Please note: There must be at least 3 learners enrolled in order to run this class. Sections with fewer learners will be cancelled or asked to transfer.

**Please be aware that, as indicated on the schedule, I will be on maternity leave from October 2nd - January 7th. Therefore, during the fall semester, there is an break, after which the normal schedule will resume. During this time, I will post video lessons to the classroom each week in lieu of live classes. You will NOT BE CHARGED for these weeks since there are no live classes, but students will have access to the videos if they remained enrolled during this time. Thank you for your understanding! Don't hesitate to reach out with questions! 🙏

📣 Get $5 off your first class: Coupon code CONNO9TIBC5

🌟 General 🌟 
Welcome to High School Writing! 

This course is great for students who:
✅ want to supplement their ELA classes
✅ are looking for homeschool full year writing curriculum
✅ are ESL or ELL students looking for writing lessons from experienced ELA teacher with TEFL certification
✅ want to strengthen their writing skills
✅ want to strengthen their overall understanding of writing in different contexts
✅ want opportunities to receive feedback on their written work
✅ want to get college-ready
✅ neurodivergent learners who seek a safe space to learn with peers

In this ongoing class, students will practice writing in the four main types of academic writing that will be expected of them throughout high school, college, and beyond. 

Over the course of the year, we cover persuasive, expository, literary analysis, and narrative writing, homing in on one particular topic within each writing type each week. 

In each session, students will learn one concept, skill, or skill set. After the lesson, students have time to practice these skills through writing. We first practice with smaller exercises, then I send students to write a paragraph that uses the concept or skill of the day. Please note that we do not always finish the paragraph-writing portion in class. However, students are encouraged to finish for homework and submit to me for feedback. Students will also have the opportunity to share their writing at the end of each class for feedback. 

At the end of each writing unit, students will be assigned an essay prompt that allows them to apply all the skills they've learned in that unit. Students are highly encouraged to write and submit for feedback.

Although there are several sessions that cover one overall topic - persuasive writing, for example - each session is distinct and no prior attendance is necessary. That said, attending for an entire series or year will have the greatest impact on your learner’s writing. 

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
✅ understand the difference between the four major academic writing types
✅ understand and apply the techniques, standards, and rules for each type or academic writing
✅ apply specific writing skills to strengthen purpose, clarity, argumentation, and creativity in writing
✅ write specific types of pieces within each of the four academic writing types, such as cause and effect expository writing, or theme development literary analysis.

🌟 Weekly Breakdown 🌟 

🍁 Fall Semester 2023

Persuasive Writing:
1. September 4 - September 10: Ethos, Pathos Logos
2. September 11 - September 17: Persuasive writing techniques
3. September 18 - September 24: More persuasive writing techniques
4. September 25 - October 1: Persuasion in advertising

ASYNCHRONOUS VIDEO LESSONS/Maternity Leave:
5. October 2 - October 8: Persuasion in propaganda
6. October 9 - October 15: Claims
7. October 16 - October 22: Counterclaims
8. October 23 - October 29: Rebuttals
9. October 30 - November 5: Putting it all together (thesis statements & outlines)

Expository Writing:
10. November 6 - November 12: Introduction to expository writing: Reporting

🦃 November 13 - January 7th: Maternity leave **NO CLASSES]

LIVE CLASSES RESUME:
🌸 Spring Semester 2024
Expository Writing (cont.)
1. January 8 - January 14: Defining
2. January 15 - January 21: Writing about sequence, procedures, and processes 
3. January 22 - January 28: Writing about classification 
4. January 29 - February 4: Describing & descriptive writing
5. February 5 - February 11:  Comparison writing: Comparing 
6. February 12 - February 18: Comparison writing: Contrasting 
7. February 19 - February 25: Writing about cause & effect 
8. February 26 - March 3: Writing about problems & solutions
9. March 4 - March 10: Putting it all together

Literary Analysis Writing *I will provide readings
10. March 11 - March 17: Writing about characters & crafting thesis statements ("Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan)
11. March 18 - March 24: Writing about characters cont. & choosing and using evidence ("Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan)
12. March 25 - March 31: Writing about setting & embedding quotes ("Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan) 
13. April 1 - April 7: Writing about tone, & analyzing evidence ("Sonnet 130", Shakespeare) 
14. April 8 - April 14: Writing about theme & continued skills practice ("The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe)
15. April 15 - April 21: Writing about symbols & continued skills practice ("Identity" by Julio Noblao Polanco)
16. April 22 - April 28: Writing about motifs & continued skills practice (“Names/Nombres” by Julia Alvarez) 
17. April 29 - May 5: Comparing literature & continued skills practice ("Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman & "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin)
18. May 6 - May 12: Putting it all together

Narrative Writing
19. May 13 - May 19: Nonfiction narratives - Intro to narrative writing & personal narrative
20. May 20 - May 26: How to show v. tell
21. May 27 - June 2: Fiction narratives - story arcs
22. June 3 - June 9: Fiction narratives - using imagery & figurative language 
23. June 10 - June 16: Fiction narratives - setting the scene 
24. June 17 - June 23: Fiction narratives - writing dialogue

Schedule subject to change based on student interest

🌟 Class Structure 🌟 
- After introductions, we start with a mini-lesson on the day’s writing topic
- Then, if applicable that day, we complete a few exercises where we apply skills from the mini-lesson 
- After that, students complete tasks that require them to apply the skill or content taught in the mini-lesson 
- Lastly, we write a longer paragraph that applies the skills and share out optionally before signing off. Students are encouraged to finish their paragraphs and post/send them to me for feedback.

🌟 Teaching Methods 🌟 
This writing class is centered around direct instruction and skills practice. I strive to incorporate lots of encouragement and support while still maintaining high expectations and rigor. 

🌟 Interaction 🌟 
Students will collaborate to build understanding of the topic through questions and collaborative skills practice.

🌟 Prior Knowledge 🌟 
Students don’t need any specific prior knowledge. However, they should be at the appropriate grade level where they are ready to study the writing topics.

🌟 About the Teacher 🌟 
Meg Connolly is a certified teacher with bachelors degrees in literature and philosophy. She has masters degrees in teaching ELA, grades 7-12, and in teaching students with disabilities. In addition to her masters, she is TESOL certified and experienced in working with ESL students. She has nine years of teaching experience both in the US public school system and online. She also writes her own fictional short stories for podcasts. Check out her teacher profile for more info.

🌟 Meet and Greet 🌟
If you or your learner are hesitant to sign up before meeting me (understandably!), feel free to book a meet and greet here: https://outschool.com/classes/meet-greet-15-minute-session-MGpwi3mP#usXSuDFS3Z