Once upon a time there was a little boy named Andy who didn’t know what to write. He complained about having to write. Incidentally, he also complained about having to practice his violin. This little boy eventually grew up. Perhaps ironically, in his first career he became a violin instructor, studying the Suzuki methodology under Shinichi Suzuki himself. Later in his life he took what he learned from teaching violin, applied it to what he learned from Dr. James B. Webster, and became a writing instructor. In podcast Episode 206, the fourth episode in this 5-episode podcast series, Andrew Pudewa, the little boy who complained about writing, and Julie Walker talk about the fourth language art, writing, and discuss why the act of writing is so incredibly complex. It’s no wonder little Andy and so many other children have historically complained about the process.
During the podcast Andrew outlines why the act of writing is so complex and then shares some targeted activities that parents and teachers can employ to cultivate strong writers beginning as early as the preschool years. He also outlines ways to motivate struggling students to take beginning steps to develop their writing “muscle,” sharing the example of how he helped inspire his own son who struggled with dyslexia begin a copywork program that eventually led to him being able to write down a story from his brain entirely on his own. Finishing up the podcast, Andrew shares some suggestions for continuing the development of writing skills in middle school and high school students.
The Structure and Style method breaks down the writing process into achievable steps that encourage students’ success. And IEW’s latest course, Structure and Style for Students (SSS), is an excellent way to teach written expression to students who struggle as well as those “natural writers” who need some help with structuring their ideas. It reaches all ages and all abilities.
Andrew mentioned in SSS that if history were to repeat itself and he were to move into a third career, it would most likely be that of “pulling the weeds teacher.” We sure hope not! We think he has found the perfect place to make his mark—as the founder, author, and director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing—helping students all over the world become better communicators and thinkers.
