Advanced
Essay-Writing
If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.--Ben Franklin
In imitation of the spirit of Franklin's quote, this class aims to equip young minds to write in a manner that warrants being read. The curriculum will center on three key emphases: writing with style and concision; perfecting coherent structure; and mastery of a time-proven essay form.
To register for this class, a student MUST have completed the Writing the Essay class. For those students who have completed the prerequisite, a $50 deposit (which is non-refundable, but which counts towards the Fall tuition) can be sent to:
Matthew Turnbull/ Alexandria Tutorials/ 248 Benton/ Leavenworth, WA 98826
along with the following information:
Re: "Registration for Advanced Essay Class"
Name, Parents' Names, Address, Age, Year in School, phone number, Background in Writing.
This information can also be sent to the tutor's e-mail address.
The cost for the tutorial is $225 per semester. Registration deadline is August 28th. Payment of the balance of Fall tuition is due the second week of class. Payment for second semester is due by February 5th. Meetings will take place on Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m., Pacific time. This is a year-long class; please register only if you are able to take both semesters.
ASSIGNMENTS
Writing will be assigned nearly every week. Most assignments will be sent to me for critique. I endeavor to provide written feedback on them within a week's time. Some assignments are to be read by the writer to the class. The tutor and the class will provide feedback at the time of the reading. (This is great practice that allows students to gain confidence in reading their work to a "live" audience.) Some assignments will be sent to a fellow student for critique; and some will be submitted to mom or dad for feedback.
COURSE TEXTS
Les Miserables Victor Hugo
How to Read A Book Mortimer Adler
On Christian Doctrine Augustine
Hound of the Baskervilles Arthur Conan-Doyle
Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Henry V William Shakespeare
Songs for the Open Road: Poems of Travel and Adventure, selected
Other texts may be announced as the class progresses and should include books and essays by very smart, famous people.
COURSE SCHEDULE
This course will begin in early September. We will break for Thanksgiving Day, and we will break for Christmas after class in mid-December. Class will resume in early January, and end on the last week of May, with a break for a week in April. This schedule allows for approximately 34 class periods. Generally, the tutor is able to meet each week, although there are very occasional exceptions due to illness or family emergencies. Please let the tutor know by e-mail if you need to miss a class. If you would like a copy of the chat notes from a missed class, please request one. We will have our first semester exam in mid-January. The final exam will take place the last week of the course.