The 12-Paper Plunge
A Time-Tested, Proven Solution
The 12-Paper Plunge is a curriculum-free writing and thinking program that aims to get high school students writing at a college level by the end of a 12-paper cycle.
It has helped hundreds of students to succeed in high school and beyond.
Learn the story behind The 12-Paper Plunge…
The GistHello, I’m Ellen Finnigan.
I love to write. Teaching writing always came naturally to me, but it wasn’t until I was asked to teach a yearlong, freshman composition course, at a writing-intensive classical school, that I realized what a waste of time “teaching writing” can be! The curriculum I was required to use (for 32 weeks) in my composition class did almost nothing to help those same students to write better essays in my literature classes. So I took things into my own hands. Since then, I have developed, tried, and tested my own approach to teaching writing which I continue to refine to this day. Parents often say to me:
“Thank you! You taught my child how to write.”
“Thank you. You taught my child how to think!”
The two go hand-in-hand when you teach writing alongside the humanities.
~ Ellen Finnigan
Founder, Teach to the Text
To grow as writers, students need…
√ To be taught (the knowledge)
The 12-Paper Plunge takes a minimalist approach, giving students only four hours of video-based writing instruction to maximize student learning objectives. The skills that are taught are easy to learn but difficult to master.
√ To be coached (the practice)
The 12-Paper Plunge framework trains teachers on the most effective coaching methods that foster transformational growth in your students. It also capitalizes on humanities teachers’ major strength: their subject-matter expertise and intimate knowledge of the texts.
√ To be held accountable (the grade)
The 12-Paper Plunge framework provides efficient rubrics to help teachers grade quickly and effectively in a way that facilitates rapid student improvement in the areas that really count.
FAQs
How long does it take?
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The 12-Paper Plunge should be carried out over the course of 2-4 semesters, preferably in the freshman and sophomore years of high school.
If there is no curriculum, what are the components?
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The 12-Paper Plunge is both a program for schools and a methodology. As such, it consists of Ms. Finnigan’s time-tested student writing instruction (4 hours), combined with a method of assigning and grading papers, combined with the activity of having the student write the twelve papers for a trained coach.
Why the number 12?
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Over the course of many years, Ms. Finnigan has noted that after twelve attempts, about 80% of students are writing at a college level. Some get there much sooner, but for those students, there are ways to keep pushing them!
Where can I learn more about Ms. Finnigan’s methodology and how can I decide if it’s right for me, my student, my school, or my homeschool?
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You can check out our pages for
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Do you have anything for middle school students?
You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.
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Do you have anything for middle school students?
What students are saying about the 12-Paper Plunge:
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I really love how this program has made me able to write about things that interest me fluently and with a level of clarity that is surprising even to me!
Marie, 9th grade
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I think that this program is a great program and I truly believe that it is helping me!
Margaret, 10th grade
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The videos were pretty good, and engaging. Good job of tying in real world examples and making it feel like you were really going to need the content.
Eli, 10th grade
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..having specific steps to follow as a guide is extremely helpful! This course absolutely provided that for me and I was truly grateful...
Isabel G., 10th grade
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I have always preferred creative writing, but this program increased my interest in being able to write a good essay.
Caroline, 10th grade
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These instruction tutorials were very helpful...Thank you for creating a clear, easy to use, and efficient way to learn a complex principle. I look on future writing assignments with a greater confidence and understanding....
Mary Joy, 10th grade
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Too many papers.
Isaiah. 10th grade
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It's more work but easier in a way.
Analise, 9th grade
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Tortilla chips.
Miles, 9th grade
What teachers are saying about the 12-Paper Plunge:
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"I took this course as teacher training and I am sure it will be incredibly valuable. I've been writing (and teaching writing) for a long time but Ms. Finnigan made explicit so many things I've done intuitively or didn't know how to explain. It's very detailed and goes step by step, so the process becomes very concrete -- such a rarity in writing instruction. Highly recommend!"
Julia Edwards, English Instructor, Sacred Heart Academy, Greenville, SC, 2025
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"I am not captain English by any means whatsoever so having this program informed by years of experience was desperately needed. It took a process that students get stuck in and straightens it out with elegance. I personally found it invaluable."
Benjamin Brown, Instructor, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, Denver, CO, 2025
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![A young woman with curly brown hair smiling outdoors in front of green foliage, wearing a black shirt.]()
“…it was excellent training. The videos were clear and enjoyable and the website was easily navigable. I appreciated the chance to write my own paper (even in the midst of many tasks I have to do) because it gave me the chance to really enter into the process and see for myself that it not only worked but worked really well.”
Ms. Cutrell, Instructor of Philosophy and Theology, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
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“I was hesitant about the writing program at first, but I feel genuinely confident in my ability to use your program in my classes so that the students will know exactly what is expected of them and become stronger writers. The videos were engaging, the steps make sense and feel seriously thorough, and the rubric tools are a lifesaver.”
Ms. Grant, Head of Writing Department, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
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“I honestly loved the videos and getting to do a bit of reading, analyzing, and writing as a student again. I loved getting to meet [Ms. Finnigan] during the live training!”
Mrs. Reuter, Instructor of History and Philosophy, Our Lady of Victory, Littleton, CO, 2024
SEEKING
one incubator school
2026-2027
a classical high school
academically rigorous
well-established
with bold and creative leadership
ready to get serious about writing
Does this sound like your school? APPLY for THE INCUBATOR PROGRAM BELOW
The 12-Paper Plunge writing instruction has helped hundreds of students over the past thirteen years, and the professional development training has been a hit over the last two.
But I’m working hard to take this program to the next level, namely by improving implementation, accountability, reporting, and continuity.
To do this work, I need a workshop! To that end, I am looking for one high school that would be interested in hiring me in an administrative capacity as a Writing Specialist to oversee, implement, and carry out this program in their school over the course of 2-4 semesters.
The incubator school will get:
full access to my writing instruction for your entire student body (grades 9-12),
professional development training for your humanities teachers,
ongoing coaching and support for both teachers and students.
The incubator school will also be able to test new products that are coming dow the pipeline, and will receive a sweet deal on future work products that come as the result of the collaboration. The goal would be to leave your school with a fully integrated, school-wide approach to writing, based on my time-tested, proven methodologies, and the tools to keep that system working for your students and teachers long after I’m gone, at a fraction of the price that other schools will have to pay.
Curious? Please fill out an application. Let’s talk!
Schools that took The 12-Paper Plunge!
How It Works
The 12-Paper Plunge program includes 13 hours of training (5 hours self-paced, 8 hours live) for participating teachers before the academic school year begins. This is followed by the academic calendar program for the 12-Paper Plunge Program itself, which can be carried out over 2, 3, or 4 semesters.
Schools can have their students complete the training in August before school starts, or assign the student training videos in their first English classes of the school year.
Teachers should ideally complete their training before the school year begins during time set aside for professional development.
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Application deadline
Stakeholder meetings
Program scheduling
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Deposit due
Participating faculty identified
Faculty enrollment & access to self-paced online training course
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Faculty self-paced training to be completed by end of month
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Live professional development training program for participating faculty
Balance remainder due
Students are enrolled in writing instruction videos
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Participating faculty and students complete the 12-Paper Plunge academic school year program
Apply Today
Teaching writing to high schoolers is too heavy a burden for one teacher - or even one department - to bear, but many hands make light work, so let’s get started!
If your school is interested in participating in The 12-Paper Plunge Program, but you are not interested in being our incubator school, book a call with me. We’ll get your students and teachers trained and this will be your best writing year yet!
Writing Solutions for High Schools
