Our Writing Program of choice

Our Lady’s Montessori School uses the Institute For Excellence in Writing (IEW), history- based composition program.

This program offers students meaningful opportunities to apply the Structure and Style methodology across the curriculum, allowing them to engage with history through purposeful writing. Writing lessons are thematically connected to historical studies, inviting students to deepen their understanding through narratives, summaries of historical documents, and formal essays. Carefully chosen, age-appropriate source texts, including biographies, primary documents, and cultural literature, support accurate, rich exploration of history, while vocabulary development naturally grows from the historical themes being studied. This allows writing to become a tool for learning across subjects, reinforcing comprehension and critical thinking.

The program is especially effective for reluctant writers and those with learning differences. The explicit checklists and scaffolding act as “training wheels” that help students gain confidence and competence. Over time, they internalize the tools and move beyond formulaic writing.