Welcome to our informational blog.

Topics covered include literary theory and practice, academic writing techniques, philosophy of education, and explanations of our methods for enhancing creative intelligence.

The Socratic Method in Essay Writing: Guiding Students to Stronger Theses

Through Socratic questioning, an essay writing tutor helps students deeply explore their topic, challenge assumptions, and examine the evidence. This structured, critical inquiry not only assists in developing a compelling thesis but also sharpens the student's overall ability to think critically and argue effectively.

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Unraveling the Monomyth: The Power of the Hero's Journey in Storytelling

Understanding the psychological underpinnings of the Hero's Journey enables coaches to help writers craft narratives that resonate emotionally with audiences. By focusing on the inner journey of the hero, writers can create stories that offer genuine insights into the human condition.

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Philosophy of Education, Writing Tutoring, Tutoring Gilliam Writers Group Philosophy of Education, Writing Tutoring, Tutoring Gilliam Writers Group

Embracing Individuality: The Montessori Method's Influence on Writing Tutoring

This article explores how the key principles of the Montessori method—individualized learning, choice-driven exploration, varied learning materials, the educator's guiding role, and a collaborative learning environment—can revolutionize writing tutoring.

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Educational "Third Spaces": Tutoring & Innovation

In the vast and ever-changing landscape of education, "third spaces" constitute a transformative arena wherein the boundaries of traditional learning are challenged and expanded. These environments, neither strictly institutional nor purely informal, have become crucial incubators for pedagogical experimentation and innovation. At the heart of these spaces lies the age-old practice of tutoring.

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Philosophy of Education, Tutoring Brady Gilliam Philosophy of Education, Tutoring Brady Gilliam

Metacognition in Focus: Understanding Its Impact on Learning and Psychological Well-Being

Metacognition, a term coined in the late 1970s, refers to the awareness and control of one's own thought processes. It's a concept that might sound abstract at first, but it plays a fundamental role in how we learn, solve problems, and perceive our own abilities. At its simplest, metacognition is thinking about thinking, or being aware of one's awareness.

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The Vital Role of Formal Grammar in Developing Writing Proficiency

Despite grammar’s fundamental role, many educational institutions have shifted their focus away from traditional grammar instruction — a change that raises questions about the potential effects of this reduced emphasis on students' ability to write effectively in measurable and consistent ways. This trend underscores the role writing tutors can play in providing essential grammar education.

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Embracing the Moral Heart of Writing Tutoring: Insights from David Hansen's Educational Philosophy

In his book "The Moral Heart of Teaching," philosopher David Hansen embarks on a profound exploration of the ethical core of educational practice. Hansen articulates the belief that teaching is not merely a profession but a vocation rooted in moral responsibility. His arguments can be applied to educational settings and pedagogical traditions beyond conventional classroom learning, and are especially relevant to the nuanced work of writing tutoring.

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Enhancing Adolescent Writing Skills IV: How We Operationalize the 2007 “Writing Next” Report

As professional writing tutors, we rely on a mix of personal experience and research when designing our lesson plans & determining how to improve student outcomes. Like many in our field, we have found the “Writing Next” report to be an invaluable resource for teaching our students how to write not only “well,” but compellingly, with gusto and inspiration. Read on to learn why you should hire a writing tutor online.

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Enhancing Adolescent Writing Skills II: How Gilliam Writers Group Implements Effective Instructional Strategies

How do our online writing tutors do what they do so well? What research-based methods do we use to teach our students? Here’s our take on the first five effective instructional practices identified in the influential 2007 report titled "Writing Next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools.”

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Enhancing Adolescent Writing Skills I: Evidence-Based Tutoring & the "Writing Next" Report

Strong writing skills are essential for cognitive and intellectual development. At Gilliam Writers Group, our writing tutors are committed to helping adolescents in middle and high schools improve their writing skills through evidence-based educational approaches. In this blog post, we’ll discuss an influential 2007 report titled "Writing Next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools."

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A Time of Change: The Future of Our Business

The Gilliam Writers Group isn't going to become a standard tutoring or coaching company, nor will it become another vast "umbrella platform" that impersonally connects clients with instructors while taking an unduly large cut of their earnings. Employment-wise, our objective is, in fact, very personal: we want to fortify the skills, influence, and financial independence of young writers of unusual talent -- the kind of talent that has little to do with resumes.

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On End-of-Semester Paralysis

I’ve worked with dozens of college students who have finished a semester without finishing their final assignments, and who are now working desperately against looming extension deadlines to preserve their grades (and their mental health). Although it’s stigmatized and rarely talked about in academia, end-of-semester paralysis is a troublingly common affliction in today’s universities.

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Passive vs. Active Learning

When did you last hear of a teacher inviting students to speak up when they’re bored, or when a lesson isn’t engaging them? Our standard educational model does not encourage learners to honor their own desire to learn. In fact, it trains them to suppress this desire when it goes unfulfilled, in order to avoid disrupting the flow of the lesson.

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What Do Students Owe?

Young people gain less and less in exchange for attending school – specifically in terms of intellectual competency and employment prospects – yet education today is more time-consuming and future-determining than ever. In the US, upward mobility is declining and the quality of public education is poor. Students and their families compensate by working harder, paying more (for tutors and name-brand schools), and participating in more extracurriculars.

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