Click on the names below to look at Shannon’s and Tomek’s winning game manuals! These real-world and professional-style projects challenged students in ways that makes writing normal essay easy.

Shannon’s and Tomek’s hard work earned them a grand prize of $25 plus publication of their manuals.

Megladon! by Shannon. EW 7-9 students had to invent a card game that combined Poker and Go Fish! in some creative, easy-to-play game that can be quickly played in a group of 2-10.

Pangean Invasion by Tomek. EW 9-12 students had to help design a complex multi-player team game based on an alien incursion to take over the Earth, combining elements of the popular board games of Risk and Pandemic. Designing the game was truly challenging. Writing the game manual – even harder!

I’m always encouraged when I hear from students and parents. Here’s a sampling of some of their comments. Read more >>>

Gabriel
“As a freshman at George Mason University I was nervous attending my first English class and even more nervous about writing papers for an actual college professor. My first assignment was a research paper. I wrote it, turned it in, and came in the next week anticipating a lot of red marks on the paper. The first thing the professor said to me when I came in was, “Gabriel, where did you learn to write like this??” I was stunned. I got a 98 on my first college paper. After having my paper shown to the entire class, I explained how I had been taught to research and write these types of papers by none other than Mr. John Jenkins. I took his British Literature class and his Effective Writing class in high school, and nothing could have prepared me better than his teaching. It is thorough, educational, and extremely helpful when it comes to writing on the educational and professional level, and might I say helped me pass my first college English class with an outstanding A+!”

Naomi
I’m taking English at Lord Fairfax Community College and right now it is so easy! All the class lectures are simply review for me. I have been able to apply everything I learned in the Effective Writing and Masterstrokes of Literature classes to this college course. I can’t tell you how much your classes and fantastic teaching have been such a blessing to me!  Thanks again! 

Josiah
Thank you so much for writing the letter of recommendation and bearing with me through multiple emails. I really appreciate the time you’ve invested in me in the past and now for the letter.

From Jacob’s Mom
Jacob is excelling beautifully at George Mason. He always gives you tremendous credit for where he is today. He still raves about you and says you far exceed any college professor he’s had thus far!

Julia
Your class has really helped me this year with just having a better understanding of how the writing process works. Believe it or not, those “skills” have also helped me with organization/time management in general. Thanks again and have a good summer!

From Josh’s Mom
I just wanted to thank you for a great class this year. Josh comes home every week excited about a new assignment or class discussion. Your class has really encouraged his interest in literature and writing.

(reprinted and adapted with permission by Sue McMillin, With Time to Spare, www.withtimetospare.com)

It’s silent and insidious. It frustrates our hopes and dreams. It tempts us to avoid the things we feel incompetent in doing, to put off the things we’re uncomfortable with, don’t like to do, or simply don’t care to do.

Its name: Procrastination.

In this past year, how many school- or life-changing inspirations have we received but failed to accomplish because we believed Procrastination’s lies?

Here are 7 actions that can help us defeat Procrastination: 

1) Establish deadlines. Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish the work. A realistic deadline will inspire you to finish the task. After establishing this deadline, stick to it.

2) Be a finisher. Complete one simple task before starting another. Proofread the paragraph in the report before you go to lunch. Break big projects into smaller, manageable parts.

3) Build in a reward. Reward yourself when you finish a project or a portion of the project.

4) Be accountable. Have a parent or a study partner check on your progress when doing a long-term report or project. If they point out weakness in your progress, don’t begrudge them. Incorporate the good advice and push forward.

5) Say “NO” to less important duties.  Focus on your goals and priorities and don’t let less important requests interrupt those key moments when you are about to finish a critical task.

6) Renew yourself. Maybe it’s time to pause and gather yourself for the last, big push. Play a computer game. Walk around the block. Refresh yourself and then go back to wrap up that critical task or project.

7) Eliminate perfectionism from your thoughts and vocabulary. Perfectionism is deadening. The trap of perfectionism will sap your energy, kill your creativity and encourage procrastination.

Bottom Line: Plan your work and work your plan. Establish realistic milestones with deadlines. Identify the parts of your assignment where you will be tempted to procrastinate. Start those difficult tasks when you are alert and have high energy. Build in rewards, encourage feedback from a parent, say no to less important tasks and toss perfectionism out the window! And if worse comes to worse, step away and renew yourself.