We always have a lot of choice in what we write about – within the structure of a certain type of essay – and it’s been really fun for me to explore things I’m interested in through the assignments.” Amaya M.

Academic writing is a college-level course that students at TEEN DAY are able to take in order to improve their writing and prepare them for college or the working world. The course covers a wide range of writing techniques, including cause-and-effect, comparisons, evaluation, and much more. Students explore these techniques by researching and writing about a topic of interest, and include these forms of rhetorical writing to convey their opinions or arguments.

The class is structured so students participate in lectures, discussions, and workshops. The various modes of communication allow for students to be engaged with all stages of their own writing, as well as their peers. Nancy Holzer, the instructor for this class, emphasizes the importance of editing and peer review. She says, “All writing is REwriting.” Even professionals benefit from feedback and editing. An advantage of teaching this course at TEEN DAY rather than in a college course is that the classes are much smaller, allowing for more detailed and personalized feedback.

Nancy is a writer and editor who studied medieval literature at Brown University. She has published several short stories, novels, and technical books. She has been interested in writing for as long as she can remember, and after she earned her Ph.D., she took to editing. She enjoys helping others improve their writing and encourages students to pursue their interests through their writing.

“I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned about writing–as writer, editor, and teacher–with a new generation of writers.” Nancy Holzner

So far, students have written four essays exploring a variety of different topics and using learned writing techniques to convey their arguments or theses. Students are expected to write several more essays, with the final essay being a culmination of everything they have learned. Students will explore a topic of interest, being sure to avoid logical fallacies, research and evaluate sources, incoportate other’s work into their own piece, and work with and develop complex ideas.

“The academic writing course is really good, and definitely one of my favorites.” Gabe K.

Through this class, students sharpen their critical reading, writing, and research skills. These skills are not only a great foundation for college-level writing, but can be used in everyday life.