All California standards covered.
Students encouraged to deeply develop and explore writing interests:
Essays/Short Fiction/Biography/History/Poetry/Science/Humor/other genres.
This course provides the single most important, creative preparation for success in higher grades. It helps students with many subjects in 7th grade. Essay writing is important for high school admissions applications and tests. Students learn to write, think, read, organize... much more constructively and critically over the semester-long course.Sample first week:
- Welcome Intro - Names, favorite book(s) activities, schools, etc…
- Choosing a topic and beginning research - library, internet, the endless imagination, brainstorm/expert advice, why it pays to type: From brainstorm to polished product in just three months
- Materials for writers and thinkers of all sorts - The wonderful world of 3x5 cards, Pens and pencils of various shades, Post-its, Dictionaries galore, Little notebooks, Journals, Magazines and books, Doodles, Puzzles, Binders
- Books for the readers' group - Two to read together and two just for you! --- choose and bring next week! {Steinbeck's The Red Pony & Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes chosen as group reading books, Fall, 2005}
- Math - logic-art-creativity nexus… - Puzzles, Riddles, and Games that aid the writing process; Topics students want to cover
- Homework help - Bring questions about any writing assignment to the group every week. Call Mr. C during the week for a free phone consultation on any writing or non-writing h.w. problem that you want advice about. Exchange group phone #'s and e-mail addresses for peer help. Identify "study buddies" in each of your classes to work with. Call when out of class (sick, vacation, dentist/doctor/etc. appt…). Meet classmates in a café or at home to study for tests. Always PREpare for study sessions -- write out questions, comments, etc.
Lesson fees vary depending on the course you choose as the best for you.
Private lessons, tailored perfectly to individual needs: ......$90/Hr.
Semi-Privates.....................................................................$75/Hr.
Trios...................................................................................$65/Hr.
Quads and Quints................................................................$50/Hr.
[Ideal for 7th gr. writers' workshops:]
6-8 students.....................................................................$43/Hr.
9-13(max. number in any group).................................$35/Hr.
Since all seats in group courses are reserved for students in the course, and, thus, no one can fill a seat that goes empty, there is, unfortunately, no way to discount the course for those students who are absent on a given date. If a student misses a week and there is room available in another section of the course on another day of the week, the student is welcome to come on a "make-up day" at no extra charge. Students in the course can also take advantage of unlimited private sessions available at a significant discount.
