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This writing class is founded on the concepts taught in the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) program by Andrew Pudewa. The IEW program teaches structure and style: structure to develop organizational skills, and style to allow for individuality and creativity. The high-interest source materials for these classes have been chosen to launch the imagination and enthusiasm of elementary, middle school, and high school students. Grade-appropriate source materials are provided.
In the intro and elementary classes, writing during the class period is typically limited to crafting keyword outlines, brainstorming applicable descriptive details, and working through periodic worksheets to support new stylistic or structural elements. Intermediate students can expect to do more in-class writing toward the end of
the year, and advanced students will write during class more frequently. Occasionally, all students have the opportunity to read aloud from their compositions. The last week of each semester is usually reserved for an engaging and constructive review activity. This year the intro, elementary, and intermediate classes will be writing about striking land and water environments, fascinating flora and fauna, and distinctive aspects of human culture. We’ll also craft some of our own, sometimes wacky versions of familiar stories. The advanced class typically explores a similar but wider range of subject-matter.
The elementary IEW class for grades 4-6 features the following:
• Most of our weekly writing assignments are limited to 1 or 2 paragraphs; you may expect 1-3 hours of homework each week.
• Students engage in abundant group in-class preparation for individual written work — outlining, brainstorming stylistic elements and material for introductions and conclusions, and so on.
• As far as structural elements, we’ll cover IEW Units 1-7, and parts of Unit 8 and 9.
• Of the IEW stylistic elements, we will address all the basic dress-ups and most of the sentence openers. In addition, we’ll look at an assortment of decorations (including literary devices).
• We’ll delve into narrative, report, and essay writing. Students will work up to some finished compositions of 3-4 paragraphs.
• Students will learn the basics of MLA formatting.
This elementary IEW class is best suited for students in 4th-6th grade who
• Can read aloud and to themselves
• May have limited experience with some grammatical concepts, but can usually identify the basic 8 parts of speech
• Can recognize and form complete sentences, understand the general rules of subject-verb agreement, and maintain consistency in verb tense, with or without parental help
• Can copy notes from the whiteboard and take notes as instructed
The cost of the class is $80 per 6-week session. Enrollment in any session is not complete until you have both completed the form below AND paid your class fee in full, including any late fees due, etc.
o You may pay this instructor directly by check or via PayPal or Venmo:
o Each session payment is due 1 week before the session begins. Payments made after first day of class (any session) are subject to a $10 late fee per week.
o Curriculum purchases are to be made separately. (See individual class descriptions for info regarding required purchases and class schedule.)
o For more details on this class, including class description, payment details, required purchases and teacher contact information, please refer to the attachment to the right.
