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.
Benefits for Schools
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Get your students writing in their classes (not just taking writing classes)..
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Integrate writing with all humanities courses so your teachers can stop teaching to the test!
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Students will know where the bar is and exactly what is expected of them.
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Allow students, parents, and teachers to track growth over time.
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by making grading easier, helping them combat student use of A.I., giving them practical training, and allowing them to focus on their true strengths.
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Your teachers don’t have time to teach grammar and the truth is they shouldn’t be expected to.
Learn the story behind The 12-Paper Plunge…
The GistHello, I’m Ellen Finnigan.
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 and am now sharing with schools. 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. Now I’m helping other teachers to do for their students what I’ve been doing for mine for over 14 years.
~ 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.
Components of the Program
√ Student Training
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.
√ Teacher Training
Humanities teachers are trained in a method of assigning and grading papers that has been proven to work.
√ Grammar Program
The 12-Paper Plunge includes a grammar program that takes the teaching of grammar off your teachers’ plates entirely and correlates with grading methods.
How It Works
Participating teachers complete the first 5 hours of training (self-paced), ideally over the summer or between semesters.
Teachers assign the student instructional videos in their first English classes of the semester, along with the first, minor assignments. (3-6 weeks)
Teachers complete 3-4 more hours of training as they begin assigning and grading papers 1-7, and complete the final 3-4 hours of training around the midpoint of the program, after the students have written 7 or 8 papers.
Each cohort of students is assigned twelve papers over the course of 2-4 semesters. Pacing and implementation details can be decided on by school.
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Application deadline
Stakeholder meetings
Program scheduling
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Deposit due
Faculty enrollment
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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 (2-3 hours)
Balance remainder due
Students are enrolled
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Writing instruction videos are assigned by teachers
Participating faculty and students complete the 12-Paper Plunge academic school year program
Teachers receive 5-6 more hours of training as phases of program are complete
Schools that took The 12-Paper Plunge!
Teacher Training Day
Your students don’t need more writing classes.
They need more writing coaches.
The 12-Paper Plunge turns humanities teachers into excellent writing coaches.
What school teachers are saying:
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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
What students in schools 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
Apply Today!
Standard Program or Incubator Program
SEEKING AN INCUBATOR SCHOOL FOR 2027
classical high school
well-established
academically rigorous
with bold and creative leadership
ready to get serious about writing
Ms. Finnigan is taking this program to the next level, namely by improving implementation and accountability. She has work to do and is looking for a workshop. An incubator school would hire her as a Writing Specialist in Residence, in an administrative capacity, to implement and oversee The 12-Paper Plunge over the course of 2-4 semesters and would get: full access to her writing instruction for the entire student body (grades 9-12); professional development training for your humanities teachers, access to the grammar program for your entire student body, ongoing coaching, mentorship, and support for both teachers and students for the duration of incubation. 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 Ms. Finnigan’s time-tested, proven methodologies, as well as the tools to keep that system in place and working for your students and teachers long after she’s gone, and regardless of which teachers or administrators are cycling in and out of different employment positions.
APPLY HERE
for Standard Program or Incubator Program
Writing Solutions for High Schools
Dealing with the A.I. program? Subscribe here to receive my series of 10 emails (also available as a mini podcast) in which I share best practices for “fighting robots” in the classroom. Learn more about the 12-Paper Plunge and how it can help you reduce and discourage student use of A.I. when it comes to writing.
Want to learn more about Ms. Finnigan’s methodology?
Take the mini workshop, The Five Pillars of Writing Progress.
FAQs
How long does the 12PP 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 (teacher training), plus a grammar program, combined with the activity of having the student write the twelve papers for a trained coach.
Why the number 12?
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It takes about twelve attempts for 80% of students in a high school cohort to be writing at a college level.
Where can I learn more about Ms. Finnigan’s methodology?
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Check out her mini workshop for homeschooling parents and other educators: The Five Pillars of Writing Progress.
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How long has the 12PP been around?
Ms. Finnigan has been developing and refining her methodology for teaching writing since her first year of teaching (2012-13). In 2023, Ms. Finnigan added a training program for homeschooling parents. In the 2024-25 school year, she piloted the first teacher training program at Our Lady of Victory in Littleton, Colorado, combining student instruction with professional development. The program was implemented at two schools the following year (2025-26), and at one school, she tested her rudimentary grammar program. Ms. Finnigan continues to develop and improve the program, with a new grammar program coming in fall 2026 and new options for better implementation in schools coming in 2027.