Reading and Writing in High School

Excellence in Literature, by Janice Campbell, is a comprehensive reading and writing curriculum for high school students.  We have been utilizing the ninth grade (English 1) program and have been thoroughly impressed.  What makes Excellence in Literature  so special?  First of all, the overall objectives for the program are much more comprehensive than the overall objectives for most literature programs I have examined.  Take a look at this exerpt from the Introduction to Literature book itself:

Excellence in Literature (EIL) is a college-preparatory course of study. It is my goal to:

• Introduce students to great literature from the western literary tradition.

• Teach students to read with discernment.

• Train independent, self-motivated learners.

• Provide tools that students can use to strengthen their writing skills.

• Introduce students to sources for high-quality online and offline research.

• Prepare students for college classes by expecting carefully researched, well-thought-out material to be presented in standard format, with preliminary proofreading completed.

We haven't come anywhere near to completing the curriculum, yet, because this is a full year curriculum.  However, from what we have been able to do so far, this is definitely a winner.  Janice Campbell has done a great job of compiling an assortment of classic literature assignments and very thorough explanations about things as simple as "How to Read a Book."  There are examples and explanations for every type of writing assigned.  The first unit covers an assortment of short stories.  These short stories could be difficult to find in a library, so Campbell includes links to websites where the short stories can be either read online or printed out and read.  We like the ability to print out short stories so things can be highlighted and notes taken.  This is a great help when a student is working on an essay over a story.  Students are given at least one writing assignment over each story.  My son likes looking through the extra resources and internet links that are given with each unit.  These links are really helpful when the time comes to work on writing assignments.  He has also really appreciated the fact that the writing assignments are not 'over the top' in length.  Some literature programs are so deep in the first year program that students stay confused and discouraged.  This program eases students into literary analysis in a way that is challenging but not discouraging.  Nine units are included, each unit being four weeks long.  This allows for a full year curriculum.  Assignments are divided out by week and are easy for students to follow. 

     If you are looking for an honors literature program, Campbell provides optional assignments to use EIL as an honors class.  Additional reading assignments and papers are required for honors.  She provides directions for the parent on how to grade the writing assignments and on how to facilitate the course for students. 

     Overall, we are enjoying using Excellence in Literature.  I hope to continue using it with my children through their high school years. 

     Excellence in Literature Introduction to Literature is available at http://www.everyday-education.com/literature/eng1.shtml in print for $29 + $4.95 shipping and handling or as an e-book for $27.  We have used the e-book version and love the versatility -- especially when using one of the web links provided.  It is much easier to copy and paste a web address than to type it in correctly. 

    To read other reviews about EIL Introduction to Literature, check out the main crew blog page, here. 

**I was not compensated in any way in exchange for this honest review.  The opinions expressed are my own.**

Aletheia Writing Magazine

"Aletheia Writing Magazine is a quarterly publication focusing on the literary and artistic works of Christian teens, ages 13 to 19*." Our oldest daughter was intrigued with Aletheia Writing Magazine when we received it.  She is a writer and is always looking for outlets for her writing.  We were able to examine two issues of this lovely magazine.  After reading Aletheia, our daughter was inspired to create more of her songs, poems, and stories.  She loved seeing the artwork that had been created, too.  Full of stories, essays, poems, artwork, and book reviews all written by teens, this magazine provides an opportunity for teen writers to submit their original works for publication and for teen readers to enjoy submissions of their peers.  The magazine is published quarterly, consists of forty pages, and is available for subscription through the Aletheia website for $26 (including shipping and handling).  Aletheia is perfect for any budding teen writer.  It is a great way to encourage teens to both read and write.  My teen boys were not quite as enthralled by the magazine as my daughter was; but, they would rather read about football than anything, so that wasn't surprising to me.  As with any magazine, the reader may not agree with the content of all of the articles; however, this is a magazine for Christian teens, so the content is geared toward Christians and is clean and wholesome.  It is quite refreshing to allow your child to be able to read a magazine without fear of the content they may be exposed to.  All in all, we enjoyed Aletheia Writing Magazine.  To read other reviews from TOS Homeschool Crew members, visit the main blog post here.  If you would like to "try before you subscribe," you can view the Spring 2011 issue here. 


**I was not compensated in any way by TOS or Aletheia Writing Magazine in exchange for this review.  The honest opinions expressed are my own.**

The Write Foundation Writing Curriculum

As a mom with a very strong English grammar and writing background, I was excited to sample the writing curriculum by The Write Foundation. I have had the opportunity to use all three levels of their curriculum for the past month. My children are reluctant writers, as a general rule; however, they have been inspired to become more fluent writers through the use of this curriculum. My youngest daughter, especially, has discovered a love for writing and has begun writing her own book.
From a teaching standpoint, I wasn't completely sure about the best way to utilize this curriculum in a homeschool setting. The curriculum is designed more for a co-op setting. After some studying and a little tweaking, I adapted the lessons to suit the needs of my children. The lessons were not difficult nor were they time consuming. The lessons were easier to adapt and use as I adjusted to the curriculum. By the time I was working with the third level, the lessons were fairly effortless on my part yet challenging to my children.
The Write Foundation writing curriculum is a result of 8 years of successfully teaching homeschooled students in a one-day-per-week co-op setting. It has been adapted for a homeschool and used by numerous homeschooling parents to give their own children the tools of how to quickly organize and write an essay with excellence. (from http://www.thewritefoundation.org/10_About.html)
The pricing structure for the curriculum ranges from $65-$100, depending on what you order. Each level is a complete curriculum including teacher's materials with lesson plans, student worksheets, and additional c.d. resources. There are three levels to the program.
Suggested Age Levels
Level 1: Sentence to Paragraph Writing Ages 11 – 13
Level 2: Paragraph Writing Ages 12 – 15
Level 3: Essay Writing Ages 14 – 17

Information about pricing for each level can be found at http://www.thewritefoundation.org/24_OrderInfo.html.

I would recommend this program for homeschoolers who are struggling with writing at any level. The basic information is useful for initial writing instruction as well as reinforcement and review. To read other reviews about the products from The Write Foundation, go to http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolcrew/783366/.
*Disclaimer: I received no compensation from TOS or The Write Foundation in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.**