Writing coaches just one benefit of MCPS levy

Jason (not his real name) is a sophomore at Big Sky High School in Missoula. Like many teenagers, he likes football, music, and hanging out with friends, but he does not like to write. Today, that does not matter. Jason’s English teacher has asked his class to write a persuasive essay. The question: Do the new social media encourage or discourage communication?

Jason must take a position and defend it, but he’s having trouble figuring out what he believes. The night before the essay is due, he scribbles down some thoughts. His arguments are not very coherent, but he doesn’t know how to fix them. On top of that, his teacher says they have to meet with a "writing coach" during class to work on their essays. "This could be embarrassing," he thinks.

Jason needn’t worry. Writing Coaches of Missoula http://writingcoaches.wordpress.com/ is just one innovative approach being used in Missoula County Public Schools to help students learn how to think critically and express their thoughts clearly. Writing coaches are trained community volunteers who work one-on-one with Missoula County Public Schools high-school and middle-school students. Coaches work with all students regardless of their ability, challenging them to analyze information, develop arguments, and present their ideas with clarity and conviction.

Jason’s coaching session begins better than he had imagined. Jason is paired with Susan (not her real name), a local attorney who takes time off work to serve as a writing coach. Susan knows the value of good writing because her job depends on it. Remembering the mentors who made a difference in her own life, Susan has decided to donate her time as a writing coach.

Despite Jason’s nervousness, he and Susan hit it off. Turns out, they’re both huge Grizzly football fans. Getting down to business, Jason reads his draft aloud to her. Sentence fragments and grammatical errors jump out at him as he reads, and he makes some corrections on the spot.

Then Susan starts asking questions: So, what do you think about social media? Do you text and tweet with your friends? How does that affect your relationships, your life? Jason discovers he actually has some strong ideas on the subject. Together, he and Susan sketch them out on paper and develop supporting arguments. Pretty soon Jason has the makings of a convincing essay. More important, he realizes he has something to say and the confidence to say it.

The half-hour coaching session passes quickly, but Jason agrees to continue working on his essay for their follow-up meeting next week. Susan knows Jason will not disappoint her. Not only will he have a better paper than he ever thought possible, but their brief exchange of words and ideas has already made him a stronger writer.

One-on-one discussions like this play out in hundreds of encounters in MCPS every year. During the 2010-11 school year alone, Writing Coaches of Missoula will broker more than 2,000 coaching sessions between trained community volunteers and middle and high school students. Currently, six MCPS schools make this opportunity available to their students.

To staff its ranks of volunteers, Writing Coaches of Missoula mines the abundant intellectual wealth of our community, leveraging thousands of hours of professional expertise for the benefit of Missoula’s public school students. Coaches come from a variety of professions, but all know that success in the workplace and in life depends on a person’s ability to think and write clearly.

MCPS has been a leader in utilizing cost-effective, forward-looking programs like Writing Coaches of Missoula. In the past few years, MCPS has unveiled exciting student-centered initiatives, including Graduation Matters and the 21st Century Initiative, that focus on engaging students, keeping them in school and making them productive citizens in a complicated, fast-changing world.

On May 3, county residents can vote for a better education for all MCPS students by renewing the building reserve levies and supporting the general fund levies. The additional cost for operation levies for a taxpayer with a $200,000 home is only $26.18 for elementary and high school combined. As writing coaches who see vital learning taking place in our public schools, we urge you to vote "yes" on May 3.

Diane Benjamin is coordinator, Lucia Solorzano Work is president and Jana Staton is president-elect of Writing Coaches of Missoula.

http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/article_71c9f82c-700c-11e0-9a02-001cc4c03286.html