Recently, one of my Writing Moms asked me to write a recommendation for her son, who has just completed Level 2, for admission into Honors English at the college preparatory high school he will be attending this coming fall. I was happy to do it. The student has worked hard for the last two years … Continue reading I Passed!
Spring Break in Italy!
In Augusta, Georgia, where I live, everything runs on Masters time, i.e., around our little golf tournament held the first full week of April every year. For this reason, students in Augusta have their Spring Break later than almost everyone else in the U.S. We love everything about the Masters and we usually stay in … Continue reading Spring Break in Italy!
Student Writing: “What the World Needs”
I opened my emails yesterday to find the latest edition of Magnum Opus, IEW's newsletter of student writing! The newsletter features one of the nine units of IEW structure each month, and the March edition is devoted to Unit 7 "Writing from the Brain" essays, or, as they now call it, "Inventive Writing." These are … Continue reading Student Writing: “What the World Needs”
Registration for 2022-2023 Classes Now Open!
Please click on the “Classes” tab for the schedule, pricing, and course descriptions! If you want to register for classes, please click on the Contact tab and send me an email to request registration materials. If you have questions, please email me through the form on the Contact tab and I will be happy to … Continue reading Registration for 2022-2023 Classes Now Open!
Student Writing: “A Wonder of Times Past”
In Level 3, students write ten different models of essays often taught in freshman college English classes. One of the ten models is the Process essay, in which the writer describes a process in stages and steps. Like all essays, this one has a thesis, an opinion that the essay explains. Tyleigh Spiller, one of … Continue reading Student Writing: “A Wonder of Times Past”
Featured Story Chart: “Christmas Day in the Morning” with Complete Text
In 1985 as I was reading the December “Reader’s Digest,” I came across Pearl S. Buck’s lovely story, “Christmas Day in the Morning.” I read it and cried. It perfectly expressed the love my own father has for me, and it was a masterful illustration of 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved … Continue reading Featured Story Chart: “Christmas Day in the Morning” with Complete Text
Creating an MLA Works Cited Page with Citefast!
One of the more unpleasant parts of my job is teaching MLA citation of sources, a crucial part of writing any research-based paper. The rules are abundant and detailed. It is important for students to have a basic understanding of the rules, but it is also helpful for them to have a tool to make … Continue reading Creating an MLA Works Cited Page with Citefast!
Featured Writing Student: Michael Bowen
As a writing teacher, one of my greatest rewards is seeing students using their hard-won skills in real life. One student who has recently done this is Michael Bowen. He graduated from my Level 3 class in 2019 and went straight to joint enrollment, completing his English requirement the next year. He graduated from high … Continue reading Featured Writing Student: Michael Bowen
Not a “Wishy-Washy English Teacher”
Quite apart from the fact that improper manuscript form greatly complicates the already onerous task of handling, marking, and sorting several hundred papers, and recording grades for them every semester, there is also the fact that one of the most important things a student should take from his education is a sense that he must … Continue reading Not a “Wishy-Washy English Teacher”
Why Do You Write the Date So Funny?
If you have noticed the dates on my articles, you might wonder why I write them that way. For instance, the date on this post is 15 October 2021, not October 15, 2021 as is usually written in the U.S. Actually, the date format I use is the one required by MLA, the Modern Language … Continue reading Why Do You Write the Date So Funny?