Boost Your Skills: 24 Different Techniques for Faster Writing High School

Fun and bubbly teacher promotes laughter and encourages quick thinking. I want to make writing your favorite hobby, or at least make it as pain free as possible. I use short three minute writings to drive instruction in improving word choice, ideas, sensory images, sentence fluency, punctuation and capitalization, imagery, and organization. This is a multi-day course.

I model model model how to do everything I am asking students to do.
 
I used these same techniques in my classroom teaching adapting to the interests of my students. First, I introduce what quick writes mean to me. They are fast, unstructured, not perfect, wonderful jumbles of ideas that are waiting to grow. Second. I put the goal on the board. I model writing to this quick write topic in real time right before students' eyes. It is then the students' turn to write for only three minutes. I review how I want to edit my writing for just one little area each day. For example: If I want to edit my work for word choice, I am going to underline three words that could be improved using my "beefy words" technique.  Students are given three minutes to edit their work following my model. I model revising my own work by writing a final draft of three sentences. Students follow this model and have three minutes to revise their own writing and create a draft. Finally, I model sharing with a partner and how the partner should respond to the author thoughtfully and compassionately. Students share in this manner. I give praise for the conversations I am hearing that are positive and guide those conversations that need assistance. Students can ask for one on one help at any time! I am always excited to show students the areas where they are already excelling! I am here to boost your student's self confidence. No experience is needed, none at all! 

 A $20 refund will be given if you are a returning student from one of my previous Reading or Writing classes.

Week 1       Ideas
                  introduction, location
Week 2      Idea: five senses
                  Word Choice: time, texture, 
Week 3      Word Choice:
                  emotion, measurement
                  Capitalization: introduction
Week 4      Capitalization:  
                  proper names, 
                  dialogue, 
                  scientific terms & trademarks
Week 5      Punctuation & Sentence Fluency:  
                  colon, semicolon, exclamation mark
Week 6      Punctuation & Sentence Fluency: 
                  apostrophe, comma
                 Organization: time order & sequence
Week 7     Organization: 
                 spatial pattern, topical organization, climactic organization
Week 8     Voice:  
                 vocabulary within writing, 
                 multiple tones, 
                 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person point of view


*If you need class to finish before Jun 18, I can schedule some alternate times to make that happen.