Essay Writing Class for Homeschoolers

In this essay writing course we’ll be building up the skills necessary to write expository essays, as well as discussing and introducing narrative and argumentative essays. Though we will talk about the standard five paragraph format, the emphasis will be on making work that goes beyond the rigidity of that form and allows for the creativity you see from professional writers. We’ll begin the semester by analyzing essays from The New York Times, The New Yorker and elsewhere, then diving into our own work. At first, students will be focusing on short writing assignments that center on the fundamentals, and by the end of the semester we’ll complete a longer essay bringing everything we’ve learned together. Other skills we’ll work on: researching, outlining, citing sources using MLA format, and analyzing papers for rhetorical strategies (logos, pathos, ethos).

This class will offer Write Well Austin’s signature teaching style, which utilizes humor and a nurturing environment to connect with and inspire students.