Many parents ask the same question: What truly makes a good writing class? What should a writing class really teach? Is it about teaching children how to use advanced vocabulary, craft beautiful openings and endings, and master various writing techniques? Or is it about teaching them how to observe the world, understand others, and form unique thoughts and judgments?
It wasn't until I recently read a book review by a sixth-grader that I felt this might be the best answer.
This was a very ordinary assignment. The teacher assigned the children a book review, and the requirements were very simple: after reading the story, choose the two most important scenes and explain why.
The student wrote:
I believe the eighth paragraph is crucial. Moths sacrificing their lives in pursuit of light is actually a profound metaphor: it suggests that people will also harm themselves for fleeting attention and recognition.
Secondly, the death of the moths here is treated as entertainment—the girl merely observes, even treating them as candles.
This reveals a cruel reality: in this age of social media, people are easily treated as tools for creating "content"; often, the suffering of others is merely a number to gain views in the eyes of creators.
(Book review written by a 6th-grade student)
When I read this, I paused.
Because he was no longer talking about moths. He was not just seeing a girl watching moths fly into a flame.
He connected moths chasing light to people chasing attention and recognition; from a girl watching moths die, he connected it to the "amusement to death" of the social media era today.
This ability to think from story to reality, from individual to society, makes it hard to believe that these words were written by a sixth-grader.
However, a few months ago, when he wrote a book review, his writing was completely different.
(This washis essay a few months ago)
Not only was it very short, but more importantly, it contained very little of his own thought. He answered what the assignment asked for; he repeated what the story said.
How could such a big change happen in just a few months? Why could a child who once disliked writing and was merely "sent to class" by his mother gradually write with philosophical thought?
The answer lies with his writing teacher, Steven.
But if you think Mr. Steven's secret is some writing template, perfect sentence structure, or high-scoring technique, you'd be wrong.Because Mr. Steven never just teaches writing. He teaches thinking.
Let's look at the methods Mr. Steven uses to make his students' writing abilities take a qualitative leap.
(This Thursday evening at 7 PM, Steven's first writing lecture and open class, scan the QR code to participate)
Mr. Steven and the Reading and Writing Class
To write good pieces, you must understand what good pieces are.
Many parents are often confused when they first hear about Mr. Steven's courses. Why is there so much reading in a writing class?
Mr. Steven once used a very vivid analogy: If you want a chef to create Michelin-level dishes, you must first let them taste what Michelin dishes are like, let them know how to plate, how to combine ingredients, and how flavors layer.
Otherwise, even the best techniques are just castles in the air.
Writing is the same. Without reading, it's difficult to develop true aesthetic appreciation. Without thinking, it's hard to form truly original opinions.
Therefore, Mr. Steven's classroom is never just about teaching students to write essays, but about training their thinking through reading.
Each week, he carefully selects short stories, essays, or literary works worthy of repeated study, based on the current teaching objectives.
Moreover, these articles are not chosen randomly. Over the past decade, Mr. Steven has continuously read, filtered, and accumulated, gradually building a vast library of reading resources. It includes both modern works and classic literature; stories close to students' lives, and humanistic works that provoke deep thought.
The purpose of students reading is not to imitate how the author writes.
Instead, it's to constantly ask: Why did the author write it this way? If it were me, how would I see it? How does this story relate to the real world? What does it remind me of?
Over time,children learn not just writing techniques, but a way of looking at the world.
Mr. Steven's Unique Homework Grading
What truly impressed me was Mr. Steven's method of grading homework.
Over the years, no matter how busy he is, he still insists on personally reading each student's assignment and writing comments by hand. He says, "Handwriting has warmth. Children can know that I have truly read their words carefully."
More importantly, his comments are never just simple scores. They're not numerical grades like 90 or 80; they're not evaluative conclusions like "excellent" or "good"; rather, they are a continuous dialogue that happens outside of the classroom.
Regarding the book review about the moths, Mr. Steven wrote (in Chinese):
"I really like how you connected the moth's sacrifice to a darker interpretation of 'suffering for the entertainment of others'."
"While I don't think the author was expressing social media-style entertainment, your point makes me think: every day, many nameless people make silent sacrifices, and yet we rarely notice them."
(Mr. Steven's grading)
You'll notice thatMr. Steven doesn't directly tell students what's right or wrong, but rather builds upon their existing thoughts, pushing them one step further.
This step is precisely where the most precious aspect of education lies: it's not about spoon-feeding answers, but about helping children continuously ask better questions.
Using actions to guide students to love writing and think deeply
In fact, this student initially disliked writing, and came to class only because his mother insisted. He found writing boring and saw no meaning in it. So, every assignment was done with a "task completion" mindset.
Facing such a student, Mr. Steven neither criticized nor gave up.He simply did one thing: he influenced behavior through behavior.
If a student wrote only 30 words, his comment would be 50 words; if a student stayed on the surface of the story, he would gently guide the child beyond the story through questions.
(For parent feedback on this course, please click this link to read: The hidden gem writing teacher that top private school parents won't tell you about)
A year ago, this same student wrote a book review, though he did it perfunctorily. Yet Mr. Steven still gave careful comments.
Mr. Steven's comments (in Chinese): This is a great observation. Can you think further about how this reflects how we usually view women? And how we view life? Have you ever experienced anything that you took for granted until you lost it and realized its importance?
(Mr. Steven's grading of that book review from a year ago)
Such guidance seems simple, but it is precisely through repeated questioning that the child begins to learn how to think.
Yesterday, he could only write about the story itself; today, he begins to think about the human nature behind the story. Yesterday, he could only describe what happened; today, he begins to question why it happened.
The growth of writing ability often doesn't happen suddenly. It accumulates slowly through countless readings, essays, and conversations.
The above is just one ordinary case from Mr. Steven's 5th-7th grade reading and writing class.
In Mr. Steven's creative writing, literary analysis, and college application essay guidance, this ability to "see the essence from appearances" is consistently present.
(Student feedback on Mr. Steven's writing class. Click on the blue text to read"Mom, I finally understand my brother's feelings for me." This sentence almost brought tears to my eyes)
(Mr. Steven's summer series course schedule)
His guidance led students to Ivy League schools.
There was a student who, when applying to universities, wrote about his experience growing up as the second child in the family. The initial version was nothing more than loneliness, feeling overlooked, and a desire to be seen.
Such stories are not uncommon.
Mr. Steven guided him to constantly ask: What if we magnify the family to society? What if we place personal experiences within a historical context? Why are those overlooked people overlooked? Are they really just a number?
Thus, an essay that was originally about family relationships ultimately became a reflection on history, society, and individual destiny.
Later, this student was admitted to Stanford University. Moreover, at the Stanford freshman orientation ceremony that year,the Dean of the Undergraduate College specifically cited relevant content from this unique essay, saying, "In your historical research, you wanted to go beyond the famous figures in events and turn to the unsung heroes who truly shaped the course of world events..."
Reading this, you might understand why the essays guided by Mr. Steven always give people a unique feeling.
Becausewhat he truly focuses on is never how to make an essay more beautiful, but how to help students develop their own powers of observation, critical thinking, and expression.
(Scan the QR code to inquire about writing classes and essay guidance)
Who is Steven?
Mr. Steven was born in Vancouver and graduated from Yale University with a dual degree in Economics and Molecular Biology.
He worked in Research and translation at the New York Times and served as an editor for the renowned Canadian magazine Maisonneuve. He has also taught various writing courses at Hillhouse for over ten years.
These experiences have given him both the rigor of academic training and the keen observation skills of a media professional. But perhaps more importantly,he always believes that the essence of writing is not words, but thought.
Over the years, many students have entered Ivy League schools and won writing competitions with Mr. Steven's guidance.
But what is most touching, perhaps, is a message from a student after graduation: In Mr. Steven's class, I learned not just writing, but a way of thinking about the world, understanding others, and understanding myself.
Perhaps this is the best form of education: it doesn't bloom immediately, but slowly takes root through daily reading, thinking, and expression.
And what Mr. Steven does is to accompany every child in finding their own direction of growth. He teaches them to observe the world, understand others, and know themselves.Ultimately, to grow towards the light on their own path and quietly blossom in their own season.
"If you are looking for a writing teacher for your child, if you want your child to have a unique perspective on issues, if you want them to think deeply, then come to Mr. Steven's writing class and let time surprise you!"
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Appendix: Steven's commentary on the latest Common App essay video clips:
