Sources to help you teach writing.

Are you looking for some help with teaching your kids writing at home? I can relate.  Although I like writing, I'm not always sure of the best way to teach it.  

There are numerous companies available to homeschoolers offering anything from grading papers, editing papers, coaching your child for a specific project or teaching your child writing for the whole year. 

The courses can either be synchronous (the students must log online at a certain time for their course work), or asynchronous (the students do not have a specific time to be online and can access the class/work anytime).  

 

TEN SOURCES TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN TO WRITE

1.  WriteGuide.com 

They provide asynchronous individualized online writing courses for students in grades 4-12.  The courses range from one month long and continue up to an entire school year.  You can tell them what you want the student to work on or their writing coach can determine what the student will work on.  Students work at their own pace.  This company also has a 12 week grammar course for students age 12 and up that covers all the basics of grammar.  They will help students perfect their SAT/ACT essays and college application essays.  My son just started using this company and so far the coach has given him wonderful guidance on his project.

2.  Institute for Excellence in Writing

Intitute for Excellence in Writing offers classes for all grades on DVD, so you can have Andrew Pudewa teach your kids as you learn with them.  They also have a link on their website where you can find tutors who will grade papers for people using the IEW curriculum. 

3.   Tapestry of Grace

Tapestry of Grace offers numerous online classes that correspond to their curriculum for grade 6 and up.  These classes are synchonous.  The classes are small so that the teachers and students can have meaningful discussions and interaction.  Register early;  the classes fill up quickly.

 4.   Landry Academy

I am always amazed at the number and variety of courses Landry Academy offers.  Their classes are synchronous one and half hour online classes that meet once a week.  The company is professional and accommodating.  Teachers work diligently with students.  

5.  Memoria Press

Memoria Press offers synchronous online courses for grades 4-12.  The courses generally meet once a week for about an hour and a half. 

 6.  Tutor.com for military families   or Tutor.com   

If you are a military family and need help with school work this is a great free resource.  My son used it for some help with calculus and the tutor was knowledgeable and an adept tutor.  Non-military families need to pay for the service. You sign on when you need help.  Tutors are available 24/7.

 7.   Brave Writer

 Asynchronous 4-6 week online classes and home study courses for grammar school to college.  They offer a great variety of courses.

 8.  WriteAtHome

This source offers asynchronous year-long middle school and high school writing courses and SAT essay courses and they also offer workshops.  Another great resource they provide is a pay per paper service which is great when you need short term help or just help with grading and not with teaching.

 9.  Dual Credit Courses at Regent University  

Regent University and other universities such as Liberty University and Patrick Henry College offer dual credit English composition courses.  Your high school student can take college level writing courses in high school through countless colleges and universities either online or on-campus and earn both high school and college credit.

 
10. Education Portal- FREE courses 

While I  was writing this post I found this resource.   They offer a college composition course.  They are fans of Khan Academy and have some similarities.  One difference from Khan is that they "offer a clear path to college credit"   so students in their courses can take the CLEP after completing the course.  (education-portal.com)   Review of Education-Portal

I've used the services of number 1-6 for my kids and highly recommend them.  Number 7-9 are well known and respected, but I haven't used them.  Number 10 has 73 video lessons on college composition. 

Have you wanted someone to help you teach writing or just grade papers?

I lightened my load.

My planning was done.

Then, out of nowhere, I changed my plan.  In my last post I showed the classes my kids would be taking this year: classes my kids are taking this year

There were too many classes for me to teach.  I. Need. A. Break. 

So, I did "it" and I am so excited....

What did I do?  I signed up my three oldest kids for online classes with Tapestry of Grace.

The oldest two were already registered for literature with TOG's online classes.  In addition, I also signed up my soon-to-be 7th grade daughter for literature with them.  TOG has a great literature curriculum, but I don't always get to implement it.  Now, I know they will get all that great literary information from the TOG class.  

I also signed up my 7th and 9th graders for TOG's online history class.  My 2 oldest took history and literature online with TOG last year and I was going to teach it myself this year, but I snapped and just kept signing them up for courses!  I would have signed up my oldest for history with them too, but the class has a wait list, so I'm waiting to hear about that.

Finally, I signed all three of the oldest up for TOG's writing!  TOG has an amazing writing program.  Although I've been using IEW and I love it, I've always wanted to use TOG's writing because it is one of the best, but I just couldn't fit in preparing and teaching that class too.  (IEW's is easier to implement- IMHO.)  TOG's writing complements the literature and history curriculum so they will be writing about what they are learning about in history and literature.  (And someone else will provide feed back/grade their work too!  Yes!)

Such a heavy weight was lifted when I registered them for all of these classes.  My kids will still be using TOG, but I'll have help teaching.  I might even be able to breathe this school year.

Just in case you want to check out their online classes, here's a link:  Tapestry of Grace online classes

Now, if someone would recommend a writing class for my 10 yo 5th grade son that I don't have to teach or grade, I would be very thankful.

Do you have any classes that you "outsource"?