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Class Info

English 4 (NW)

Class Year:  2021-2022
Time:  Wed 11:15 am - 12:30 pm;
Teacher:  Becky Thompson
Tuition:  $550 / Year or $55 / Month for 10 Months
Supply Fee:  $50 / Year - Due Upon Registration (Non-Refundable)
Location:  Northwest (Cypress)

Tuition: 

* Early Bird Tuition Rate, Postmarked before July 1: $500/year or 10 payments of $50

* Regular Tuition Rate, Postmarked after June 30:    $550/year or 10 payments of $55

Supply Fee:  $50, a one-time, non-refundable fee for class supplies and teacher-created materials.

Class Description: Strong written communication is foundational to every subject in a child’s education.  When this critical base is formed early and well, it provides students with priceless academic ability and confidence throughout their schooling years.  This class lays the groundwork for writing, grammar and reading success in the year to come and the years to follow.

For writing, the teacher will use the Institute for Excellence in Writing’s (IEW) Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales, where a wide variety of adventures will supply a rich foundation for imaginative and enjoyable writing. Students will write well-structured, short, imaginative paragraphs throughout the year.  Grammar and usage cover punctuation, capitalization, proper word usage, the eight parts of speech and basic sentence structure. Students will practice expanding sentences weekly and will write well-structured three-paragraph reports and stories by year-end.  

Grammar will be light but thorough, covering punctuation, capitalization, proper word usage, the eight parts of speech and basic sentence structure.  The teacher will provide a grammar syllabus, weekly introductions/reviews, and regular quizzes/tests; but on the whole, grammar will be taught at home by a parent.  The required “open-and-go” curriculum should eliminate any advance preparation for parents.

In addition to writing and grammar, students will read four classic, on-level chapter books from various genres and study a sprinkling of poetry. The teacher will also provide an at-home book list for extra credit.

After Spring Break, cursive handwriting will be mandatory on final writing assignments. Neatness and organization are required.

What Parents Say About Mrs. Thompson’s Classes:

  • “My child has truly blossomed under Mrs. Thompson’s instruction! He has become a strong writer, enthusiastic reader, and his handwriting is remarkable. This progress could not have been made without the infectious passion Mrs. Thompson has for literary arts.~J.F., April 2021
  • “We have loved English this year with Mrs. Thompson! My daughter talks frequently about how nice, kind, fun and helpful Mrs. Thompson is.  As a parent and a former teacher, I appreciate her thoroughness in teaching many aspects of reading and writing that often get neglected.  I also appreciate her nurturing spirit towards the students and friendliness in our parent/teacher relationship.  She loves what she does, and it shows.  She’s the best!”~ R.P., April 2021
  • As an accidental homeschool family (Thanks, Covid!), this class has been such a blessing. My 3rd grader really struggled with writing in public school.  With Mrs. Thompson’s guidance and encouragement through IEW, his progress this year has been so tremendous that I would not believe it had I not been reviewing his work every day this year.  We are so grateful for this class and can’t wait to see what progress he makes next year!~ A.G., April 2021
  • Mrs. Thompson challenges, encourages, and loves her students. My daughter has grown so much from being in her class. ~A.M., April 2021

 

Requirements at Home: 

  1. Homework: Students will have daily assignments and need regular parental instruction/oversight.
  2. Parent oversight/instruction:  At home, the parent is still the teacher. While no advance preparation is required, parents will provide personal one-on-one instruction each day followed by intermittent oversight.  Parents will help students follow the syllabus and check their student’s work each day, so the student can make timely corrections.
  3. Grading:  Parents will grade all grammar assignments, and students will turn grammar tests in to the teacher.  The teacher will grade all writing assignments and provide a cumulative grade each semester. 
  4. Time Required: Students will need to spend approximately one hour per day on their assignments depending on their maturity, attention span and writing dexterity.  Parents should break this time up into natural segments as they see fit.

 

Parent Orientation:  A required parent orientation will be scheduled prior to the first class.

 

Texts and Chapter Books:

https://iew.com/shop/products/portable-walls-structure-and-style%C2%AE-students#slideshow-1