Archive for May, 2006

The Arrow and Slingshot in June and July

Hi everyone.

Brave Writer is busier than ever so I apologize for getting behind in updating the blog. I promise that there will be a Friday Freewrite this week! Scout’s honor. 🙂

A couple points of business:

The Arrow and Slingshot are year round tools. However in June and July we offer specialty issues (so that you have two months per year where you don’t have to do dictation). Last year we offered the Arrow and Slingshot Evaluation and Planning Tools. This year I have four different specialty issues prepared:

Arrow

June: Exploring Poetry
The June issue will offer you specialized help in reading poetry with your kids to help them enjoy it and to get more out of it. We’ll also talk about how to write poetry and offer you a reading list of great poems, poets and poetry anthologies for kids. Included is a project for creating a personal poetry anthology.

July: Enjoying Fairytales
The July issue will give you some suggestions for how to make fairytales a part of your reading life with your elementary aged kids. Included will be specific activities that will help your younger children narrate the fairytales as you read them together culminating in a year long project that will be a joy to share with others and savor through the years.

Slingshot

June: Making the Most of Movies
The June issue will give you tips and guidelines for using movies as a way to access literary elements. We’ll look at how you can spawn challenging conversations while watching movies, how to identify the plot elements, how to turn movie viewing into more than entertainment, but also a way to enhance a teen’s understanding of the elements of good literature. We’ll also look at how movies have their own criteria for discussion and evaluation that differs from literature.

July: The Importance of Seeing Plays
The July issue will focus on the role of plays in the robust high school English program. We’ll include a list of must see (or at least read) plays as well as some tips for how to get to plays in your area without spending a fortune. This issue will also give you some guidance in understanding the various genres (drama, comedy, musical, and so on).

I’m excited about offering these tools during the months of June and July. If you’re already subscribed, these issues will simply continue your subscriptions. We’ll also announce the new book lists for August 2006-May 2007 by the end of May.

For those not yet subscribed, now is a great time to sign up! You’ll get to start with the June and July issues and roll right into fall. The first issue is free if you sign up through paypal for the monthly deduction of $6.00 per month. You may also order 10 issues for the price of nine by sending a check for $54.00. Details below.

Click here to find out more about how to order.

Posted in Poetry, Young Writers | Comments Off on The Arrow and Slingshot in June and July

Registration follow up

If you registered today for a class, I will contact you by Friday with the results of your registration. I have to count all the enrollments, then enter them in my files and then notify you. So please be patient. Looks like we had a nice enrollment this time. Not nearly as harried as last time. 🙂 Thanks everyone!

Julie

Posted in General | Comments Off on Registration follow up

Tomorrow is registration day

Summer Session Registration takes place tomorrow.

Brave Writer has not offered four classes in summer session before so we’re hoping that by offering more choices this time, those of you who found registering difficult in the school year will have an opportunity to get into a class. Crossing fingers!

Here’s what one mom said about the summer session:

I’m just loving all the prompt & personal feedback given by this on-line class. You’ve done such a tremendous job of offering valuable, helpful direction to K. He really has worked so hard today — and literally all day — so it’s wonderful for him to receive immediate rewards through your responses. The money
spent for your class is proving to be the best “bang-for-my-homeschool-buck” this summer! Love it!
–Laura

Also, I’d like to do a bit of promotion for the women’s writing class: Write for Fun! I offered a similar course two summers ago and it was a huge hit. Here is what one adult writer had to say about it:

Julie, your writing “about” writing is excellent. I felt so inspired, challenged and excited to experiment with writing. I thought the assignments were wonderful–original, fun and un-intimidating. Your class motivated me to write again–something I haven’t
done much of since high school. (Long time ago…) –joanne

For more details about registration, click here.

Posted in General | Comments Off on Tomorrow is registration day

Peter Elbow

Time for another Peter Elbow infusion:

“Most students benefit when they feel that writing is a transaction between human beings rather than an “exercise in getting something right or wrong.” For this reason, I try to make my comments on student writing sound like they come from a human reader rather than from an impersonal machine or a magisterial, all-knowing God source. Thus:

    Instead of saying “The organization is unclear here,” I like to say “I got confused by your organization here.”

    Instead of “unconvincing,” “I’m unconvinced.”

    Instead of “Diction,” “Too slangy for me here.”

    Instead of “Awk” (for awkward), “I stumbled here.”

Elbow’s mantra in giving feed back is “at least do no harm.”

Amen.

Posted in Advice from the pros, General | Comments Off on Peter Elbow

Friday Freewrite: Prejudice

Why do you think prejudice exists in the world?

Posted in Friday Freewrite, General | Comments Off on Friday Freewrite: Prejudice