Supplementing writing instruction

Parents Forum
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<p>We moved two years ago and I have become increasingly worried about the writing instruction at my daughter's new school district. She is currently a freshman in high school. My older daughter recently graduated from the same school but had the benefit of four years of superb writing instruction at her previous school. Over the past two years I have been worried that my younger child writes much, much less than her older sister did. </p>

<p>The younger daughter actually brought this up at dinner tonight and said that she doesn't like her literature classes as much as she used to because she hardly ever gets a chance to write. And she also said that she feels her writing is not improving. </p>

<p>I talked to her about starting a journal. She wasn't enthusiastic but I think if we make a shopping trip to buy a special one she might use it for a while.</p>

<p>She is self motivated to a certain degree but if I suggested that she write a paper on her own, she'd look at me like I was crazy. </p>

<p>I've considered enrolling her in a summer English class at our local community college but I'm worried that might not be enough.</p>

<p>I'd love some advice. Thank you.</p>

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<p>Various colleges have summer writing programs for talented students. There also are online programs for students, but they can be pretty pricey. I, too, worried that my kids were not getting enough writing and my radical reaction was to put them in private school, which is certainly not an option for every family.</p>

<p>A more modern answer to the journal is a blog, which can be set up for free. The skill that your daughter really needs for college is research-based writing. Most HS focus on literature-based writing. If you get a good instructor at a community college, it could be a very helpful solution.</p>

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<p>This is often the case with college writing courses as well. Might be optimal for a literature major, but somewhat less optimal for those who have to write about other topics (psychology, sociology, economics, history, biology, physics, engineering, etc.).</p>