Local Classes
If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, join Ms. B. live and in person in Roseville or St. Michael, MN. Classes meet weekly on Mondays and Tuesdays at Bethany Baptist Church or Wednesdays in St. Michael at St. Michael Catholic Church’s former Parish Center.
2010-2011 Calendar (all classes)
Fall: September 7 through December 20, 2010
Spring: January 12 through April 26, 2011
Local Writing Foundations Classes started in 2001 after Patsy Brekke completed the teacher training program from the Institute for Excellence in Writing. As an IEW accredited Accomplished Instructor, Ms. B. helps students to build a solid foundation of powerful writing skills using her own program laced with IEW principles. In some ways, this course approaches writing as an art to be imitated and shaped by the author. In other ways, Writing Foundations reduces writing to simple building blocks that empower young writers to master written language where they may have struggled hopelessly before. Using pre-written models as inspiration, students experience and practice the structure and style of quality written work. Naturally and purposefully, participants also gain strength in basic skills such as organization, spelling, vocabulary, punctuation and grammar.
NOTE: Writing Foundations started in 2001 after Ms. B. completed the teacher training program from the Institute For Excellence in Writing. Writing Foundations, however, is not the same as IEW’s student video curriculum. Regardless of past writing experience, ALL NEW STUDENTS MUST START AT LEVEL ONE.
Local Elementary Classes (usually grades 3-7ish) cover note taking, outlining, drafting, revising, summarizing, fables, narratives, grammar, vocabulary and stylistic techniques in a weekly classroom setting. Level II (the second year, usually grades 5-7ish) expands on the basics with simple essay and “read search” report writing. Every year culminates with a wonderful portfolio project!
Local High School Classes (grades 7-11) cover outlining, drafting, revising, facts, fables, narratives, summaries, essays, timed essays, portfolio work, note taking skills, vocabulary lessons and quizzes using The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale, grammar and editing lessons, fun games and more! Level II (the second year, grades 8-12) takes students into “read-search” reports, documentation, and more essays.