“Michael and Sara were a joy to host, bringing excitement for writing to children, and effective strategies for educators. Striving to Thriving is a rich resource that serves to enhance writing teaching and learning, stripping away verbosity and offering tangible scaffolds and experiences that engage and work.”
Shannon McMahon, Elementary Principal Escola Americana Campinas, Brazil
“Innovative, Engaging, Inspiring
I have known Sara and Michael for over a decade and during this time I have had the pleasure to work with them in three different international schools. Each and every school visit has been absolutely outstanding.”
Seamus Marriott, Director, Pasir Ridge Intercultural School
“Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger brought poetry alive at the Western International School of Shanghai during our recent Poetry Week. They inspired our community of Middle School students to perform poems they had written with confidence and enthusiasm. We would be delighted to welcome them back again to work with our students and staff.”
Fiona Collins, Deputy Principle/Head Librarian Western International School of Shanghai
“Sara and Michael bring infectious energy and joy leavened with deep knowledge of best practices in literacy to their work with children and teachers.”
Ellin Keene – Author of Mosaic of Thought and The Teacher You Want to Be
“Sara and Michael bring magic, and a contagious love of words to both students and teachers alike!”
Georgia Heard – Author of Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School
“Sometimes, when authors come in to work with kids, we teachers see it as a welcome “break” — an opportunity to sit on the sidelines and take notes on strategies and methods to use the next year while someone else runs the show. Not with Sara and Michael, whose energy is infectious. I joined in with my kids and did every activity, becoming a student of writing, speaking, and thinking, right alongside them. I left with a writer’s notebook filled with ideas for my own writing, which makes me the best teacher possible: a teacher who not only loves writing but actually writes.”
Rebecca Clark, Singapore American School
“Sara and Michael’s writing strategies are incredibly versatile. The strategies provide a safe starting point for a wide variety of learners – a starting point that boldly encourages students to grow and extend their skills as writers in creative, differentiated, and transferrable ways. The end results are rich in student voice and choice – with plenty of content tucked in too.”
Jenn Hopp, Middle School English Department Lead, Jakarta Intercultural School, Jakarta, Indonesia
“The power of Sara and Michael’s work has in no way been limited to our ELA classrooms. Our students use the strategies to bring concepts and content to life across the curriculum, including Science and Social Studies. The frameworks help build a culture of conversation and creativity which middle school students love.”
Scott Riley, Instructional Coach, Singapore American School
“Michael and Sara’s writing frameworks fit seamlessly within our established workshop classrooms. Their interactive lessons prompted our student writers to grow ideas through conversation and craft powerful poems in minutes.”
Karen McDowell, seventh grade teacher Singapore American School
“Michael and Sara’s creative pre-writing strategies successfully guide students to their best drafts through simple, non-threatening steps that incorporate natural differentiation. I have used their various approaches in a typical middle school setting and now in a STEM environment and found that all students can find success.”
Libbie Royko, SOI, Willoughby Eastlake School of Innovation, Ohio
“Michael and Sara have created exciting writing lessons every teacher can teach, and every student can access!”
Bridget Suvansri sixth grade, Eastern Middle School, Greenwich CT
“The strategies (PIPES) that Sara and Michael use with our students, get even the shyest ones up and speaking with confidence. We have videos as proof! They are amazing.”
Barbara Boyer, Librarian, Shanghai American School on Public speaking
“Need to ignite writing and writers, no matter the subject, topic, or genre? Seeking authentic writing strategies that transfer into the classroom? From Striving to Thriving Writers supports, guides, and sparks real writing for real purposes by real writers.”
Dr. Nancy Johnson, Western Washington University
“Concrete and practical, the pre-writing and planning in Sara’s and Michael’s strategies are a must-read for teachers who ask students to write. We all know planning leads to better performance and these lessons deliver. Their lessons energize and engage.”
Lee Ann Spillane, Curriculum Specialist Singapore American School
