Summer 2023
Palo Alto Writing Academy
Who Should Attend?
Learning to write well is more important than ever. In this era of smart phone texting and quick comment social media, teens imprint the wrong habits about writing, and lose interest in reading far too quickly. Summer is the perfect time to make a difference.
Whether your student approaches stories and writing assignments with reluctance and a lack of confidence, or loves to write and is bored in English class, the program offers differentiated, personalized instruction for a range of learners. Expect your student to be pushed to reach new skill and thinking levels. All students receive a deep library of texts, a range of teaching videos and handouts along with precise, targeted and ongoing feedback on their writing throughout the week.
2023 Summer Schedule
Small Classes, Big Learning
Morning classes 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Afternoon classes 12 to 3 p.m.
June 12 - 16 Middle School Workshop morning or afternoon (Grades 5 - 8)
June 19 - 23 High School Workshop morning or afternoon (Grades 9 - 11)
June 26 - 30 NEW! Advanced personal narrative/college essay (Grades 11 - 12, afternoon only)
*Sessions may be repeated with new learning material.
All classes will be on Zoom
Falling Literacy Rates
Students must know how to read and write effectively in order to compete in today’s changing world. Yet according to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational progress (NAEP), literacy scores for eighth graders (the iPhone generation) are declining across almost all demographics.
Get Ahead This Summer
In the Middle and High School Essay Writing Workshops, students turn off their phones and turn on their brains to the world of reading, writing and critical thinking. The Essay Workshop is an intensive one-week summer program designed to help students master the components of reading comprehension and analytical essay writing.
Real Teaching, Not Tutoring
Now in its 15th year and taught by a veteran high school educator, the essay workshop is based on years of real classroom experience about how teenagers actually learn and engage with the language arts. See schedule below.
Register Below
Classes fill quickly and I make every effort to honor your first choice. Once you register, I will get back to you with payment information.
Curriculum
Attendees will master how to think through and write:
analysis that moves beyond plot summary and includes a close reading of literary devices
synthesis of key ideas, showcasing the ability to trace patterns in texts
concise and targeted thesis statements
opening arguments that cogently communicate a roadmap of evidence
the perfect paragraph with relevant points
logical, grammatically correct sentences
Your student will receive precise, targeted and ongoing feedback on their writing throughout the week.
Your student will read and analyze a range of engaging, challenging and diverse texts.
Repeat students will be given new texts each year!
About the Instructor
Lucy Filppu is a published, tenured Teacher of English, AP Seminar and Creative Writing at Palo Alto High School. She has taught a range of complex texts and writing strategies to every grade level, in addition to launching two new English electives. She is trained in blended online content delivery and her writing has been published in Flash Fiction Forum, Bright Magazine and The New York Times. She earned a B.A. in Communications from UCLA; a M.A. in Creative Writing and Literature from NYU; and attended Columbia Teacher’s College and San Jose State University for her teaching credential.
Parent Testimonials
“My student returned three times to write with Ms. Filppu. Her techniques are outstanding.”
“Our son loved Ms. Filppu’s enthusiasm, and the way she teaches reading and writing. He was more than ready for 9th grade.”
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