So, the Essentials of the English Language through Classical Conversations is a great program. It is best if you can be part of a group. However, if you can't, you can still do it at home, and make your own group, or do it alone. I've found that when you involve a couple more families, you stay more responsible to your goals, and you are more creative on how to inspire your students. You don't need to know everything about grammar to teach grammar. Be real, and let the kids know that you're learning with them. Get a couple good grammar books as reference, and focus on a topic each week. By the end of 24 weeks, you'll have memorized a lot of really great charts, and useful information. Find a set of punctuation rules that you love... and memorize those too.
Make sure you let the other mom's know that they are responsible for really teaching grammar at home with their kids too. When you meet together, you are reinforcing your decision to learn grammar, introduce a topic, and diagram a sentence or two. Is it exactly what they do in the Essential's paid class? I don't know... I've never been... but we've learned some great things doing it this way. Especially me. Before I thought I wasn't qualified to teach this subject. Now, my 3rd year of teaching grammar myself, I have confidence, and my kids will forever benefit from my wealth of knowledge of the English language. I still don't know everything, but I've realized that the answer sheets in the back of the book are there for a reason. :)
I've listed the items below that we have used to make a successful Co-op. By watching the DVD's, it has really helped us know how to teach the mastery sheets. The key is memorizing the information. The Classical method of learning.
Get your class organized: Once during the Summer.
Have all your materials, and we put your Student Mastery Binders Together.
Talk about expectations, etc.
Bring your sheet protectors & folders & file tabs.
Fees:
Non-Refundable/ Non-Transferable Coping Fee of $20 / student per school year.
IEW & Grammar Class 2011-12
I have a few spots at my kitchen table... so I'd like to keep it small.
7 kids.
Class starts: Tuesday, August 23, 2011, 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Week 1 Aug. 23
Week 2 Aug. 30
Week 3 Sept. 6
Week 4 Sept. 13
Week 5 Sept. 20
Week 6 Sept. 27
Break Oct. 4
Week 7 Oct. 11
Week 8 Oct. 18
Week 9 Oct. 25
Week 10 Nov. 1
Week 11 Nov. 8
Week 12 Nov. 15
Break Nov. 22 thru Jan 3
Optional: Nov. 29 Christmas Assignment: Write a story for a Christmas Gift. IEW "Borrow a Conflict" Assignment.
Week 13 Jan 10, 2012
Week 14 Jan 17
Week 15 Jan 24
Break Jan 31
Week 16 Feb 7
Week 17 Feb 14
Week 18 Feb 21
Break Feb 28
Week 19 Mar 6
Week 20 Mar 13
Week 21 Mar 20
Break Mar 27
Week 22 Apr 3
Week 23 Apr 10
Week 24 Apr 17 (Last Day of Class)
(I allowed for a few more breaks during the second semester, as that seems to be necessary in my household. We're always ready to go great for the first half of the year, so I'm taking advantage of that momentum. It will also allow us to flex a little more, due to unforeseen events.)
Class Layout: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays
45 min IEW
20 min. Math Games
10 min. Break (Bring a snack to each class)
45 min Grammar
Here's your official shopping list for our IEW & Grammar Class in the fall.
Website where you can purchase materials:
or IEW Website.
I would like to meet once in the summer to make sure our Student Mastery Charts are ready to go.
I'm thinking August sometime.
Thanks,
Candi
MUST HAVE:
$10.00 |
$10.00
$20.00
$29.00
$7.00
$20.00
TWO—3 Hole Pocket Folder (The cheap ones, preferably different colors.)
Two- Ultra Fine Tip Dry Erase Markers.
One- Really cheap Spiral notebook, or composition notebook. For Grammar notes, and IEW Compositions. Not a huge notebook that will be lost or not in order when they need to find information.
And, since I'm listing everything... Don't forget a pen and pencil. :)
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HELPFUL TO HAVE (NOT A MUST)
$16.95 Helpful for writing IEW papers at home. This book is the best Thesaurus I've seen.
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$20.00 Helpful for doing Grammar at home. I am not teaching Grammar as much as it needs to be taught. You will be responsible for teaching at home. We will be memorizing charts & facts, and diagramming some sentences in class.
$5.00 Our Mother Tongue - Answer Key ES016
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$19.95 If you don't have a spelling program, this is helpful. |
$10.95 This is for doing at home grammar work. |
$12.95
Great source, and you should be doing some type of dictation work every day at home. One way to use grammar in a practical setting. Any type of book like this is helpful.
CC Tour Essentials DVD
Item# ES003
$29.95
You cannot buy the guide through their website if you're not officially enrolled in a class. However, I bought the DVD, and found it very useful. It shows you how to use the pdf's, and then you can use your own sentences from Our Mother Tongue to compliment the lesson.
Helpful Add-ons to print out.
These two 8 1/2 x 11 pages I made are to help memorizing sentence structures.
It can go along with CC Essentials, as well as IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing).
Click to enlarge: IEW Sample Paper. (8 1/2 x 11)
IEW Sample Paper:
1. Dress-ups are listed on the right.
2. Sentence Starters are listed on the left.
3. Each paragraph: Topic Sentence and Clincher reflection words highlighted.
4. Not shown: Introduce Subject (1st line of paper) and Final Clincher (last line of paper) reflection words in Bold.
5. Nice to have: Highlight your Final Clincher and Title reflection words. Not shown above.
I still haven't figured out how they did this on the computer with the dress-ups and starters in the margins. We just underline and highlight on the computer, and then add the notes in the margins by hand.
