9th grade English class as prep for PA AP English?

[Guest clansmitty]

I wish to comment directly on the comments about Ms. Lauren Bailes.  I have been homeschooling for 25 years and have used a variety of online options for my high school students.  My most recent experience was with Ms. Bailes Intro to Literature class for middle schoolers.  My daughter took the class in 8th grade and had a very positive experience with Ms. Bailes, the class material, and the reading and writing assignments.  I sat in on several of the classes, and found Ms. Bailes to be an engaging and thought provoking teacher.  The assignments were challenging, while not being too difficult and she learned a lot.  The feedback she got from Ms. Bailes on her papers was succinct and helpful, and Ms. Bailes was available to answer questions in a timely way between classes.  Based on our experience, I would rate the class as Excellent.  I have recommended this class to friends, who have also taken it and were very pleased. 

[KeepItGoing]

Those last two posts would be more convincing if they hadn't been put up by two people with a total of three posts on this forum, all of which have to do with praising the Bailes' classes. Especially since they contrast so sharply with the reviews posted here by more frequent posters. But they achieved part of their goal, anyway: to help me make up my mind about whether those classes were worth taking.

[fourartsymonkeys]

This whole discussion has me worried because I have already signed up my DS for Colette Bailes Intro to Literature class. Does anyone else have experience with this class? DS has great reading and analytical skills but his writing is weak. He really needs a teacher who will provide solid instruction every step of the way. Feedback is so important. My DD took AP Lit with Serbicki and had a wonderful experience. Her feedback was helpful and my DD really blossomed as a writer. I was hoping to find something comparable (but at an easier level) for my DS. Blue Tent was my first choice but it was already full by the time I looked into it. Now I don't know what to think...

[snowbeltmom]

This whole discussion has me worried because I have already signed up my DS for Colette Bailes Intro to Literature class. Does anyone else have experience with this class? DS has great reading and analytical skills but his writing is weak. He really needs a teacher who will provide solid instruction every step of the way. Feedback is so important. My DD took AP Lit with Serbicki and had a wonderful experience. Her feedback was helpful and my DD really blossomed as a writer. I was hoping to find something comparable (but at an easier level) for my DS. Blue Tent was my first choice but it was already full by the time I looked into it. Now I don't know what to think...

 

Write at Home provides detailed feedback, and every paper goes through multiple revisions.  The Write at Home classes prepared my son extremely well for his AP English class with PA Homeschoolers this year. 

 

[LNC]

I signed my daughter up for the Pre Ap English class bc I think they will grow and change from any negative reviews and feedback received. Debra Bell certainly knows what she is doing and the teachers have solid credentials. I think it will be ok. I don't prefer student peer reviews or projects, but I will remain optimistic. :)

[Matryoshka]

I signed my daughter up for the Pre Ap English class bc I think they will grow and change from any negative reviews and feedback received. Debra Bell certainly knows what she is doing and the teachers have solid credentials. I think it will be ok. I don't prefer student peer reviews or projects, but I will remain optimistic. :)

 

Please make sure to give us all an update once the class is in session letting us know how it goes!

[teachermom2834]

I've got one registered in the Middle School Tools class with Lauren Bailes.  I've a little concerned now.  I registered based on they syllabus and overall reviews of AIM Academy, not specifically of Ms. Bailes.  It is for my 6th grader so if it is disappointing it is not as though he has lost a big year in preparation for high school.  I will just be disappointed to have spent the money if it isn't a quality experience.  Oh well.  We'll see how it goes.

[Guest hisgrace4me]

I just wanted to follow up on my recent post. I stated incorrectly the titles of the classes my daughter took. Sorry about that. I was writing from memory. :) Last year in 8th grade, she took the Middle School Tools class with Lauren Bailes, and this year she took Intro to Literature with Colette Bailes. They are mother and daughter to help address any confusion that I saw in the posts earlier. My daughter is young for her grade and I am still having her work through Grammar books because she needs more consistency in that area, but she is a strong reader. I tried to follow loosely the WTM approach in her elementary years where in both reading, history and science she would write narrations often. But by the time she reached middle school I felt like she needed more help in analyzing and maturing in her writing skills. Even though I tried to teach her that, it  didn't seem to be happening for us.  These 2 classes were extremely helpful. She learned to take responsibility for contacting her teacher when she wasn't sure about what was expected of her in an assignment. I think she got very clear feedback, The Middle School class was a good one to start out with. It was not as difficult, but she learned to think and analyze what she was reading which is just what I wanted.  The Intro to Lit class, was more difficult, but again, Colette was very attentive. She provided power point slides that my daughter could reference. They were very clear and helpful. The assignments were challenging, lots of writing for sure,  but there were a few times that my daughter asked for an extension and she was warmly received and granted those extensions. Every time she needed help, Colette was quick to respond with instruction and specific examples so that she could get her thesis together and get her paper written. So, I know I am not a frequent contributor to this sight, but I have had experience in these 2 classes and hopefully that will benefit those of you who are signed up or thinking about these 2 classes. I haven't planned my daughter's classes for next year yet, but she really wants to take another AIM class, so I am going to get a recommendation from Colette or Lauren and likely go with it. Hope this is helpful.    

[fourartsymonkeys]

I guess we will hope for the best and see how the Intro to Lit class goes since we are already committed to it. I want him to get more out of it than just a list of assignments. The course description sounds good so I am trying to stay optimistic but after such a great experience with AP Lit my standards are high. :) If he still struggles with the writing maybe I'll add a Writing at Home class as finances permit. I'll try to remember to post an update as the class progresses.

[KeepItGoing]

Fourartsymonkeys, I hope that you will indeed post an update—and in this particular thread, too, even though it will be old. I'm feeling some discomfort about the snarky post I made earlier, even though my skepticism remains, so in case you have a great experience, I'll feel better if future readers will see your positive experience as well.

[GoodGrief]

My current sophomore did the PA AP English Lit class this year with Ruth Green.  We did Rod and Staff English throughout elementary school and into 7th grade.  For 8-9th grade she did the Write at Home composition courses (high school Comp 1, then 2).  She did very well in the AP course, with 100% average each semester.  Don't have AP score back yet, but she felt confident.

[swimmermom3]

Yvonne, I have a couple of thoughts for you, for what that is worth. :tongue_smilie:

 

We didn't do anything special to prepare for AP English Language. The following were helpful:

 

1. a basic introduction to essay writing with an understanding that you are constructing and supporting an argument

2. a somewhat sophisticated vocabulary

3. strong, basic grammar skills

4. and ability to read and comprehend higher level materials across generes

5. a genuine desire and ability to work hard and improve one's skills

6. forgot this one - the ability to spot the main idea of a reading selection quickly - thank you SWB

 

I have bought, used, and semi-used a lot of writing curriculum over the years. If I were to do it over again, I would make it a simpler, more focused process that avoided busy work. I wouldn't try to cover "everything." I would keep in mind Julie Bogart's point that not all writing is worthy of revision. Feedback must be meaningful and relevant. Students do not like to put hard effort into their writing only to receive two brief comments on a five page paper, so pay attention to those reviews about feedback when looking at online classes. Peer reviews are only worthwhile if the students actually know what they are doing and have some accountability.  Writing across disciplines is more efficient than confining the majority of the student's writing to English class.

 

There is preparation for an AP class and then there is burning the student out on the process before you even get to the class. That would be one of my concerns.

[Kathy in Richmond]

My current sophomore did the PA AP English Lit class this year with Ruth Green.  We did Rod and Staff English throughout elementary school and into 7th grade.  For 8-9th grade she did the Write at Home composition courses (high school Comp 1, then 2).  She did very well in the AP course, with 100% average each semester.  Don't have AP score back yet, but she felt confident.

 

My dd's AP English prep was very similar. Rod & Staff grammar through 8th grade, Write at Home classes in 8th through 10th (she wanted an outside teacher to read & comment on her stuff at that time), and lots & lots of Well Trained Mind literature reading & discussions over the years.

 

Agreeing with all of swimmermom3's advice above. Success in AP English Language requires first and foremost the ability to think clearly about what you've read, and secondly to express those thoughts logically & concisely on paper. You can get there without a lot of fancy curricula or lots of outsourcing. Read progressively harder works and discuss them with your kids. Read the newspaper editorial page and a selection of good magazines, and talk about them over dinner. Use the guidelines in the Well Educated Mind if you need a starting place. Work on writing across the curriculum. Consider working on one piece of writing at a time, regardless of the subject. One week my kids might have worked on a history paper, another week on math proof write ups for a summer camp application, and yet another on a lab report or literary analysis or article for a newsletter for one of their extracurriculars.

 

DD had a fabulous experience in PA Homeschooler AP English Language in the 11th grade, and she looks back on it as one of the high school classes that most prepared her for the demands of college work.

[Joan in GE]

My dd's AP English prep was very similar. Rod & Staff grammar through 8th grade, Write at Home classes in 8th through 10th (she wanted an outside teacher to read & comment on her stuff at that time), and lots & lots of Well Trained Mind literature reading & discussions over the years.

 

Agreeing with all of swimmermom3's advice above. Success in AP English Language requires first and foremost the ability to think clearly about what you've read, and secondly to express those thoughts logically & concisely on paper. You can get there without a lot of fancy curricula or lots of outsourcing. Read progressively harder works and discuss them with your kids. Read the newspaper editorial page and a selection of good magazines, and talk about them over dinner. Use the guidelines in the Well Educated Mind if you need a starting place. Work on writing across the curriculum. Consider working on one piece of writing at a time, regardless of the subject. One week my kids might have worked on a history paper, another week on math proof write ups for a summer camp application, and yet another on a lab report or literary analysis or article for a newsletter for one of their extracurriculars.

 

DD had a fabulous experience in PA Homeschooler AP English Language in the 11th grade, and she looks back on it as one of the high school classes that most prepared her for the demands of college work.

 

ours was similar...

 

R & S through 8th grade level (we actually finished in 9th grade - I realized that it was really the last grammar book dd would see and so didn't skimp on the exercises at all, but that took time)...Ds went through R&S 10th gr level before doing AP English...

 

For an outside writing course, dd did Rebekah's course in 8th grade....and Human Geography with PAH in 9th grade. I think that helped a lot as dd was exposed to many international situations (yes, even though we live overseas, different children are different and she was not as interested in the 'world' as her brothers were/are - until she took that course) and had to learn to organize her time and writing to a certain extent....

 

I agree about thinking and discussing - so important...There was something about the way that dd would talk about ideas that made me think she was ready. We'll see when the score arrives in July....

 

Joan