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Class Info

English 4 (NW)

Class Year:  2021-2022 Class Year
Time:  Wed 11:15 am - 12:30 pm;
Teacher:  Becky Thompson
Tution:  $550 / Year or $55 / Month for 10 Months
Supply Fee:  $50 / Year - Due Upon Registration (Non-Refundable)
Location:  Northwest (Cypress)

Age/Grade Level:  On-level and advanced fourth graders as well as fifth graders needing reinforcement. Must be nine years of age prior to September 1, 2021.

Teacher:  Becky Thompson - BS Elementary Education with English Specialization, Baylor University; Masters in Math Education, University of Houston

Tuition: 

* Early Bird Tuition Rate, Postmarked before Jun 1:  $500/year or 10 payments of $50

* Regular Tuition Rate, Postmarked after May 30:    $550/year or 10 payments of $55

Supply Fee:  $50, a one-time, non-refundable fee for class supplies and teacher-created materials.

Strong written communication is foundational to every subject in a child’s education.  When this critical base is formed early and well, it provides students with priceless academic ability and confidence throughout their schooling years.  This class lays the groundwork for writing, grammar and reading success in the year to come and the years to follow.

For writing, the teacher will use the Institute for Excellence in Writing’s (IEW) Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales, where a wide variety of adventures will supply a rich foundation for imaginative and enjoyable writing. Students will write well-structured, short, imaginative paragraphs throughout the year.  Grammar and usage cover punctuation, capitalization, proper word usage, the eight parts of speech and basic sentence structure. Students will practice expanding sentences weekly and will write well-structured three-paragraph reports and stories by year-end.  

Grammar will be light but thorough, covering punctuation, capitalization, proper word usage, the eight parts of speech and basic sentence structure.  The teacher will provide a grammar syllabus, weekly introductions/reviews, and regular quizzes/tests; but on the whole, grammar will be taught at home by a parent.  The required “open-and-go” curriculum should eliminate any advance preparation for parents.

In addition to writing and grammar, the class will provide a reading enrichment component in which students will study a poem a month and read six classic, on-level chapter books from various genres. 

After Spring Break, cursive handwriting will be mandatory on final writing assignments. Neatness and organization are required.

Parent/Student Expectations:  Parents should expect the following at home:

  1. Homework: Students will have daily assignments and need regular parental instruction and oversight.
  2. Parent oversight/instruction: At home, the parent is still the teacher. While no advance preparation is required, parents will provide personal one-on-one instruction each day followed by intermittent oversight.  Parents will help students follow the syllabus and check their student’s work each day, so the student can make timely corrections.
  3. Grading: Semester grades will be based on writing assignments, grammar quizzes, and book quizzes.
  4. Parent Orientation: A required parent orientation will be scheduled prior to the first class.
  5. Time Required: Students will need to spend approximately one hour per day on their assignments depending on their maturity, attention span and writing dexterity. 

The following books/resources will be used:

https://iew.com/shop/products/portable-walls-structure-and-style%C2%AE-students#slideshow-1