During this semester, this course will reinforce critical analysis of text, synthesize ideas, understand and locate literary devices, determine how time periods influence writers, complete active reading questions and answers, use creative thinking and writing, develop supportive arguments, reinforce conventions of grammar and language usage, write short responses (paragraph), and write three 5 paragraph essays.

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
I am a home educator with over 16 years of teaching experience with ages preschool to 12th grade. I have a proven track record of success in teaching writing to students of all ages and abilities, and I am passionate about helping learners develop their writing skills because I was a learner who found it difficult to understand the writing process. 

Specifically, I have taught multiple years of Middle School and High School English, including composition, literature, and grammar.  Currently, I teach an intermediate and an advanced high school level composition/literature course at our area homeschool cooperative.  

I believe that even the most reluctant writers can be unlocked with the right guidance and prompting. I have a college junior on the autism spectrum, a college sophomore with ADHD, and a gifted 10th grader.  Teaching to varying learners has given me the unique insight of how to teach children, at various levels, to express themselves.  

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
-Successfully developed and implemented my own writing curriculum for middle and high school students
-Instructed students regarding a variety of literary genres, including novels, short stories, poetry, and drama
-Helped students develop critical thinking and writing skills through close reading, analysis, and discussion
-Worked with students on a 1:1 basis, as well as in a classroom setting, to help them overcome specific writing challenges, such as grammar errors, punctuation issues, and difficulty organzing their thoughts
-Provided feedback on student work and offered guidance on how to improve writing & critical thinking skills
-Mentored other home educators implement strategies to help struggling writers, as well as provided them with resources and support

Homework Offered
Weekly reading and response writing are required for students requesting a grade. The response writing is mostly in the form of question-and-answer. Response homework will be graded and marked with full credit if thoughtful answers are provided. After completing each novel, students will write a full essay. Writing organizers and rubrics will be provided in advance. Essays will be graded according to the provided rubric. In addition, students who participate via verbal response or Nearpod answers will receive credit for class participation. Modified essay assignments are available upon request.
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Each learner will receive full credit for weekly homework if thoughtful answers are provided.  Five paragraph essays will be graded according to the rubric.  Class participation is worth 20 points per class, weekly assignments are worth 100 points, and essays are worth 250 points.  Students can receive a completion report or a report including all grades.  All students requesting a grade, who thoughtfully respond according to the requirements, should be able to obtain a high grade, as I give students the opportunity to resubmit homework or essays to achieve a higher score.  

Note: I prefer to challenge beyond each student's level; therefore, one student's "A" may not look the same as the next.  The overall goal is for the student to show overall improvement as the year progresses. Modified assignments are available upon request.
Grades Offered

We may utilize off site documents, photos, or quick videos to explore related concepts.