Jump to content

Menu

WTMA Expository Writing II feedback please


Recommended Posts

If your student has taken Expository Writing II with WTMA will you please share your experiences? Can you share what type of feedback was received from the teacher on graded assignments?  How was the online classroom handled?  Do you feel the material was covered adequately?  Will you be signing up for the next class, why or why not?  Feel free to PM me. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Melissa,

I asked a question about Expository II a couple of weeks ago and only received responses from those with students in Exp I:  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/544522-wtm-academys-expository-writing-ii/

 

I finally gave in last Friday and pre-registered my younger son for the class. He really, really needs the twice-a-week meeting time, so I decided it would be worth it. 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Melissa,

I asked a question about Expository II a couple of weeks ago and only received responses from those with students in Exp I:  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/544522-wtm-academys-expository-writing-ii/

 

I finally gave in last Friday and pre-registered my younger son for the class. He really, really needs the twice-a-week meeting time, so I decided it would be worth it. 

Thanks Jetta.  My twins took Expository I this year, but it is a different teacher is listed for Expository Writing II.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to assume that you've seen this positive comment on the instructor for Exp II: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/538797-any-reviews-of-wtm-academy-rhetoric-class/?p=6127363 (post 2), but I just wanted to make sure! :-)

Yes, I have seen the review for Intro to Rhetoric, but I've only heard of one review for the actual Expository Writing II class (via PM), which is why I'm still searching for more feedback.   :)

 

I'll be honest.  I am concerned by the low number of students pre-registered for Expository Writing III this year when compared to the number of sections of Expository Writing II last year.  This can be impacted by a number of things that we have no knowledge of, so I'm trying not to read to much into it, but it's a concern.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I have seen the review for Intro to Rhetoric, but I've only heard of one review for the actual Expository Writing II class (via PM), which is why I'm still searching for more feedback. :)

 

I'll be honest. I am concerned by the low number students pre-registered for Expository Writing III this year when compared to the number of sections of Expository Writing II last year. This can be impacted by a number of things that we have no knowledge of, so I'm trying not to read to much into it, but it's a concern.

Could some be moving on to Rhetoric? How do those numbers look?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could some be moving on to Rhetoric? How do those numbers look?

There is one section of Expository Writing III.  There are two sections of Rhetoric I.  I guess it is possible that some students are skipping Expository Writing III.

 

Maybe I'm the only one that really looks at the teacher versus the class?   I guess I'm just surprised that there aren't any reviews given the number of sections.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The new syllabus is available on the website.  There will be four independent graded assignments.

 

I emailed Ms. Brian last week and now have a feel for the workshop model.  Sadly, I don't think that my DD's will respond well to this approach at this point, and with only one teacher for all sessions next year there isn't another option.  For now, I'm going to plan to teach writing next year for this level, and I'll keep my eyes open for next year for these DC.  Two of my other children will be taking writing with WTMA, so like everything else ymmv. It really varies based on your child's needs. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do thèse classes work for students who struggle with doing WWS at home? Since they use the same books, I wonder if it won't work for ds who is struggling with WWS 2 at home.

I would imagine it would depend on why they are struggling.  I would suggest emailing the teacher for the class you are considering.  They are very responsive in my experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now I'm even more  :willy_nilly: with whether dd#2 should be signed up for Exp Writing I. She won't do well with other people telling her outloud, in public, what they thought of her writing.

If Creative Writing wasn't also like that, I'd probably sign her up for that instead.  :confused:

Is this "workshop model" new this year vs. last year? I thought the feedback came in writing on their weekly papers or in office hours without the whole class around.

Melissa - your two were in Exp Writing I this past year, right? Was it the 'workshop model' or I am remembering correctly? Is it the difference in teachers?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Melissa - your two were in Exp Writing I this past year, right? Was it the 'workshop model' or I am remembering correctly? Is it the difference in teachers?

Not Melissa, but Exp Writing 1 this year had written feedback on the assignments. The teacher, Ms. Meyers, does make general comments that apply to everyone, but their aren't any individual critiques during class time.

 

T is going to do EW2. I explained the format and she said it was okay. She's not shy at all, though, so ymmv.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

melmichigan,

 

Would you please share what you learned about the workshop model? :).

 

In the workshop model for Expository Writing II there will be four graded assignments for the year.  There will be no quizzes or tests.  Class time is devoted to interactive feedback in the form of homework review on the first day of the week, and in-depth workshops on the second.  The majority of feedback will be given orally in class.  (This is also mentioned in the new syllabus.)

 

Now I'm even more  :willy_nilly: with whether dd#2 should be signed up for Exp Writing I. She won't do well with other people telling her outloud, in public, what they thought of her writing.

If Creative Writing wasn't also like that, I'd probably sign her up for that instead.  :confused:

Is this "workshop model" new this year vs. last year? I thought the feedback came in writing on their weekly papers or in office hours without the whole class around.

Melissa - your two were in Exp Writing I this past year, right? Was it the 'workshop model' or I am remembering correctly? Is it the difference in teachers?

My twins did not have a workshop model this last year with Ms. Meyers.  This coming year Mr. Hummel is teaching all sections of Expository Writing I. I'm not sure how it will be handled because the description in the syllabus has changed and no longer contains the same grading breakdown.  From reading the new syllabi, similar language is included in all the Expository Writing classes.  It appears to be a change in the teaching model, but I suggest you email the instructor or the academy for clarification.  I can only speak definitively in regards to the Expository Writing II, and Intro to Rhetoric classes, because I received an email response from that teacher.

 

ETA: clarification in post #28

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to Melissa & chiguirre for the explanation. I've emailed the teachers for the two classes my two daughters are pre-registered for to ask more questions about the 'workshop model' and the extended weeks on the syllabus (34 vs. 32 on Intro to Rhetoric. I see Rhetoric 1 is listed for 35 weeks.) This is good information to find out now vs. after registration.  :crying:

 

ETA:  Heard from the Exp I teacher already with an explanation of the 'workshop model' and some ideas on how to ease her into the feedback model. I'll be thinking about it and talking to dd#2 over the coming weeks.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to Melissa & chiguirre for the explanation. I've emailed the teachers for the two classes my two daughters are pre-registered for to ask more questions about the 'workshop model' and the extended weeks on the syllabus (34 vs. 32 on Intro to Rhetoric. I see Rhetoric 1 is listed for 35 weeks.) This is good information to find out now vs. after registration.  :crying:

 

ETA:  Heard from the Exp I teacher already with an explanation of the 'workshop model' and some ideas on how to ease her into the feedback model. I'll be thinking about it and talking to dd#2 over the coming weeks.

Please share more about the workshop model and what Mr. Hummel (?) explained to you (if you can spare the time). Perhaps I need to email him as well .... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr Hummel shared (in part) this:

The giving and receiving of feedback in the midst of class can be a delicate process; many students feel their way very slowly through the early stages of the semester and then find their own way of operating. I hope I’m able to answer any questions you might have.

 

As for the structure of workshop, it’s a dialogue-intensive process that follows this general framework: 1) student reads the submission aloud, 2) I facilitate dialogue and critique from the rest of the students in class, 3) I summarize the feedback and provide my own recommendations for future writing assignments, and, 4) I give the student an opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns she may have. We don’t do a great deal of revision on a week-to-week basis; rather, I offer feedback on concepts or areas of focus for the next assignment. My goal is to reinforce the idea that writing is a work-in-progress, the same as any submission. The greater the number of eyes and ears that engage with a given piece of writing, the greater the likelihood of the writer recognizing their own strengths as well as their areas of attention.

 

 

He shared some thoughts on my concerns about the particular daughter who would be taking Exp 1, including that he could help plan some sort of ramp-up process for her so that she would not need to engage in the critique every week at the beginning but could receive written feedback on the 'off' weeks. He was very kind & thoughtful in his email, but ultimately it might not end up being the right kind of environment for her. She is a prolific fiction writer & a talented artist, so I am very aware of how she takes public feedback. I was looking to increase her skills in non-fiction writing via WWS. We might just end up having to do it at home, which was the original plan anyway.

 

Ms. Brian shared (in part) this, with respect to Intro to Rhetoric (the one-year catch-up class):

The workshop model emphasizes conversation and collaboration as modes of learning. I find that workshop  increases students' confidence in their powers of articulation even as it allows them to grow comfortable with the experience of sharing their work. 

 

The process is as follows: the author posts the composition and then reads it aloud to the class. Once the reading is complete, I ask for comments from the author's classmates. I expect that students will identify elements that work well in addition to elements that might be improved; in both cases, I ask that they give specific examples of moments in the composition. If they are critiquing certain aspects, I also ask them to offer suggestions for reworking. Once the students have commented, I synthesize the feedback and offer my own suggestions for areas of focus moving forward (in the second half of the second semester, we also practice active revision that selectively incorporates comments from workshop). Finally, the author is encouraged to respond.

 

 

My oldest daughter is very shy in public, but probably will be encouraged by the 'workshop model' to put her very best work forward. She HATES to write and fights me on producing quality written work. She loves math & foreign language and has done very well (for an outside instructor) in her online classes this year. I will likely continue with registering my oldest for Intro to Rhetoric.

 

Ms. Brian also said that the fact that the syllabi between the different courses showed different numbers of weeks is a mistake they will need to rectify.

 

Like previous posters, I encourage you to write to the instructor of the class you are looking into registering for (email is on the new syllabus) with your questions. I will probably exchange at least one more set of emails with Mr. Hummel. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

RootAnn,

Thank-you for sharing the responses from the instructors.

 

Is the workshop format different from what is being done currently in Expository Writing I (WWS I)? The feedback from this current year's instruction is favorable and I'm so disappointed we couldn't get in. :wacko:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on this year's syllabus & these comments (from this thread), next year's format is different.

 

Not Melissa, but Exp Writing 1 this year had written feedback on the assignments. The teacher, Ms. Meyers, does make general comments that apply to everyone, but their aren't any individual critiques during class time.

 

My twins did not have a workshop model this last year with Ms. Meyers.  ...  It appears to be a change in the teaching model, ...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son has Mr. Hummel this year for Exp. Writing I.  They use the workshop model.

 

My son is very shy, and does not look forward to reading and receiving feedback on his writing. I do believe he feels proud and successful when it his turn in workshop is over.  Additionally, he loves the class and Mr. Hummel.  The discipline of regular writing (mostly non-fiction), has been beneficial.  Listening to his classmates read their work, and hearing his peers comment on others' work has been valuable.

 

I believe the class has been very gentle (a little too gentle for me), and my son has thrived in this environment (so I can't complain).  He enjoys the assignments, listening to the instructor, and his peers, and has learned how to not be intimidated by beginning longer papers.

 

I wish they wrote more, but I am not going to mess with what has been a positive learning environment for my son.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on this year's syllabus & these comments (from this thread), next year's format is different.

It is different than the way Ms. Meyers taught her Expository I class this year.  Her classes required quizzes on grammar and literary terminology, they received detailed written comments on each of the assignments from the teacher, and have had the option of rewriting their assignments a few times this year for extra credit points.  

 

I am lead to believe (from the limited number of reviews I've come in contact with for these teachers, and the old syllabi) that Mr. Hummel and Ms. Brian taught the same way this year, so for them it isn't a change.  The difference is that this year more than one teacher taught sections for each class, so you could choose different teaching styles based on the syllabus (Ms. Meyers taught three sections of EW 1).  Next year there isn't another option for any of the EW classes as they are posted now. It isn't a change for these teachers, but it is the only current option for EW because both of these teachers are teaching all the sections of the selected classes, and both follow this model.  Does that make sense? 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier...

 

A big thank you to all those who have posted. This is not what I had expected at.all.  I must have missed something somewhere. I thought I had read all the info for the classes...hmm...guess I need to double check...

 

The workshop model really concerns me. I wonder if that is how Rhetoric is handled as well? Do the students read their papers and the classmates critique them? I am so glad to know this might be the case. I had no idea this is how class time would be spent...  Please, someone correct me if I'm mistaken!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier...

 

A big thank you to all those who have posted. This is not what I had expected at.all.  I must have missed something somewhere. I thought I had read all the info for the classes...hmm...guess I need to double check...

 

The workshop model really concerns me. I wonder if that is how Rhetoric is handled as well? Do the students read their papers and the classmates critique them? I am so glad to know this might be the case. I had no idea this is how class time would be spent...  Please, someone correct me if I'm mistaken!

The new syllabi are now posted, you may have been reading those from the current school year which could add to the confusion.  They were written by different teachers in some cases.  I suggest you contact Mr. Hummel.  According to the syllabus:

 

The vast majority of the student’s evaluation will be derived from their willingness to engage in classroom

discussion and to synthesize the concepts introduced into their analyses. The ability to eloquently and

thoughtfully articulate one’s perspective is at the heart of rhetoric, and will be the locus of success in the

course.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So strange! I read that several days ago and conjured up something completely different in my mind than what I'm reading here. I thought there would be discussion, which would be fantastic. Reading and critiquing each other's work during class time? Hmm...with all different levels of students? Not sure that will work in our situation...What a disappointment!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son has Mr. Hummel this year for Exp. Writing I.  They use the workshop model.

 

My son is very shy, and does not look forward to reading and receiving feedback on his writing. I do believe he feels proud and successful when it his turn in workshop is over.  Additionally, he loves the class and Mr. Hummel.  The discipline of regular writing (mostly non-fiction), has been beneficial.  Listening to his classmates read their work, and hearing his peers comment on others' work has been valuable.

 

I believe the class has been very gentle (a little too gentle for me), and my son has thrived in this environment (so I can't complain).  He enjoys the assignments, listening to the instructor, and his peers, and has learned how to not be intimidated by beginning longer papers.

 

I wish they wrote more, but I am not going to mess with what has been a positive learning environment for my son.

How often did they write?  This year DD's had a weekly assignment due so I'm just wondering if that was different too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From Mr. Hummel's quote above:

 

As for the structure of workshop, it’s a dialogue-intensive process that follows this general framework: 1) student reads the submission aloud, 2) I facilitate dialogue and critique from the rest of the students in class, 3) I summarize the feedback and provide my own recommendations for future writing assignments, and, 4) I give the student an opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns she may have. We don’t do a great deal of revision on a week-to-week basis; rather, I offer feedback on concepts or areas of focus for the next assignment. My goal is to reinforce the idea that writing is a work-in-progress, the same as any submission. The greater the number of eyes and ears that engage with a given piece of writing, the greater the likelihood of the writer recognizing their own strengths as well as their areas of attention.

I was thinking about this for DS12 as a way of putting his toe in the water in online classes. I do think the workshop format would be challenging for him—having others critique his work in a group environment and particularly having the instructor do so in front of the other students. But I can also see the benefit, and I think it would be extraordinarily helpful for him to see this process at play for the other kids in class. Definitely something for me to weigh.

 

My big stumbling block is what I bolded above. Obviously we want our kids to take criticism of current work into account for future work (always learning, always applying new instruction), but the lack of revision of the current week's work (especially after a class focus on critique!) would drive me batty. All writing is revision. Who said that? Someone good, LOL. It's one thing to submit your work for criticism knowing you will have the opportunity to make corrections and incorporate feedback, to come back with something more polished, and to feel the pride that comes with that. It's another thing entirely to (potentially) get beat up over some new issue every week and rarely have the chance to present your very best work. Of my three kids, two do their best writing as part of the polishing process after criticism. Only one shines at first submission. Here, we don't stop until the writing is shiny and the child feels the pride that comes with submitting a best effort.* I think my two polishers would be negatively affected by dropping an assignment before it is at this level. And one of these polishers is my best writer.

 

* truth...We occasionally drop things that are making us miserable, but this is the exception, not the rule.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

WMA:  Which WTMA class are you looking at for your daughter next year? The Hummel quote is for Exp Writing I specifically. The Brian quote is for Intro to Rhetoric, specifically. I found Mr Hummel was very willing to be flexible (at least in theory) if my daughter needs something a bit different than what the rest of the class is doing. I can't find the reference, but for some reason, I think only one of the two classtimes is spent in "workshop"  mode. (So, don't quote me on that.) Ms Brian specifically mentioned in her email that the Intro to Rhetoric class would be using an "active revision process" during the second semester.

 

When I saw your question to melmichigan on whether she was sarcastic in the other thread about not doing one the Rhetoric class -- but her decision was unrelated to the text -- I wondered if you'd seen this thread. I think it is throwing some of us for a loop, this 'workshop model'. I think I have wrapped my head around it now. I wonder if anyone else will be surprised by it or if it will seem just very natural for the format of the class. One of the great things about an online class is the interaction between the kids in the class under the direction of an inspiring teacher. I know that's what I'm hoping for... But please, please, email the teacher with your questions & concerns. They really seem willing to work with the parents.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does it bother anyone else that other students will be doing the critiquing? Quite honestly, I've seen this model go very badly in the classroom as a teacher and it is one of the aspects about PS that I go out of my way to avoid in homeschooling. Not because I don't value peer interaction (which I do), but because all too often it just ends up being the blind leading the blind and the other students, who are still learning to write properly themselves, offer critiques which are completely unhelpful at best and incorrect at worst. I doubt that this is the type of writing class I would be looking for as a homeschool parent, and that disappoints me.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the grades aren't going to be based on other student's critiquing. The teacher facilitates it, it is oral, (i.e., it isn't the peer 'in writing' type of critique), and the teacher sums up at the end & adds his/her own thoughts. I think they are trying to increase the kids' speaking/presentation skills. I think the idea that homeschool kids need to develop this type of skill and that most of them don't have it is stereotypical. I'm not signing my kid up for a speaking/presenting class. I want them to learn to write & improve their writing skills.

 

Is it what I would pick? No.

Will I make my oldest do it (Intro to Rhetoric) this year? Probably.

 

Will I make my next kid do it (Exp Writing I)? I'm still not sure, leaning to not.

 

It would be interesting to see what type of feedback WTMA gets from their students & parents this year for the classes that are using this model & for those who are not. I find it intriguing that more of the classes are going to this model -- is it teacher-specific (just because certain teachers are teaching those classes & they like the workshop model) or is it because of feedback they've already gotten on classes that don't use this model? Or, is it because of workload? Can a teacher give feedback on 10-15 kids' work (times how ever many classes) once or twice a week, in writing, realistically?

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, RootAnn. She is considering Rhetoric I. I've been reading posts and doing other research into Rhetoric 1. I haven't emailed the instructor because I'm trying to get student and parent experiences with the classes. Sometimes those can be quite different from what the instructor says. (For example, I read the syllabus and walked away with a much different impression than I'm getting from other places.)

 

I understand the benefits of workshops in certain situations. I don't find them to be universally beneficial, though. I'm not sure if instructor flexibility would be of extra value for us. If the workshop method isn't going to be a good fit, I would be better off continuing what we're doing at home or hiring a tutor to work individually with my daughter. There's no need to pay for something that I'm pretty sure isn't what we need.

 

I do wish they had several sample classes available to watch.

 

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the workshop method isn't going to be a good fit, I would be better off continuing what we're doing at home or hiring a tutor to work individually with my daughter. There's no need to pay for something that I'm pretty sure isn't what we need.

 

I agree completely & this is why I'm still pondering what to do with my dd#2.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can a teacher give feedback on 10-15 kids' work (times how ever many classes) once or twice a week, in writing, realistically?

 

So they outsource to other students? :confused1:   How does that make any sense? That sounds a bit like an on-line co-op.

 

They are taking time to get input from other students about each student's writing and then the teacher gives input as well. That's just during class.  So obviously there's time.  There is also some time outside of class that is typically expected of the teacher - such as office hours. If I am paying for a class, I expect teacher feedback to be included. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or, is it because of workload? Can a teacher give feedback on 10-15 kids' work (times how ever many classes) once or twice a week, in writing, realistically?

 

Yes, I wondered about that too. I noticed that the teacher for Exp II will be teaching a total of 11 sections this fall, including writing, rhetoric and history. The teacher for Exp I has the same total number of sections, I believe, for various courses. (According to the "Printable Master Schedule Worksheet" at (edit) near the top of the Courses page. http://www.wtmacademy.com/courses/)  That just seems like a big workload for those instructors, so perhaps that makes it unrealistic for them to provide written feedback on every weekly assignment . . . hence the workshop model?? IDK.

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I wondered about that too. I noticed that the teacher for Exp II will be teaching a total of 11 sections this fall, including writing, rhetoric and history. The teacher for Exp I has the same total number of sections, I believe, for various courses. (According to the "Printable Master Schedule Worksheet" at the top of the Courses page. http://www.wtmacademy.com/courses/)  That just seems like a big workload for those instructors, so perhaps that makes it unrealistic for them to provide written feedback on every weekly assignment . . . hence the workshop model?? IDK.

 

 

And this is the same reason that PS gives for using the workshop model in classes. But it is not something I'm likely to pay for privately. I pulled my kids out of the system in large part to get away from overcrowded classrooms and overworked instructors.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I wondered about that too. I noticed that the teacher for Exp II will be teaching a total of 11 sections this fall, including writing, rhetoric and history. The teacher for Exp I has the same total number of sections, I believe, for various courses. (According to the "Printable Master Schedule Worksheet" at the top of the Courses page. http://www.wtmacademy.com/courses/)  That just seems like a big workload for those instructors, so perhaps that makes it unrealistic for them to provide written feedback on every weekly assignment . . . hence the workshop model?? IDK.

 

 

If this is the case, perhaps they are trying to do too much, too soon. If the instructors are dropping feedback in favor of adding more sections or courses, there seems to be a disconnect somewhere. Some students will quickly notice the work is just discussed a bit in class, with no real consequences. To some, not all, this will seem soft and a bit less high stakes. Assignments might not seem worth much effort, especially if the other students are working on an obviously lower level. (Or a much higher one! It could be quite discouraging!)

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And this is the same reason that PS gives for using the workshop model in classes. But it is not something I'm likely to pay for privately. I pulled my kids out of the system in large part to get away from overcrowded classrooms and overworked instructors.

 

Ditto!

 

If this is the case, perhaps they are trying to do too much, too soon. If the instructors are dropping feedback in favor of adding more sections or courses, there seems to be a disconnect somewhere. Some students will quickly notice the work is just discussed a bit in class, with no real consequence. To some, not all, this will seem soft and a bit less high stakes. Assignments might not seem worth much effort, especially if the other students are working on an obviously lower level. (Or a much higher one! It could be quite discouraging!)

 

Agreed!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this is the case, perhaps they are trying to do too much, too soon. If the instructors are dropping feedback in favor of adding more sections or courses, there seems to be a disconnect somewhere. Some students will quickly notice the work is just discussed a bit in class, with no real consequence. To some, not all, this will seem soft and a bit less high stakes. Assignments might not seem worth much effort, especially if the other students are working on an obviously lower level. (Or a much higher one! It could be quite discouraging!)

My kids would certainly pick up on that one quickly, especially the DD who figured this out in PS.

 

I still think this is teacher-specific.  I have left one DS pre-registered for WTMA this coming fall (because his class doesn't use this model).  

 

ETA: Wow, I hadn't done the math to realize that they are teaching so many sections.  

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My kids would certainly pick up on that one quickly, especially the DD who figured this out in PS.

 

I still think this is teacher-specific.  I have left one DS pre-registered for WTMA this coming fall (because his class doesn't use this model).  

 

I wish there was a clear way to know which classes use the workshop model. From the posts, it seems Mr. Hummel and Ms. Brian follow this model. Please, correct me if I am mistaken! Oh, how I would love to be mistaken!!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish there was a clear way to know which classes use the workshop model. From the posts, it seems Mr. Hummel and Ms. Brian follow this model. Please, correct me if I am mistaken! Oh, how I would love to be mistaken!!

 

Correct.  That is my understanding.

 

Ms. Meyers is teaching Intro to Expository Writing and her syllabus mirrors the one we had for EW I this year.  I think this is her teaching style.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So they outsource to other students? :confused1:   How does that make any sense? That sounds a bit like an on-line co-op.

 

I don't think that you are envisioning this correctly. 

 

My 10th grader is currently taking Rhetoric I with Mr. Hummel.  The kids do share their work in the online environment and comment on their classmates' writings.  However, Mr. Hummel is actively involved in the critiques, and my son has gotten a lot out of the weekly discussions.  My son incorporates the feedback/suggestions he receives when working on the next assignment.

 

My kids have taken asynchronous writing/literature classes through both CTY and PA Homeschoolers.  In every class, they were required to post comments on their peers' written submissions.  Imo, my son has gotten way more out of the live classroom interactions in the Rhetoric I class than was possible in the asynchronous setting.

 

Fwiw, I was thrilled when I saw that Mr. Hummel will be teaching the Rhetoric II class next year.  Rhetoric I has been, by far, my son's favorite class ever. 

 

Imo, I would not sign a middle schooler up for the Rhetoric sequence as I think a student will get much more out of the class when he is more mature.

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things are starting to get a little confusing when talking about the Expository Writing classes vs. the Rhetoric classes.  I have different expectations for each based on my particular students.  My middle schoolers are still learning to write well and wouldn't have the same reaction to oral criticism, nor would they have the same knowledge in incorporating oral feedback into their next assignment.

 

I am more open to the workshop model for my high schooler, but ultimately she still struggles enough that I don't feel it is the best way to approach writing for her.   Some of it comes down to different goals for different students.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...