8th grade Writers' Workshop

Prepare for success at the top high schools; write solid, stylish personal and persuasive essays; lit crit for academia and critical thinking development for young adolescents who are becoming ever more capable of using their abstract faculties.

Description

Who: 8th graders who want to have some serious fun becoming more literary (class size limited to ten students)

What/How/Why:
Prepare a portfolio suitable for application to SOTA's creative writing program
Write persuasive essays of all kinds, including personal essays for Independent High School applications
Do better on the SSAT and SAT reading and writing sections through exercising the relevant critical thinking skills
Get more out of everything you read in and out of school
Prepare for increased success and enjoyment in Language Arts classes now and excellence at Lowell, and top independent High Schools as you ...
Act as a member of a writers' community in a University seminar-like setting (with age appropriate modifications)
Increase comprehension, vocabulary and fluency in every area of language use
Work on (a) special project(s) in the field(s) of your choice: science, history, fiction, poetry
Grow as a thinker, student, maturing adolescent, and a member of a serious, intellectual community...

This course is a strong bridge from middle school expectations to much more demanding high school-level writing competencies. Students will grow enormously this year as independent, critical thinkers. Their writing can grow with them. It can even propel their thinking abilities into higher realms and lead them to deeper explorations of the moral, scientific, social, and literary complexities that fascinate young teens. Students will work on a long project that intrigues them and several shorter assignments that push them to develop better understanding of the ways language works in various genres and settings. Scott will guide students to use the course to satisfy personal goals and needs such as prep for various high school programs and tests; exploration of possible career paths; enrichment in an area not adequately covered, so far, in school; and simply overcoming stumbling blocks and annoying errors to develop a personal writing voice and style they can use in future academic and creative adventures.

Cost and Payment plans:
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.
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 huge discount - see below.

The price of the course also includes:
Analysis of individual learning styles and strengths and development of strategies for best success on the test and in school.

Many hours of editing and lesson planning.

Free phone consultations on H.W., test, and other questions that come up while enrolled in the course.

"trio" pricing for private sessions on any topic while enrolled in any group course (only $65/Hr.)

Discounts passed on directly to students/parents from bookstores and other vendors of course materials whenever they are available.

2010-2011 School Year Rates and Poicies

2010 lesson rates:

private tutoring lessons:....................... 125/hr 250 per 2-hour session

academic applications counseling ..... 175/hr 350 per 2-hour session

Students with similar enough goals to profit from group sessions can form a group to meet their needs:

semi-private lessons:..................... 100/hr (200 per 2-hour session)

trio lessons:................................. 85/hr (170 per 2-hour session)

Quad group ................................ 75/hr (150 per 2-hour session)

5 student group ........................... 65/hr (130 per 2-hour session)

6 student group ........................... 60/hr (120 per 2-hour session)

7 student group ........................... 55/hr (110 per 2-hour session)

8 student group ........................... 50/hr (100 per 2-hour session)

9-12 student group ……………… 45/hr ( 90 per 2-hour session)

13+ student group ………………... 40/hr ( 80 per 2-hour session)

Discounts:

In addition to the discounts that accrue as group size increases,

Private students can benefit from:

Pre-payment for a block of 20 hours (10 2-hour lessons) ………… receive 2 hours FREE – an 11^th 2-hour session is included when students pay $2500 before/at the first session – by check or in green cash. This results in a 10% discount.

Pre-payment for a 2nd block of 20 hours merits THREE FREE HOURS (15% discount)

Pre-payment for a 3rd block of 20 hours merits FOUR FREE HOURS (20% discount)

Payment in full, in advance, in GREEN cash for group or 6 or more sessions of private lessons ………….. 5% discount

All students, Private & Group:

Sibling discount of 10% for second, third… family member simultaneously taking lessons. (Family members need not be in the same class. The discount applies to all students after the first in a family, so long as multiple family members are concurrently enrolled in either private or group lessons. )

Group students:

20% discount on private lesson time purchased during the time a group meets.

8^th graders:

SSAT pre-payment package (8th graders):

Full Test Prep ........... $2900, pre-paid in full.

Full HS counseling services:

EVERYthing needed for applications to best-fit High Schools (independent, parochial, and/or public)

.............. $2900, pre-paid in full.

Bundle of both SSAT prep & Full HS Applications Counseling:

............................$5400

HS Juniors/Seniors:

SAT/ACT FULL test services:

............................... $3900

Full College Counseling Services:

EVERYthing (except expert financial advice) needed for applications to best-fit colleges throughout the US ( Private and/or Public colleges and universities: UC, CSU, "Gap Year" programs ...Ivy League, small lib. arts, arts schools, pre-med, arch., etc. )

............................. $3900

Bundle of both SAT or ACT prep & Full College Applications Counseling:

.......................... $7400

Policies:

Group lessons can not be cancelled or postponed since these times are set for everyone in a group in advance, however, I always include ONE FREE HOUR of PRIVATE instruction ($125 value) in Group rates. Students can use this hour to make up for a missed group session – or in any other way they think best. Group students can also take advantage of reduced rates for as many additional private hours as they like during the entire length of time a group course lasts (one month – one semester, or even longer for some groups). Finally, group fees are much lower than private ones, per hour, so the amount of money lost due to a missed lesson is much less. Students should include thoughts of potential conflicts with group lesson times in the cost-benefit calculus that helps them determine whether private or group lessons fit best.

If Private lesson clients do ever need to change/cancel a session, please give at least 48 hours notice – MORE advance notice, whenever possible. Since I reserve time for individual clients, I often have to turn down requests for tutoring or ask students to come at less than optimal times because ideal session times are booked. With 48+ hours notice, I have time to book an alternate client in the place of someone who needs a change. With less than 48-hours’ notice, unless a client refers a replacement session-user, I have to charge full session fees as reserved time can not be filled on short notice. I never ‘double bill,’ however; so, if, as often happens during particularly busy times of the year, I am able to schedule a new client on short notice, it is very much my pleasure to waive fees for those clients who find themselves unable to make an appt. within the 48 hours non-cancellation period.

7th grade Writer's Workshop

Exploration in more advanced techniques of writing than earlier grades.
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:

1. Welcome Intro - Names, favorite book(s) activities, schools, etc…
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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}
5. Math - logic-art-creativity nexus… - Puzzles, Riddles, and Games that aid the writing process; Topics students want to cover
6. 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.

Cost and Payment plans:
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.