Start your journey.
Millions of writing courses.
Millions of writing teachers.
Millions of curriculum companies,
programs,
approaches, and
pedagogies.
Sometimes, with so many options, people can’t see the forest for the trees.
And that’s a problem.
The Big IdeaIf you don’t know where you are or where you want to go, then you can’t take the next, best step. You need a vision. You need a plan. To that end, we’ve created…
The Five Pillars of Writing Progress
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A mini workshop that gives homeschooling parents and other educators a big picture view of the purpose of a K-12 language arts education; provides five, helpful frameworks through which to understand the craft of writing; explains the five pillars that support a young writer’s growth; and teaches you how to apply the frameworks to curate a course of study for your student(s).
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Homeschooling parents, teachers, and other educators who want to support the growth and development of young writers. (Parents who school traditionally might also find it helpful if they are looking for ways to supplement their children’s education.)
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It will give you the clarity you need to make decisions about your student’s writing education with confidence. It will help you to understand our approach to writing at Teach to the Text, provide you with a basis for judgment so you can compare and contrast your options, give you a thorough overview of offerings, and give you a way to determine if The 12-Paper Plunge is right for your high school student right now.
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Ellen Finnigan, founder of Teach to the Text and creator of The 12-Paper Plunge, a writing coach since 2008, a high school English and literature instructor with a track record of success since 2012, and a trainer of teachers since 2024.
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There’s a lot of confusion out there about writing! Ms. Finnigan wants to share her knowledge and insights in hopes it will help others. Also, if they want to partner with her, she wants to assure everyone shares the same goals and vision of success!
Money Back Guarantee
If this workshop doesn’t work for you, we’ll refund your money within one week of purchase, no questions asked, or you can request a $19 credit.
Workshop Components
Two videos and two downloadable .pdf’s that will give you increased clarity and confidence!
In less than 60 minutes, you will be able to assess your student’s language arts education, identify missing pieces, plot a path forward, and shop for educational products and services with more discernment and efficiency.
Money Back Guarantee
If this workshop doesn’t work for you, we’ll refund your money within one week of purchase, no questions asked, or you can request a $19 credit.
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Learn the five frameworks.
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Writing Course Comparison Chart & Five Pillar Pie Chart Analysis
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Learn how to apply the five frameworks to real course descriptions to understand exactly what you’re getting and learn about Teach to the Text offerings in the process.
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Learn The 12-Paper Plunge Methodology (Ms. Finnigan’s “Secret Sauce”!)
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“One Quick Solution for Struggling Writers”: a quick fix you can start using in your homeschool or classroom right away
How This Workshop Came To Be
Hello!
Hi! I’m Ellen Finnigan, founder of Teach to the Text and creator of The 12-Paper Plunge.
My friend Kristen emailed me a couple of months ago, asking for my advice.
“Can you tell me what my children should be doing for writing?”
“Not really,” I said. “I don’t know anything about teaching writing in elementary school. Check back with me in a couple of years!”
I felt like a Magic 8 Ball: Ask again later.
But Kristen politely persisted. She knows I teach writing and am extremely passionate about writing! She, on the other hand, is a math and science girl.
“I want to know what I should be doing right now,” she said, “if I want my children to be prepared to take your classes one day.”
I started thinking about it. Surely I had some wisdom I could share!
While I couldn’t compare and contrast all of the options for Kristen, what I could do is give her five general frameworks I use, personally, to think about writing and writing education, to create my own courses and to foster my own students’ growth. I figured they could work as scaffolding as she curates a unique course of study for each of her girls.
I couldn’t tell her exactly what to do, but I could empower to her to do what she had to do with more clarity and confidence — and that’s even better!
Money Back Guarantee
If this workshop doesn’t work for you, we’ll refund your money within one week of purchase, no questions asked, or you can request a $19 credit.
Testimonials
If you are a school or co-op interested in organizational programs, book a call:
Or see our Course Library • Live Classes & Events • Organizational Programming