REACCT Writing Coach Program

11/24/2020

We've got some exciting news! IM Education has a new page. Click on the name in this post to go to our new page.

09/03/2019

We are very excited to start the new school year tomorrow, with two new schools (Onalaska Middle School and Aquinas High School) joining our program! It will be another great year working with students!!!

04/15/2019

01/17/2019

Fun work in Sparta today, working with students on critical thinking and debate skills. Their insights were excellent!

12/18/2018

For the past three days, Sam had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Frana's Career Readiness class at Onalaska High School. Through the preparation of job cover letters, students learned that critical thinking applies in practical writing in addition to academic writing. A win-win for critical thinking and cover letter creation!
School District of Onalaska, WI
CESA #4

12/06/2018

A great day today, launching a new program at Sparta-SAILS on good communication and using critical thinking in social media. We started with the importance of critical thinking, and had a very productive debate. The students did a fantastic job!

11/22/2018

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us with REACCT! Hope its filled with vibrant conversation and lots of good food!

11/19/2018

Today we want to highlight the partnership between Wisconsin CESA #4 and IM Education that created and continues to sustain the REACCT Writing Coach Program. CESA 4 is a regional service agency providing support and professional development for 26 school districts in Western Wisconsin. According to Laura Veglahn, our partner at CESA, "As a purely service-oriented organization, CESA looks to enhance offerings at our schools through programs like REACCT."

IM Education, founded by Sam Scinta in 2015, is a non-profit organization that seeks to foster communication and critical thinking skills in a variety of communities. “Working with CESA gives us credibility. They have the connections with schools to get our writing coaches where they can be the most effective.” says Scinta. “People often talk about ‘public private partnerships’ and this is a case where it works.”

10/10/2018

Our writing coaches have been introduced and now it's time to introduce the program's founder, Sam Scinta.

"I worked in book publishing for over 20 years, as an editor and Publisher of Fulcrum Publishing. I have a law degree and teach part-time at UW La Crosse in the Political Science department. In 2015, I created IM Education to provide programs that enhance writing and critical thought, as well as to create lifelong learning programs that emphasize civility, citizenship, respect for diverse cultures and stewardship of our planet.

The REACCT program works directly with students to help them improve their communication and critical thinking skills. Watching students develop these skills over time is a powerful thing, and the thing I enjoy most as a writing coach. One of our foundational premises is that all students can grow in these important areas, and it is wonderful to work one-to-one with students every day of the week.

The best writing advice I ever received is that in order to be a writer, one needs to write every day. It sounds simple, but the best way to get better at writing is to practice writing. Mistakes are okay; that is what the editing process is for, as it allows us to learn from our mistakes."

10/04/2018

We're so happy to introduce our writing coach for the the Holmen School District, Beth McDonald.

"I have 13 years of experience teaching high school English, coaching forensics, and leading a youth outdoor adventure club. I am passionate about working with students to learn and navigate the ever changing world of communication. I am currently in the graduate program at Viterbo University’s Department of Education while adding a 316 reading teacher certification to my license.

I am excited to be a part of a learning community with the shared goal of providing students with meaningful writing experiences. Classroom teachers have complex jobs; they need to accommodate a wide array of student abilities, backgrounds, and goals. I am excited to be able to support these teachers as a classroom resource, particularly with one on one conferencing.

The best writing advice I’ve gotten is to be concise. Brevity is not my strong suit. I love writing, so I often need to make an effort to avoid belaboring my key message."

09/28/2018

Chocolate milk versus white milk might seem a bit silly, but flash debates are a great tool for teaching critical thinking skills! Students practice quick thinking, understanding the counterpoint, and civil discourse all in the span of one minute. Today, Onalaska High School students took on these flash debates and got some prep for the papers they'll be writing.

09/24/2018

The school year is kicking into gear and so are our writing coaches. Today, we're happy to introduce Debbie Hansen who coaches in the School District of Onalaska, WI

"My background is in the field o f speech language pathology. I’ve worked to provide speech and language services to children and adults in school and medical settings. The overall goal of speech therapy is helping others to communicate successfully, which aligns with the REACCT program.
I am excited to help students hone their writing and critical thinking skills! I think these skills are much-needed (but often over-looked) skills in our society. It’s so rewarding to see students develop confidence and independence in their ability to express themselves.
The best advice I’ve received is to just start writing and let the ideas flow; you can always go back and edit and tweak later."

09/17/2018

We're excited to introduce our writing coach for Independence High School, Terri Karsten.

"I taught high school English for 21 years, and worked as a k-12 Curriculum director for 6 years. I'm also a freelance writer. I write many different things including novels, articles, short stories, and a blog. You can find more about me at www.terrikarsten.com

The thing that excites me most about REACCT is the opportunity to work one on one with young writers. I think this sort of individualized, focused interaction is the best way to learn writing. Writing is my passion, and I love helping other people improve their own writing.

Probably the most important bit of advice is to just write it. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can (and should) always go back and fix it, but it's hard to fix a blank page."

08/22/2018