at Green next year, with writing support for students at Green Academy, and for Dagny and her teaching colleagues.
Bob Menzimer