Summer Writing Camp

Summer 2017 Writing Camp

Going to camp is always fun, even if you aren’t the outdoorsy type. Your son or daughter will find the same can be true with Inspiring’s Writing Camp this summer. Whether students enjoy writing or don’t, our instructor has a series of activities that will get them to enjoy finding apt words, creating engaging prose, and organizing for effect.

Cathy Colglazier, former English chair at McLean HS and TJHSST, will lead students for 3 hours each day in creative non-fiction projects. Often the class will visit locations around McLean for inspiration as well as read short articles and stories that provide good models for writing. Basics of solid exposition will be covered — punctuation, grammar, diction — as well as development of style.

If students are planning on applying to TJ or a private school, this workshop is ideal for getting them ready for personal essays. Target ages: 7th to 10th grade.

Three options for camp:

Instructor:

Cathy Colglazier

Cost:

$350 for one week (15 hours).

If you would like to take more than one week, please call/text Mrs. Colglazier in advance at 703-628-2348

Location:

Inspiring Test Preparation 1307 Dolley Madison Blvd. Suite 4B McLean, VA 22101

Kate Dalby2017-07-31T17:15:07-04:00

READ READ READ, So You Can Write!

READ READ READ, So You Can Write!

by Dr Aimee Weinstein

With the advent of College Board’s new redesigned SAT next month, schools, students and test prep centers are on high alert, wondering what to expect. Even the New York Times and U.S. News and World Report have added fuel to the proverbial fire with their recent articles about concern over increased reading requirements on the redesigned test. It seems that there will be more reading not only in the designated reading section, but also more word problems in the math section, leading to more words on the test overall.

But the biggest change is perhaps in the way the College Board will administer the new, optional essay component of the test. (more…)

Kate Dalby2017-04-07T19:30:57-04:00

Reclaiming the Conversation

The Art of Communication by Dr. Aimee Weinstein

Researcher, M.I.T. Professor and writer Sherry Turkle recently reported in her new book, Reclaiming Conversation, that 89% of people admit to taking their phones out during social situations and 82% of people think it’s wrong to do it. She claims that we, Americans, have had enough of our moment with technology and the time has come to take back and re-value our face-to-face interactions. However, Turkle does admit to one huge problem that stands in the way of her plan: people under the age of twenty-five have no idea how to hold an actual, face-to-face conversation.

(more…)

Kate Dalby2017-04-07T19:30:58-04:00

Show, Don’t Tell, on Your College Applications

The College Essay: Best Advice

by Aimee Weinstein*

Most seniors feel a huge amount of pressure when sitting down to write that college essay and staring at a blank screen. While this is true for any writing assignment, it is particularly painful for students since the topic of the essay is very close to home: YOU.

Your job, in writing the essays for the college application – be it the Common App, a supplement for a school, or a school that has its own application – is to make your personality and ideas come alive on the page. The admissions people are not going to read your essays unless the numbers on your GPA and test scores meet their minimums, so at the point they are looking at your written work, you have to make your application file stand out from the next kid’s file who most likely has similar numbers. Why should they take you instead of the other guy? (more…)

Kate Dalby2017-04-24T21:39:13-04:00