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IN THE LOOP

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Friends and families,
As the calendar year draws to a close, we want to make sure you are in the loop with important next steps:

  1. For a couple months you get to enjoy a break from our class routine. Classes will begin again in two months, so for now, your children get to enjoy reading and writing books and stories that have been awaiting their attention.

  2. You’ll find our new Student Lesson Guide is now available for purchase as a downloadable on our website. This might be a great option for your children during the holiday break. The lessons provide an excellent review of our writing methods, and they are appropriate for a wide range of ages. You’ll find more information about this new product on our website.

3. Registration for all spring classes has already opened! Make sure you head over to our website to see what the options are for your children. As always, contact our home office if you have any questions. And don’t forget to order your vouchers before the Christmas break if you are using charter funds.

4. Now is a great time to share our classes with your friends so they too can enjoy the benefits of quality language arts instruction with our excellent instructors next semester.

5. We are excited to offer two course options for our Adult Training Program (ATP):

  •  Writing Foundations for ATP: Handbook Instruction

  •  Blending Literature with Writing: Practical Suggestions for All Ages

 Register for one or both of these courses now by contacting our home office. Based on the individuals attending these classes, days and timesare TBD.

If you are unfamiliar with our ATP course, you can find more details on our website. Then you will need to contact our home office for more information and details about these courses. Without doubt, these courses are extremely beneficial for equipping all parents to better assist their children with ALL writing assignments.

Great job getting through Fall 2022 with your amazing kiddos! Enjoy the holidays, and we’ll see you in 2023!! Remember: don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help you with ANYTHING - call or send us an email: 916-696-1759 or www.thewritejourney.net.

WHY MOVE INTO THE READING & WRITING CLASS AFTER WRITING FOUNDATIONS IS COMPLETE?

Why do we need to continue in classes after the Writing Foundations class is complete? We encourage students to continue on their writing journey after they complete the Writing Foundations class because: who learns every element of writing after only 12 weeks?  Language is complicated, and so are our thoughts and insights. Therefore, we must practice, practice, practice.  Our Reading and Writing classes are divided into two parts.  In the writing portion of class, we discuss how best to communicate our thoughts and messages by practicing the following in our own paragraphs as well as our practice sentences. 

  • Making sure each sentence fulfills it’s purpose

  • Using strong vocabulary

  • How to change our sentence structure

The other half of class is spent learning to analyze literature by reading it slowly. Literary discussions in the younger classes include devices such as, but not limited to:

  • Parts of a story

  • Annotate important aspects of character development

  • Chart other topics brought up in the novel 

In the older classes they look at the complex literary devices, such as:

  • The author’s craft or methods

  • Themes 

  • Point of view

We discuss these using specific examples in our novels and other novels we have read in the past. By learning to relate our novel studies to the outside world, we endeavor to think critically and apply these skills to other areas of study. 


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TWJ SPRING CLASS REGISTRATION Is OPen!

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Spring classes registration is open in early November!

If you plan to enroll your student in spring semester classes, you will find the novel info here, and there is a link to take you to the class schedule. Whether you want your child in a reading & writing class, or a Writing Foundations course, the website lists all of the days and times.
Click here for more info (article link)

Reading & Writing Class Details:

Primary Level:

1/2 Grade Reading & Writing Novel(s):
The Courage of Sarah Noble and by Alice Dalgliesh

Elementary Level:

3/4 Grade Reading & Writing

The Bears of Hemlock Mountain

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos

by Robert Lawson

5/6 Grade Reading & Writing

Amos Fortune: Free Man

By Elizabeth Yates

Intermediate Level:

7/8 Grade Reading & Writing
Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham

Advanced Level:

HS Reading & Essay Writing
Various Short Stories (Early American history) by American Authors

Including The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

College Prep Reading & Essay Writing

The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

AND

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Writing Only Courses:

If your child has not had formal writing instruction from our instructors, this course is the starting place for your student. The courses are arranged according to the Learning Level and age range of the student. Please contact the office if you have questions. 916-696-1759

Elementary:

Writing Foundations 13- Elementary Level- Tuesdays 9:30-10:30 am pst/12:30-2:30 pm est

Intermediate:

Writing Foundations 13- Intermediate Level- Tuesdays 9:30-10:30 am pst/12:30-2:30 pm est

Advanced:

Formal Academic Essay Writing- Wednesdays 9:30-11:00 am pst/ 12:30-2:00 pm est


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YOU DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS WHAT'S NEXT!

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I can’t believe it! Our 2022 fall semester is about to end! My how time does fly when we’re having fun. With this semester, we are wrapping up another Basic Adult Training class. As always, it’s been fun learning together.

But the Basic Adult Training class is just the beginning of our journey together. There is so much more that we long to train and equip you for as you blaze the trail (or stay the course) of bringing quality reading and writing instruction to your educational community.

Next semester, which will begin in late January, we will be offering the next level Adult Training classes. Like our students, these classes will meet for 12 weeks. Instruction will include minimal reading, 1 hour of live instruction and mentoring, and some homework to practice and learn the skills we cover.

While our Basic Adult Training class teaches the writing steps and strategies contained in The Write Journey Writing Handbook, the second ATP class will teach “Blending Literature with Writing”. This is the next essential ingredient for teaching quality language arts to students of all ages and grades. Without getting into all the reasons why, trust me when I say, “NOTHING is more effective than teaching reading AND writing TOGETHER.” When you attend this class, you will understand why this is true.

This class is available for all adults who have already attended the Basic Adult Training class. If you have not yet attended the Basic class, that’s the place for you to start. After completing the Basic class, you will be eligible to attend any and all of our ongoing ATP classes. The cost for the class is $75 per month for four months (Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr). You’ll also receive a complimentary copy of The Write Journey Literature Guide, which is currently in the making. Like all of our products, this will be an excellent resource: concise and practical in every way, for students of all ages.

If you have not yet taken the Basic Adult Training class, we hope you will sign up to join the next class that will begin in late January. The cost for this class is the same: $75 per month for four months. The days and times for these classes will be determined after registration. We do our best to accommodate the scheduling needs of adults.

As always, please contact our home office to chat with someone who will be able to answer all your questions. info@thewritejourney.net or 916-696-1759

TEACHING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

The topic of communication is a loaded one. So many different aspects of communication come to mind: speaking, acting, and writing are all means of communicating. Of course, at The Write Journey, we actively teach communication through writing, but many people don’t realize that we also focus on teaching and modeling quality verbal communication. In fact, this is one of our Core Values:

● Communication with Civility-The Write Journey educators model and teach communication skills, including voicing ideas responsibly and listening actively.

As students discuss their novels together in class, they observe and experience quality verbal communication. Think about it. Where can you go or with whom can you meet where you feel safe sharing your ideas, experiences, beliefs, knowledge, and understanding of a topic? Sadly, few places exist that offer honest conversation and dialogue. Imagine how important it is for students to be able to practice communication skills with their peers; this is preparation for real life! That cannot be overstated. As responsible parents and teachers, we do well to provide opportunities for lively discussions in our homes and classrooms. We practice in these ways:

● Discuss a book in depth. Talking about the characters is very safe; whereas talking about one’s personal life may be intimidating.

●  Learn to be great question askers. This skill requires practice. The more we practice asking quality questions, the better we develop the skill.

●  Model active listening. This means asking clarifying questions and repeating information to make sure we understand others accurately.

●  Practice disagreeing and giving reasons why, without becoming emotional. Learn to validate other ideas and perspectives. Make an effort to NOT feel personally attacked when someone disagrees with you.

●  Communicate to gain understanding, not simply to demand agreement. In real life, we must often agree to disagree. Fighting with our words rarely, if ever, accomplishes anything positive.

I hope you keep working on engaging in “Communication with Civility” in your homes and classes. Of course your children are always welcome in our Reading and Writing Classes where we practice learning how to be great communicators both verbally and in writing.