weekly

or for all content

Self-Paced Class: Middle School Writing Instruction for Reluctant Writers

New class

Ages 11-14

Self-Paced Course

This six-week, self-paced course includes six instructional videos. It will help reluctant writers better understand how to write an organized, grammatically correct, and creative multi-paragraph narrative at a pace that suits them.

Melanie Howell

Average rating:

4.9

Number of reviews:

(31 reviews)

6 pre-recorded lessons

6 weeks of teacher support

Choose your start date

1 year of access to the content

Enroll Now, Start Anytime

Go at your own pace

Your learner can start learning when they want and progress at the speed that works best for them.

Not Accepting Enrollments

Start when you want.

Learn at your own pace

Access course material for a full year.

Get hands-on support from teacher.

About Learning Overview Schedule Teacher Reviews

What's included

6 pre-recorded lessons

6 weeks

of teacher support

1 year access

to the content

Assignments

1-2 hours per week. The class goal is for each student to apply the writing instruction in the videos to their own writing. Each student submits a rough draft, makes revisions, and then submits a final draft.

Grading

After submitting the rough draft of the narrative, students will receive feedback and suggestions via email and/or video files. Students will receive an evaluation form once the final draft is shared with the teacher.

Class Experience

US Grade 6 - 9

Beginner Level

Writing a narrative is a part of every middle school writing curriculum. This six-week, self-paced course includes six instructional videos that help students who, for whatever reason, struggle to commit their creative ideas to paper in an organized manner. I take the abstract nature of creative writing and make it more concrete for the students who need a bit more structure to thrive.

As your teacher, I can answer questions and send you feedback/suggestions after you submit the rough draft. Once the final draft is submitted, I will send you a final evaluation form. I typically respond within two business days. 

Each instructional video includes a slide presentation to make learning visible. Each lesson also includes a handout summarizing the lesson. Students will be asked to pause each video and complete a short class assignment. These assignments are designed to reinforce the concepts discussed in the video and provide extra practice. They are not due to the teacher, allowing you to work at your own pace and focus on your learning. 

#writinginstruction
#writingtutor
#middleschoolwritingtutor
#narrativeessay
#narrativewriting
#selfpacedwriting
#homeschoolwriting
#homeschoolwritingclass
#reluctantwriter
#5thgradewriting
#6thgradewriting
#7thgradewriting
#8thgradewriting
#9thgradewriting

Learning Goals

Students will learn how to plan and organize a narrative.

Students will learn strategies to develop more sophisticated sentences by including adjectives, varied sentence structure, literary devices, and varied sentence length.

Other Details

Learning Needs

Reluctant writers often have unique learning needs. This class accommodates these needs by breaking the writing process down into small, manageable chunks and celebrating all achievements.

Supply List

Students only need access to computer and the ability to send a typed copy of their writing to the teacher through the Outschool classroom.

External Resources

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Sources

No outside sources are required for this course.

Meet the teacher

Melanie Howell

Joined February, 2022

4.9

31reviews

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

Hello! My name is Melanie, and while I have public school and homeschool experience, I have been a private school teacher for twenty-five years. I am the author of a published picture book called Will's Ride. It is a lovely picture book about a boy and his adaptive bike, which I wrote for my son with cerebral palsy.  
The combination of an experienced private school teacher and the mom of a special needs child makes me a unique teacher. I can recognize when students need a challenge and when they need consistent repetition for new knowledge to move into long-term memory. I enjoy hosting a Facebook page for teachers called Teaching Matters and a Youtube channel called The Teacher's Playbook.

 Creating a dynamic learning environment where students feel safe and supported is the first essential element of my teaching style. I meet each student at their level, providing academic support, redirection when needed, and genuine praise. I will maximize your learner's potential.