Parents know that writing is essential to their children's success, and they're eager to help their children become good writers. But often, they're at a loss about how to help. Instead of leaving them in the dark, schools can make parents into valuable writing partners by giving them a toolkit of guidelines for coaching writers. Mary Ehrenworth, deputy director of the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University's Teachers College, describes practical ways parents can support their children by helping them rehearse their writing and giving them knowledgeable feedback. For example, right from the beginning, parents can help their child structure his or her writing by asking questions like, "How will your story/essay/article go? Can you tell me about the parts?" "What do you want your reader to know right away?" or "What are you saving for the end?" Ehrenworth recommends that schools hold workshops and other informational events to help parents practice and implement the coaching tools.