This course teaches students how to write persuasive and comprehensive essays.  This same focus is reflected in the new California State Standards (Common Core State Standards), which seek to develop students who can “write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content” (63).

Within this course, students will learn the questions they must answer in an essay, how to effectively answer these questions, and how to use research to answer these questions.  This course will be covered in 6 classes.  In the first class, students will learn how to prepare to write an essay.  In the second class, students will learn how to organize a paragraph or an essay.  In the third class the student focuses more narrowly on critical sentence organization and detail.  In the fourth and fifth classes, students will learn revision strategies that will also reinforce the first three lessons.  The final class will consist of drills designed to each student’s point of weakness.  Parents are invited (and encouraged) to sit in on the final class or speak with Juliana after each Skype class so that they can better assist their students with assignments throughout the year.

This class can be tailored to help students complete summer homework assignments.