Jan 30- May 1; No Class Feb 20, April 17

This class is typically for students in 9th through 12th grade, often ages 14-17.

This class will teach through the TWJ Basic Writing Handbook, helping students firmly understand the 4-step process taught in all classes. After learning the writing process, students will learn the different elements needed for specific types of essays. These include persuasive, argumentative, expository, descriptive, compare and contrast, discursive, reflective or a personal narrative. They will also learn methods and strategies that will allow them to complete each specific style, and they will write a selection of paragraphs and essays to practice the various forms. As this is an advanced level for high school students, students will have weekly homework to submit for feedback. This course will not study a novel, but will include articles and informational text for content. This class will help any students specifically working toward a-g requirements for high school students, as well as any students that simply desire a better understanding of high school essay writing.

writing foundations advanced

Skills Needed to Succeed in this Class

• Understands the parts of a complete sentence

• Informs instructor when information is not understood

• Willingness to participate in class discussions

• Shows evidence of time management skills 

• Able to complete 3-5 hours of homework weekly

Skilled Learned in this Class

• Fully developing a topic by writing multiple paragraphs 

• Following the essay format of an introduction with a hook, a strong thesis, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph 

• Providing specific examples from the novel to support assertions

• Explaining the examples with insightful literary analysis, using concrete details and supporting commentary sentences 

• Creating quality sentences by including many stylistic elements including strong vocabulary, varied sentence structure and length with proper punctuation, and adding figurative elements

• Instructions in the various essay types, such as personal reflective, expository, persuasive, argumentative, analysis, synthesis, and research

• MLA and APA formatting instruction

NOTE: At Formal Academic Essay Writing Level, students will be required to write a research paper for their enrichment project.

Other Class Details

12 weeks

Class meets for 1.5 hours per week. 

Maximum class size 20 students.

Supplies: pencil, paper, The TWJ Writing Foundations Handbook

Gmail account to access Google Classroom and communicate with instructor

For families that pay out-of-pocket for homeschooling classes, The Write Journey, LLC offers a discount of 10% for those classes. Use code “PRIVATEPAY” during check out to apply discount. This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts. The reduced rates for private-pay individuals may be used by students enrolled in charter schools, but only if the family chooses to pay for the goods or services out-of-pocket.

Venmo, PayPal, or Check? Use code “PERSONAL” during check out to change the class cost to $0. After you complete the registration process, please send us your payment. Venmo @TheWriteJourney-Cordell PayPal (Friends & Family) – info@thewritejourney.net

Paying with Charter School Funds? Use code “CHARTER” during check out to change the class cost to $0. After completing the registration process, contact your charter school to order vouchers/purchase orders in three one-month payments. Contact us for assistance if you plan to use charter funds and do not find The Write Journey (or Writing with Kris or Kris Cordell) on your charter school’s vendor list.

To pay with a check, contact us at 916.696.1759.

Cancellation Policy:

Due to the administrative costs and preparations of The Write Journey team to prepare classes and offer reasonable class sizes of 8-16 students, we must charge a cancellation fee. Teachers typically begin communication 2 weeks before classes begin, and class schedules must be finalized in order to offer the correct number of spots open for families. 

A $25 cancellation fee will be charged up to 2 weeks prior to the start of the ordered class. Any time after 2 weeks prior to the start of class, the cancellation fee is one full month’s charge. For private pay families with more than 2 children, a flat rate of $50 will be charged.