My Palaestra - Homeschooling in Livonia, Michigan

Class Information

Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay

As adults we are often called upon to put our thoughts, feelings, goals, ideas and opinions on paper: a cover letter for a job, a letter to the editor, your testimony, a note of encouragement or sympathy to a friend, a eulogy for a loved one, an email to your soccer team with information about the play offs, a letter to the IRS or a letter to your local government explaining why you are not in violation of a city ordinance, an announcement for a class reunion, instructions for taking care of your cat while out of town, lesson plans for your homeschooled child or the ever popular Christmas letter, etc.

These real world communications rarely call upon a writer to use the Five Paragraph Essay format, yet, often that is the only exposure to writing instruction many students get. That said, the Five Paragraph Essay is an invaluable tool for high school, college and standardized tests and it is important for students to learn the formula and practice using it in several forms.

But first, students should learn effective written communication skills that will take them beyond formulaic writing. In this class students will be given an opportunity to experience the pleasurable part of writing - deciding what they think and what they have to say while learning to be aware of purpose and audience.

The last section of this one semester class will be spent learning and practicing the Five Paragraph Essay.

Instructor: Walterich, Mary Ellen

Instructor Bio:

Mary Ellen has been involved with Palaestra since before it was Palaestra - some 34 years! She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Michigan State University in the lost art of Journalism. BK (before kids) she worked as a reporter and editor of several newspapers, published her own newspaper, wrote a weekly newspaper column and won a Michigan Press Association award for feature writing. She homeschooled both of her children, Michael and Alisa and rarely misses the "teachable moment" when she’s with grandkids Brooke, Alexander and Gabriel. Despite having been President of the prestigious Trenton High School Latin Club, Mary Ellen always regretted not having paid more attention to high school Latin. So when her daughter headed off to Calvin College she headed to Wayne State where she not only learned introductory Latin but she learned how to study, a skill she feels had she had before going to college would have changed her entire college experience. Now, when not monitoring the grammar disaster that is the internet, she enjoys bringing the study of Latin and its many benefits to homeschooled students.

Fee: $90

Material Fee: $0

Minimum Age: 11

Maximum Age: 15

Day:

Friday

Time:

10:00 am

Length:

1 Hours

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