Melanie Danza

I ask the student to explain how she understands the writing or reading assignment to be. I help her understand the tasks involved to accomplish a clearly written essay or project. I get the student to understand how comprehending, researching and formulating their thoughts about the subject is key to writing well. We can best communicate in a clear, well researched way by having a strong thesis and also by having a dialogue about the thesis. I get the student to find ways she can structure the essay, dictated by a strong thesis and help her to learn the skills of gathering evidence to support the thesis. We work on introductions, body paragraphs, the importance of first sentences in each paragraph and building the essay in a way that allows arguments to be addressed and answered by the reader. The conclusion is also an important way for the student to prove its points. Reading comprehension, research methods and going over the material if the essay is key to getting a strong draft. Revision is another skill that my students learn that Allie’s them to develop their writing “voice”. Students begin to appreciate their strengths and they shed the initial apprehension that comes with inexperience in writing and tackling otherwise challenging reading material. They become better thinkers and thus better writers. My students have gone on to government jobs, become lawyers and creative writers. Writing for them is a part of the way they communicate their values, ideas and imagination. They become good citizens of the world.