Hi! I'm Kristian Kuhn.

I currently teach both high school and college English in Upstate New York.

Over the course of my twenty-year career, I have taught the entire gamut – all the way from 9th graders to English majors working on their graduate degrees. I am obsessed with writing and love learning about new ways to become a more effective writing instructor.

In the past few years, I have published a few collections of poetry; and as you know, a textbook that breaks down my three heuristics that comes complimentary with the purchase of my course.

My background is in rhetoric and composition. I earned my degrees from Brown University. Like some of you, I felt like I was hurled into the classroom in those first years, left to my own devices – left to figure it out on my own. Teaching can be very isolating because we often stay within the confines of our space, close the door, and figure it out over time. I’m the type of teacher, still, after twenty years of doing this - that loves to see teachers teach writing.

There are so many ways to do it and so much to learn. I’m so thankful for the frustrations of my first years of teaching because those days taught me to grow and to learn. And that’s what I like doing most as a teacher – sharing what I’ve come to know and understand. No matter how much time I have in the classroom, I hope to always be receptive to learning from my peers. That’s one of the beauties and beasts of our profession – we can never be perfect. No matter how good we are, we aren’t perfect – we can always do it better.

My goal is to have an impact. I love seeing the proverbial lightbulbs illumine above the heads of teachers I share my ideas with. And that is why I created this course. I am offering twenty years of wisdom, but I am also receiving so much from all of you. That is the beautiful reciprocity of our profession.

Why do my students call me the "Bob Ross" of teaching writing?

For those of you that don’t know, Bob Ross is the PBS painter with the big Afro who is always painting “happy little trees” and speaking to us with his signature silky-smooth voice.

Some find him to be quirky and odd, but the man had a knack for teaching and was truly talented in how he connected with his students. At the beginning of each of his episodes, he might say something like this – “Ok … today we are going to paint a beautiful autumnal landscape with a happy little New England wood-covered bridge going over a babbling little brook.” He wouldn’t then hand out graphic organizers and sit at his desk or mill around the room looking bemused – he would paint with his students, talk them through the process of making art while providing plenty of support, models, and exemplars.

That’s exactly how we must teach writing for our students – we must “paint” with them!

In each of my writing workshop videos, I “paint” with you and your students and walk you through how my three heuristics can be used every time your students write, no matter what the expository mode. Bob Ross was a big proponent of his heuristic. He only ever used the “wet-on-wet” technique and it worked like magic every single time, as do my heuristics.

What My Students Say

Don't take my word for it. Here are some of my students and their experiences in writing.

"There's no better way to write."

Alyson

I was lucky enough to have Mr. Kuhn as a teacher for two years in high school, and that first year, I fell in love with writing. The Syllogistic Method is an incredibly smart way to write, and Kuhn was able to simplify it enough for kids to really understand WHY it’s powerful, convincing, and flat out the best way to write an essay. The year prior to having Kuhn, I was taught “CEIEI” and I never really grasped it, as I felt it never really flowed right. Mr. Kuhn taught me how to blend the different syllogisms to write an essay that could probably be considered art. The Syllogistic Method can be used with any type of writing, with any subject. I’ve used it throughout college - English, History, Philosophy, Psychology, and many more. I will never write any other way. Thank you, Mr. Kuhn, for being one of the most profound influences in both my educational, and personal lives.

"The Syllogistic Method is a Game Changer!"

Elyse

Mr. Kuhn taught me AP Language Arts during my junior year of high school and I saw a more rapid and dramatic improvement in my writing than I have any year since. On one of the first papers of the year, before the syllogistic method had really sunk in, I got a C- and the word "yikes" written across the back page. Over the course of the year, as we went over examples and learned HOW to write strong, successful papers, the syllogistic method began to come naturally to me. One of the biggest mistakes English teachers (and any other teachers who regularly assign papers) make is grading papers by giving feedback about what the student did wrong instead of how to do it right. Before Mr. Kuhn's class, writing papers felt like guesswork; when I did well, I wasn't sure why I had done well, and when I did poorly, I didn't understand why I had done poorly. The syllogistic method took the guesswork out of writing. There is a clear structure to follow which still leaves ample room for individuality and creativity within the writing process.

"A Masterful Method"

Courtney B.

Having learned directly from Mr. Kuhn throughout my junior year of high school, I can easily speak to the strengths and confidence his teaching methods offer students. While writing has always been a passion of mine, it was not until I took Mr. Kuhn's class that I feel I truly learned how to compose a thoughtful and well-rounded piece- a strong representation of his own understanding of the writing process. As I have progressed in my education, I used the syllogistic method when completing the writing portion of the SAT and I look forward to using it once again as I sit for my GRE next month. To gain access to an entire book of Mr. Kuhn's methods is a wonderful opportunity that I believe everyone should take advantage of.

"The Key to Professional Writing"

J.M. Emerson

The syllogism is an undeniably effective tool to take writing to a professional standard of depth and complexity. Learning how to write a syllogism took my writing from a public-school standard, cheesy and scripted, to a collegiate level in a matter of months. I had never enjoyed writing previously; I felt like I was writing the same thing every time. With the syllogism on the other hand, I feel like every piece is unique and contains a part of me. This makes writing a fun adventure every time - turning out a product that is appealing to readers. Using the technique, I have aced writing assignments in college without difficulty and am confident in writing applications and cover letters as I enter the adult world.

"Best Method with the Best Results"

The syllogistic method is phenomenal! I’ve always struggled with writing, staying concise, and putting my ideas and thoughts on paper. However, I had Mr. Kuhn as my teacher in high school. He taught us all about the syllogistic method of writing and my writing improved GREATLY! It teaches you how to avoid common errors, how to clearly portray your ideas, and so much more! I still use it when I am writing essays in college and it’s so useful.