The Successful Writer
A Path to Excellence
(forthcoming)

For the first time–literally-substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices.  And for the first time, they will have to manage themselves. And society is totally unprepared for it. 
—Peter Drucker

Money-Back Guarantee: Any student who uses all of the strategies in the textbook and does not pass his or her English class can return this book for a full refund!

The Successful Writer is a textbook that offers students the opportunity to acquire both the success skills and the writing skills they need to succeed in college writing classes.  Designed for developmental (basic skills) level English students (one level below transfer English), it also features an integrated reader focused on success strategies. The textbook supports basic skills students in achieving writing proficiency in short essays, effectively prepares students for writing success in English transfer composition courses, and offers students tools that allow them to become more effective managers of their lives.

The textbook integrates life skills, academic skills, and language skills with the very latest in applied research into brain-based learning, multiple intelligences, Brain Dominance Theory, problem-based learning and case studies in a unique learner- centered approach to success in the English classroom. 

The genesis of this project emerged from the multiple requests of English faculty at the various colleges at which I facilitated student success workshops: “Please provide us with strategies that effectively integrate student success skills and writing skills in the English classroom.” The approach is in alignment with my observation that students lack motivation to learn effectively (or write effectively) until they are empowered with life skills such as taking ownership of their decisions, using self-management strategies, setting personal goals, etc.  As students gain life skills, they begin to make different choices in learning, and they can then more effectively utilize learning skills such as note-taking and test preparation.

The underlying strategy is to build in basic skills in multiple support areas, as they arise in student learning situations, and thus to empower students to learn more effectively rather than continue to attempt to fill them with tools/information they are not (yet) equipped to use.  I am so confident in the outcomes of such an approach that I intend to offer every student who purchases one of these textbooks a “Guaranteed to Succeed” promise: if they use all of the life and learning skills contained in this book (and establish having done so), and do not pass their English class, I will refund their purchase price.  Guaranteed.

The fatal pedagogical error is to throw answers, like stones, at the heads of those who have not yet asked the questions. —Paul Tillich

The book also offers a thematic series of success essays that focus on what it takes to be successful; the successful integration of the life and learning skills students need to achieve success with the most effective approaches to learning writing skills; support in the areas of second language writing issues; tracking systems to assess reading, writing and editing progress; grammar support to identify and remediate the most frequent basic skills level student writing errors; learner-centered strategies; support for second language students; examples and approaches drawn from across cultural traditions and practices; case studies for active real-life learning; and problem-based learning to increase motivation and questioning skills.  Students will address the core obstacles to their own success and the fundamental “problem” of how to become a successful and excellent writer, using activities and assignments crossing multiple intelligences and diverse learning styles, as well as the latest in brain-based learning that teaches both students and educators how to leverage their understanding of brain functioning to improve learning outcomes.  Finally, it also offers significant learning communities support; collaborative and cooperative learning activities; service learning opportunities focused on building community; the use of basic coaching skills; and an underpinning of critical thinking skills.

Please contact me to learn more.