Is your HS student a good writer?

[Anonymous]

DC has taken Hon English and is in AP seminar. A grades across the board. DC is not a good writer! This is evident from their college essays. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary are all fine. But sentence organization is off and many sentences don’t say anything. They are fillers. What can we do to help before college?

[Anonymous]

My son is a great writer- and I can tell when he has tried from a mile away. If he slapped something together, there’s tons of extra sentences. But when he really tries - like his common app essay- it’s near perfect.

I also remind myself I am a 50 year old attorney who writes for a living and what is up to my standard should not be forced on an 18 year old. They’ll get there.

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

They need to read more.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Math whiz with 800 sat and 5 on BC calc but I want to stab myself in the eyes when I have to read anything she writes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to read more.

This is the only way.

[Anonymous]

Very good

[Anonymous]

Teaching writing is really hard. Teaching grammar is not so hard. I would at least ake this opportunity correct his grammar, teach him the rules, etc. Edit his school work, as I imagine no one else is (not for the grade -- do it after the grade, as most stuff is written in school and graded there). I just mean as a teaching moment. I also point out sentences in newspapers and ask him to find the error.

[Anonymous]

Read EVERY sentence out loud.

Good writing has good rhythm.

But it’s the abandonment of structured grammar teaching that is most concerning in young crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to read more.

This

[Anonymous]

Mine are beautiful writers, both creative writing and analytical papers. Reading a lot helps I believe, as they both read independently before the 4th birthday and are avid readers outside of school. Their k-12 prep is partly the reason: research papers start in middle school, by high school they are writing 8-10pp with ease. We were amazed when advisors shared the google doc portfolios at the end of each semester. Peers help each other edit starting in middle too, which adds to learning. I was not a great writer compared to peers at my ivy and I do believe it was my rural WV public school system that fell off the mark. They are excelling in college, coming in more prepared than the average, though rest assured others catch up and learn writing college, it will work out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has taken Hon English and is in AP seminar. A grades across the board. DC is not a good writer! This is evident from their college essays. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary are all fine. But sentence organization is off and many sentences don’t say anything. They are fillers. What can we do to help before college?

If it is that bad how do they have A’s? That would not get A’s at our high school

[Anonymous]

Yes and he reads a ton. You can tell because sometimes he’ll pronounce words incorrectly because he’s never heard them articulated, but he’s read them multiple times. It makes me chuckle.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I doubt they would be if they were not IB students.

The diploma programme curriculum encourages writing, and their teachers really helped them improve their writing skills.

[Anonymous]

He’s very good but often needs editing. Uses too many words to convey ideas. Sometimes makes the same point at multiple different places in the paper.