Write Like A Pro: Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay for High Schoolers

Students will learn how to:
1. Read a writing prompt, form an opinion, and construct a thesis statement.
2. Construct an organized outline to serve as the roadmap for their paper.
3. Write a rough draft based on their thesis and outline.
4. Spot common errors and edit their rough draft.
5. Write and format a solid final paper with a definite introduction, body, and conclusion.

I have been teaching English and writing to students from middle to graduate school for over 20 years. I've helped students write essays, research papers, SAT essays, college application essays, and even professionally edited PhD dissertations. One of my greatest joys is to break down the (seemingly) daunting task of writing a paper into small, manageable, and easy-to-understand steps. Everyone can write a paper, and it's my job to show you how!

Students are expected to write each week, based on the lesson. Throughout the class, homework will include writing a thesis, outline, rough draft, and final draft, using the teacher's notes to edit them.

**All homework is assigned during class and is due before the next class. Assignments that are turned in late do NOT receive feedback. (Individual cases of illness, power outages, etc. will be reviewed by the teacher and the due dates will be amended accordingly.)**

Each week, the student's assignment will be reviewed and edited by the teacher and returned with specific feedback before moving onto the next step of the writing process. At the end of the course, the student's final draft will be graded according to the assigned rubric.

55 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.