The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for reflection, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our balance.~Norbet Platt retrieved from http://www. joyheartfoundation.org/journalwriting.htm The writing process is not an easy practice for everyone, especially for students who are below their grade level in reading and writing. Even at the high school level, students still struggle to fully develop their writing. Teachers today are subject to the constraints of state schedules and standardized tests that often ask students to write at nearly every subject level. Content teachers get frustrated when they feel the need to add writing to their already comprehensive curriculum. The reality is that writing needs to be taught with curricular content. Writing takes students beyond the regurgitation of typical multiple-choice questions. Writing allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the relationships and complexities of the materials covered. So the question becomes: how can a student learn to write a more developed essay? There are many different types of rubrics used in academia, and while each has its own way of dividing the parts of an essay into categories, there are generally three categories: purpose, organization, and conventions. Students need strategies to help them address each of these categories in their writing. Students must learn strategies in questioning, pre-writing, and revision to develop essays that demonstrate their full understanding of the curriculum. The purpose of writing goes hand in hand with the development of writing. A student must understand what he is being asked to write. Must be able to... middle of paper... develop strategies with and without peer support. American Journal of Educational Research. 43(2), 295-337. Retrieved from the ERIC database. Jacobson, L. T. & Reid, R. (2010, Winter). Improving the persuasive essay writing of high school students with ADHD. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 76(2), 157-174. Retrieved from the ERIC database. McCollister, K. & Sayler, M. F. (2010, Winter). Raising the roof: Increasing rigor with critical thinking skills. Gifted Child Today, 33(1), 41-47. Retrieved from ERIC database.Monroe, B.W. and Troia, G.A. (2006, September/October). Teaching writing strategies to middle school students with disabilities. Journal of Educational Research, 100(1), 21-33. Retrieved from the ERIC database. Zion, M. & Sadeh, I. (2007, Fall). Curiosity and open inquiry-based learning. Journal of Biological Education, 41(4), 162-168. Retrieved from ERIC