Philosophy

Dear Parents and Students,

Each child is at a different point in their writing journey. My goal is to take your middle grade child from his or her individual Point A to their individual Point B...or perhaps further!

I believe that each person must learn to communicate well in both their speech and writing. In any given setting, students should continue to intentionally improve their language skills.

Communicating ideas clearly and properly (be it story, reflection, or fact) is paramount to sharing any information. My job is to design assignments, encourage during the process, and give valuable feedback when finished. It then becomes your child's choice to use my advice in future writings or assignments.

I encourage parent or guardian help! Many writers become better through continual encouragement, and parents/guardians are on the front lines. The instructions in the lessons throughout this course are detailed, and parents may need to help students break some of the information into logical steps. Of course, I am only an email away, so please feel free to voice any questions about expectations or requirements when they come up.

I will refer to the 6+1 Traits of Writing with your child: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation. Look for these in the lesson rubrics.

Important also is the Writing Process of Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, and Publishing. However, in this online format, I need only see the final Publishing step on the Google Doc. Working through the Writing Process on your own before you publish will teach that with effort comes success.

Yours Truly,

Mr. T.