Our Method
We teach writing in three ways: steps, structure, and style. Together, these make writing clear, teachable, and transferable across grade levels and content areas.
Teaching the steps of writing
Rather than centering writing instruction on arbitrary grade-level requirements, we use ten Writing Levels that help teachers guide any student—from a single sentence response to a multi-paragraph composition. The goal is simple: start where a student can be successful, then build skill, stamina, structure, and sophistication from there. This approach allows teachers to meet students where they are and take them where they need to go.
Our three Stages of Instruction gradually increase student independence over time. Teachers can model heavily at first, then release responsibility as students internalize the process, strategies, and expectations.
Teaching the structure of writing
To teach the structure of each genre and writing task, we use visual planning diagrams called Mind Designs. These designs function as the planning stage for writing and help students build a clear organizational structure before drafting. They also guide students toward the kind of content that strengthens ideas and elevates quality.
Mind Designs make it easier for teachers to quickly see where a student is headed, coach with precision, and support revision in a way that feels manageable, not overwhelming.
Teaching the style of writing
Strong writing is more than “include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.” Students need specific, concrete ways to develop their writing within each part of the piece. That is why our resources focus on showing, not just telling, what skilled writing can look like.
For example, instead of simply telling students to “state the takeaway in your conclusion,” we teach multiple, repeatable options: highlight three key points that capture the message, return to the strategy used in the opening, or make a comparison that sharpens the most important idea. Students learn that strong writing is built through choices, and they develop a toolkit they can use again and again.
Throughout all of this, we stay anchored in quality, critical thinking, and creativity.
Closing line (body text, standalone): Every time a student writes, it should be worth their time to create it and your time to read it.
