Archive for the ‘Online Classes’ Category

The Definitive High School Class Guide

Brave Writer High School Classes

What’s your teen’s attention span like? 

We know there are tons of apps, songs, videos, and texts competing for your teen’s attention. And that’s just on their phones! 

We’ve noticed this trend. That’s why we took our essay writing curriculum and broke it up into manageable chunks. 

We made our online class program more flexible for YOU, too!

Whether you’re using Brave Writer® as your plan, or addressing your teen’s writing needs as they come, there’s something that works for everyone!

  1. Want a long-term plan that’s got you covered?
  2. Like to do things your own way?
  3. Finding a gap in your teen’s skillset?

Below are the 3 main ways families use our program. Read on to find YOUR preferred style!


OPTION 1: Ducks in a Row 

Here’s the simple formula:two core classes per school year + one elective.

CORE CLASSES:

Essay Prep Series ← Start here if you have a tween or young teen who is just beginning!

Essay Writing 101: Analytic Essay
Essay Writing 102: Persuasive Essay

Essay Writing 201: Critical Response Essay
Essay Writing 202: Timed Essay

Essay Writing 301: Advanced Composition
Essay Writing 302: MLA Research Essay

High school for Option 1 can look like this:

In between classes, students will practice the skills they’ve learned in class, re-writing essays with new topics.


OPTION 2: Sooooo Chill

You’ve probably noticed: We tackle one essay type per essay writing class. It just makes sense! 

Here are some reasons why you might want to choose your classes à la carte.

  • Back up to review an essay style studied previously
  • Gain a completed, polished essay for the portfolio
  • Stretch out processing time between learning sessions
  • Choose classes that appeal most to your child

High school for Option 2 can look like this:

📚 A deep dive into 4 weeks of intense learning with our instructor

🏠 Time at home to practice new skills and re-do exercises with new topics

🧠 A brain break while they do some different types of writing for a little while

👉 Pick a new class and start again with a fresh mind and energy

🌀 Repeat!


OPTION 3: On a Need-to-Know Basis

Perhaps your charter school or co-op is covering much of the mechanics of essay writing, but do they cover…

  • A playful approach to academic writing? (EW 101)
  • Paraphrasing in detail? (EW 102)
  • Decoding essay questions? (EW 202)
  • Deciphering images in the news? (EW 201)
  • Avoiding accidental plagiarism ← that’s a biggie! (EW 102)
  • Situating an original text in its historical, social milieu? (EW 301)
  • How to navigate a specific style like MLA? (EW 302)

Our short, focused essay writing classes mean that you don’t need to ditch your homeschool co-op entirely or devote an entire year to boosting a single skillset. Easy peasy!


Brave Writer Online Classes


Support → Trust → Confidence

Brave Writer

We want our kids to write—even if it’s messy, muddled, or misspelled for now.

No words on the page means no words to grow on. 

Brave Writer’s online class Write for Fun: Dream Big offers a frolic through a slew of entertaining, active writing processes that get your children’s creative juices flowing! Our primary objective is to support and empower each student.

This class is totally doable. 

  • Manageable workload, a little structure
  • Only 3-week commitment
  • Practice for middle graders having gentle deadlines
  • Friendly support from our writing coach

Support is NOT simply saying “Good job!”

Here are some instructor comments directly from the Write for Fun classroom.

We point out what they’re doing well:

“Hip hip hooray for dogs! You have also structured this paragraph rather expertly. By letting me know how many reasons you are going to list, I know just what to expect!”

We invite more details:

“I am curious to find out what you decide to go for. Will this be a rhyme of gardening advice, where a master gardener is being asked for some top tips? Or perhaps the whimsical answer of a sassy gardener whose aim is to mislead!? I will have to be patient to find out!”

We respond to content:

“Oh, no! You describe a roller coaster of emotion, Scott! You’re super excited about your cubes. You invest in them, anticipating the fun you’ll have, only to have your hopes dashed!”

We model good writing: 

“Surprises, twists, and turns add spice to a story and keep your reader on their toes and engaged!”  

We encourage:

“You’re definitely onto something! Understanding, or at least trying to understand, why someone is behaving in the way that they are is an excellent step toward finding solutions that work for all involved!”


So if your child balks at the mere mention of writing, no amount of spelling or handwriting practice can fix that. Mechanics don’t build confidence the same way support and trust do.

That’s why Brave Writer devotes several of our online classes to lifting children UP while improving their writing skills.


Brave Writer

Winter/Spring Class Registration is OPEN for 2024!

Brave Writer Online Classes

Brave Writer Winter/Spring Writing Classes

Registration is OPEN!

No long messages here! I know you’ve got mouse-clicking to do! 

Sign up now to secure your spot in the classes of your choice.

Learn more: All About Online Writing Classes


If you still have questions about which class is right for your child, we invite you to send an email to our Help Desk. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will be glad to give you suggestions that are just right for your family! Contact us at help@bravewriter.com


Brave Writer Online Classes

This Blog Post Is a Persuasive Essay

Brave Writer Essay 102

Persuasive writing is everywhere! A writing form equally at home in the classroom, in the media, and on the pages of your favorite influencers. 

In fact… BLOG POSTS like this one are a huge way you interact with persuasive writing!

Let me show you. I plan to call this essay:

“Beyond Five Paragraphs: Why You Should Take Essay Writing 102 This Fall”


Introduction and Opening Hook

A stressed-out student is hunched over a desk with a pot of coffee near at hand. A spotlight lamp shines down on an empty piece of paper. It’s midnight. There’s an essay due… tomorrow morning.

You know this is going to happen to your teen one day. Is your kid ready?

My thesis statement:

Although Brave Writer® has a reputation for “creative writing,” our approach is actually the most effective method to teach your teen how to write a persuasive essay.

Why should teens take Essay Writing 102?

Main Point #1

This class uses college techniques taught in university combined with the creative writing strategies of Brave Writer®. The result? A new twist on learning the old ways. 

Researchers from the University of Sussex report that creative writing processes have a strong link to proficiency in essay writing. Creative writing strategies have been found to enhance academic writing in university. (Creme & Hunt)

Main Point #2

Essay writing is more than just a format. We explore the spark that leads to all good persuasive essays—taking an informed stance. Students spend the whole first week of Essay Writing 102 focusing on learning and thinking critically about their topic.

Findings from The Centre for Cognitive Processes in Learning (Queensland University) report that students need more focus on the understanding of their topics, with less emphasis on just retelling information. Competent essay writing skills require a “relationship between students’ understanding of the content and their ability to write about it.” (Campbell, et al.)

Main Point #3

Good essays require a series of elements to work together. “Write an essay with 5 paragraphs” doesn’t cut it. Our class covers:

  • Making a strong argument
  • Evaluating proofs
  • Incorporating research and citations
  • Transitions and connections
  • Drafting and revising

In a study about metacognition, researchers found that giving students “topics and simple instructions” was less efficient than a more complex approach, whereby the writing structure involved more “planning and revising, monitoring, evaluating, and editing.” (Cer)

Conclusion

The expository essay is the primary writing format that ought to be learned before college. This class helps students become comfortable with the demands of academic writing using the persuasive essay format. 

Brave Writer® takes teaching the essential skills of persuasive essay writing to the next level by utilizing a creative, multifaceted, and complex approach. 

Bottom line? You can sign up your teen here:

REGISTER

Works Cited

Campbell, J., Smith, D. & Brooker, R. From conception to performance: How undergraduate students conceptualise and construct essays. Higher Education 36, 449–469 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003451627898

Cer, E. (2019). The Instruction of Writing Strategies: The Effect of the Metacognitive Strategy on the Writing Skills of Pupils in Secondary Education. SAGE Open, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019842681

Creme, P., & Hunt, C. (2002). Creative Participation in the Essay Writing Process. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 1(2), 145-166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022202001002003

Semester of Classes: Winter/Spring ’24

Brave Writer Semester of Classes

Our semester plans are BACK for winter/spring 2024 online classes!

Semesters are available for enrollment between November 28th and December 1st, 2023 only. By general registration day (Dec 4th), this option will be gone.

Each semester plan is expertly mixed and matched to give you the perfect combination of

  • Solo, partnership, and family participation
  • Core and interest-based classes
  • Online classes built around individualized needs

No need to rack your brain trying to figure it out! Just pick and click!

We know…

Growth needs time

Skill building is incremental. It requires time and commitment to a single strategy. If you struggle to stay consistent with writing and language arts, this route was made with you in mind!

You and your kids crave connection

NEW! Every class in your semester plan is taught by the same instructor for a cohesive learning experience. Students will get to bond with fellow semester students across all classes. In our family classes, you’ll connect parent to parent!

Saving money matters

It pays to plan ahead! Semester subscribers receive a savings of $50 on their chosen plan. Choose our payment plan option (through Shop Pay) to stretch payments over a few months! Got a pack of littles? Elementary age plans are one price for the whole family. All your kids!

You want peace of mind

No scrambling on registration day. No guesswork. No stress to find dates that fit all the classes you want to take. No worries if you picked the right ones. Each semester plan takes care of that for you.

See How It Works

We’ve curated unique semester options for each age group.

  • Elementary students take 2 family-style classes with a generous break
  • Middle graders participate in 3 classes with varying levels of independence
  • Teens navigate 3 robust courses to prepare them for future writing

Visit our semester plan page. Choose the age level appropriate for your child. View your options!

Just starting homeschool with your littles?

Start with the Young Storytellers option. Kids this age are delighted by their favorite stories, so that’s where we start!

Struggling to help with writing at home?

Foundations for Writing is where you will learn the way Brave Writer approaches drafting, editing, and revising. You’ll have those tools for the rest of your homeschooling years.

Got teens who need experience with research methods and citations?

Research to Writing is designed with your college-bound students in mind.

Once you’ve decided on your semester plan, register between November 28 – December 1, 2023. Keep an eye on your inbox for next steps from us.

Most importantly: put your feet up and school happily ever after!

Let Brave Writer take care of you.

Semester Plans

Brave Writer Semester of Classes