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 2023-2024 Classes Now Open!
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This Is Your Brain on Fiction
I just ran across a link to a 2012 article, "Your Brain on Fiction," by Annie Murphy Paul about the importance of reading literature. Did you know that reading descriptive writing not only stimulates the language-processing area of the brain, but also the related sensory regions? Furthermore, reading well-written fiction also improves the reader's social-emotional … Continue reading This Is Your Brain on Fiction
Writer in Training
Last summer I read James Clear's Atomic Habits. The book deeply reinforced my enthusiasm for harnessing the power of habits. As a result, at the beginning of last year's classes, I had my students fill out a sheet choosing a specific time to write each school day. I also committed to grading at a specific … Continue reading Writer in Training
Summer Drama Classes for Augusta/C.S.R.A. Students!
I'm excited to share a great opportunity for local students of Augusta and the surrounding area! My friend Christi Volpitto Wildes is offering a drama camp for students in grades 3rd-6th and 7th-12th! I've known Christi since she was in high school, and now her youngest child is in high school. 🙂 I've been privileged … Continue reading Summer Drama Classes for Augusta/C.S.R.A. Students!
Summer IEW Prep Course!
Please note time change: All class sessions will be held at 2 PM. If you have been curious about IEW classes, my new Summer IEW Prep Course would be a great one to start with! I will conduct a course of 6 class sessions beginning June 7. This is a live Zoom online course that focuses … Continue reading Summer IEW Prep Course!
Don’t “teach to the test!” Test what you teach!
Thanks to IEW's monthly newsletter, I just learned of a new test that replaces the problematic standardized tests that shackle teachers to Common Core standards, the ACT, and the SAT. Many private schools and homeschools educate their students using a classical model. Until recently, there was no standardized test or college entrance exam geared toward … Continue reading Don’t “teach to the test!” Test what you teach!
The Foundation of IEW Writing: Key Word Outlining
"Key Word Outlining" is the foundational writing skill that students first learn in the IEW method and Writing to Learn classes. As we progress through the different types of writing in the three levels, the way students choose the information for the key word outline (kwo) changes. Nevertheless, the kwo is always the catalyst for … Continue reading The Foundation of IEW Writing: Key Word Outlining
Experience a PREP-1 Class!
I just love teaching my PREP-1 class! PREP-1 builds a strong foundation in language through: key word outlining and oral reports poetry memorization and recitation literature through both read-alouds at home and short stories with analysis in each class The video below includes all three of the above components. "Harald and the Giant Knight," by … Continue reading Experience a PREP-1 Class!
Featured Student: Essay Contest Winner!
Last week I interviewed Tyleigh Spiller, one of my recent Level 3 graduates, about her experience of entering and winning an essay writing contest! The South Carolina Department of Education and Dominion Energy offered students the opportunity to choose and write about an inspiring African American from South Carolina. A winner was chosen from each … Continue reading Featured Student: Essay Contest Winner!
Registration Closed; Waiting List Open
I'm happy to announce that I have reached my total registration number of 40 for the 2022-2023 school year! If you would like to be added to my Waiting List, please click on the Contact tab and send me an email. Sometimes parents who register very early in the enrollment period find they have to … Continue reading Registration Closed; Waiting List Open