At Cicero we get a lot of requests for writing support—whether embedded into our normal ELA courses as a strong focus or, in some cases, as stand-alone programs. This makes a lot of sense. Writing clear, compelling prose is critical for success in college and life. With this in mind, we sat down with one of our teachers to build Blogging for Teens, a 7-week mini course designed to introduce middle schoolers and high schoolers to the art of blogging.
Why Blogging for Teens?
Blogging is a great way for emerging writers to practice their craft. Like journalism, a successful blog requires a strong, punchy voice that can clearly articulate an idea in a readable and compelling way. And since middle schoolers and high schoolers are emerging writers who are finding their voice and discovering the power of the written word, launching and running a blog is a great way for them to become better writers.
A Writing Course …
As an integrated curriculum that teaches both technical and soft skills, our new Blogging for Teens course is led by Hannah Miller, a former worldschooler turned travel blogger and writing coach. Hannah has a ton of experience working with teens to help them set up and run blogs, and over the seven weeks of this program will provide a personalized learning experience that helps teens set up a blog platform in WordPress, craft posts using a unique voice, write, and boost visibility through basic SEO techniques.
… and More
At Cicero our goal is not only to provide exceptional learning experiences, but to empower teenagers to discover their passions, unlock creativity, and connect with mentors (teachers) in unique ways.. Along these lines, this blogging for teens course offers more than just instruction in writing. It integrates knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines, including how to set up blogging software, how to research a story, and some basic business knowledge like marketing—life skills, which can help prepare teens for college and beyond. Blogging can also inspire students to think creatively as they write topics they are interested in. This interdisciplinary approach helps teens see how the concepts they learn in one subject can be applied to other areas of their day to day life. This fosters a more holistic understanding of the complex world they are about to enter.
Become a Better Writer
Of course, at its core, this course is about writing and becoming a better writer. Miller will take students through the entire process of writing, including defining their audience, writing an outline, avoiding pitfalls like passive voice, and working through successive drafts to build a strong piece of writing. Although the obvious, tangible result of the course will be a published blog that the student can use to communicate with friends and family (and the wider public), the deeper goal is to help the student take their writing to the next level.
Who is Hannah?
The course will be driven by Hannah Miller, who grew up as a worldschooler and now does educational coaching. Hannah has worked with dozens of emerging writers and bloggers, helping some of her student-bloggers publish novels, write strong college essays, and manage wildly popular blogs.
We’re super excited about this unique program that can be used as writing support or a fun extra-curricular student-centered and student-driven activity. Reach out to learn more.
