Michelle’s Writing Lab Success Story: 1 to 5
Michelle (3rd grade) came from Beijing to be tutored in writing. When she first started Writing Learning Circles, Michelle barely wrote one paragraph. I taught her how to write each part of an essay, modeling a lot and guiding her. Together, we wrote a complete 3-paragraph essay that included the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph.
Then I had her try writing a 3-paragraph essay on her own. I equipped Michelle to write with the aid of graphic organizers, independently letting her try to sort her thoughts and focus. Michelle was able to create a complete 3-paragraph essay! Eventually I expanded her writing to 4 paragraphs and again until we reached the requisite 5-paragraph essay.
It was amazing to see Michelle grow as a writer in just 10 sessions. By the end of her term, she was able to write a full 5-paragraph essay, use transitions, express her ideas clearly, and keep her main ideas focused.
- term: 10 weeks
- before: barely able to write one paragraph
- after: full 5-paragraph essay, clear ideas and focus
We are using this method for Writing Lab students that struggle or are not yet able to write a full 5-paragraph essay. I look forward to seeing more success in all our students!
– Ms. Sarah Kim, Director of Lab