Pen to Pathways
Tailored Writing Support
for struggling writers
Grades 3 - 12
Is your child struggling to write a paragraph?
Is it impacting their self-confidence?
Does writing an essay seem overwhelming?
My name is Brenda, and I want to empower your child to become a strong reader and writer by using a science-based step by step approach. Whether they’re in high school writing a college essay or a middle schooler struggling with dyslexia, students leave my classroom feeling confident and hopeful in the road ahead. They know that with the right tools, practice, and hard work, it is possible to become a strong writer.
Structured and Explicit
Every lesson is clear with a structured scaffold that can apply to any writing assignment. Students are explicitly taught to recognize and recreate written conventions that are not commonly taught in schools. This allows them to recreate those patterns to make their own writing clear and fluid. Every session is cumulative so that tools can be reinforced until they become automatic.
Emotionally Safe
Learning is an inherently vulnerable experience that most kids will not participate in unless they feel safe. In my classroom, we work to establish trust before any lessons begin. This is done through disarming techniques as humor, check-ins, mindfulness activities, and demonstrating an overall growth mindset.
Our Approach
Multi- Sensory
Students move beyond the page to incorporate all five senses in their learning experience. We use movement, sound, texture, and even scent to engage all parts of the brain in the learning process. This reinforces concepts for all learners, not just visual ones and shows students that learning is a holistic, dynamic, and exciting experience.
Parent Testimonials…
“Brenda is hands down one of the best writing instructors I've ever seen. Her ability to connect with my daughter, communicate kindly, and give simple, practical tools has done WONDERS for our daughter's learning. We would absolutely recommend Pen to Pathways to ANY parent with a struggling child.”
- Parent of 8th Grader
“Our child comes to Brenda’s sessions knowing he’s entering a safe space. He’s grown more and more confident to ask questions and we’ve watched him take risks with his writing more than ever before. We really cherish Brenda’a holistic approach but also her warmth, humor, and absolute celebration of ‘mistakes.’ Brenda takes the fear out of learning.”
- Parent of 5th Grader
“We appreciate Brenda’s deep knowledge, flexibility, and professionalism. She is a top tier instructor, but what we value most is her compassion. Our child looks forward to the weekly sessions knowing Brenda will delight in seeing him and give him specific, dedicated support in the upcoming school week. Thanks to Brenda, he no longer dreads school.”
- Parent of 6th Grader
Student Testimonials…
“Brenda is the best teacher ever. She always chooses fun stories and explains things in a way I can understand. Sessions are never boring because she always makes you laugh. Whenever we work on writing, I know she’s going to break it down and make something really big feel possible.”
- 7th Grader
“I used to be nervous about writing but with Brenda I know what to do. I can write my thoughts in a clear way because she showed me how. I love coming to her class because she always has something fun planned.”
- 5th Grader
Brenda always makes you feel welcome and she always makes you feel like you’re really smart. I like coming to her sessions because I know she’s going to help with my writing but she also listens to me about school. Some adults don’t listen, but Brenda always listens.”
- 6th Grader