Online Writing Classes
Connecting with History and IEW®
Connecting with History Composition Classes
Features
These uniquely designed writing classes teach the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) Structure and Style® method. Each class uses source texts from the Connecting with History program to learn the foundational skills of the IEW® program, reinforcing your family's history studies throughout the school year.
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Self-paced recorded lessons that teach the skills of the IEW method
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Assignments created to coordinate with Connecting with History
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Taught by an experienced IEW teacher and master catechist
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Personalized feedback, editing, and advice on all assignments
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Two learning levels for each volume of Connecting with History
FAQ
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When do classes begin?
Classrooms open on August 28, 2023. The last day of access to the instructor is May 31, 2024. There are IEW 25 lessons per level, including all the units of the respective volume of Connecting with History.
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What materials will I need?
Each student will need the Connecting with History Companion Reader for the class in which they enroll. Level B students may require one or two additional books. All other instructional material is provided as part of the class. Although grammar is intrinsically built into the program through the editing and feedback process, you will also need a formal grammar program such as Fix-It Grammar or Easy Grammar.
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How will my child communicate with the instructor?
Assignments are submitted through a secure portal within the classrooms. You will receive email notification to log into the classroom when the instructor has finished editing the assignment and has provided her feedback and recommendations. You will be provided with the instructor's email address as well so that you can ask questions related to assignments.
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What is IEW?
IEW is Institute for Excellence in Writing, a writing curriculum designed to teach students to write effectively. It is an incremental program designed to teach the writing process with a method that guides students in thinking clearly and expressing themselves succinctly.
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Do I need to be using Connecting with History to enroll my child?
These classes have been specifically designed to serve families who are using the Connecting with History program. Although you are not required to be using the program, you are required to use the Companion Reader to complete assignments. These classes do not teach history, rather they compliment and enhance your studies using sources based on history.
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How do I decide which level to enroll my child?
Level A is recommended for grades 3-5. Any student who has had no introduction to the IEW program and/or might require a slower pace. Students must be able to write a basic sentence. Level B is typically for grades 6-8 or at least one year of IEW experience. The course begins with a brief review, so an older student with no IEW experience may easily catch on.
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If I have two children at the same level, do I have to enroll each separately?
Yes, each child must be registered separately. Tuition includes personalized editing and feedback of each student’s work. Each student also has access to an individualized classroom that tracks their progress and provides the communication with the instructor. To enroll two students in the same classroom you will need to create two separate accounts on this platform. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
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Should I enroll using my own name and email or my child's?
Parents enroll in the classes using their own information, not the child's. We are committed to protecting your child's privacy. See our privacy statement at the bottom of this page.
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Does the teacher or the parent do the grading?
Parents and teacher work together! The teacher edits the Rough Draft assignments, which are the first submissions. There is no grade for the edited assignments because students must revise their work based on the feedback provided from the teacher. Parents are responsible for ensuring that the revisions are made based on the edited copies that are returned to the students and can then give the student a grade. IEW provides very clear and concrete goals for each assignment so parents and students know exactly what is expected.
Meet Your Instructor
As a certified IEW instructor, Ginny has taught IEW classes in both traditional and online settings for many years. She now teaches online only and is excited to be partnering with RC History. Ginny is also a Master Catechist and incorporates her deep knowledge of the Catholic faith and salvation history into her writing lessons.
Ginny’s homeschooling journey over the past twenty-five years has included both Connecting with History (CWH) and Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) programs because both programs are flexible and successful with multiple children. By incorporating writing with history, her children were able to retain the historical information while honing their writing skills. CWH has been an enjoyable program for her family to learn history in the Catholic context and as one “class.” Her family developed their knowledge of our Catholic heritage through CWH, and projects and field trips brought it all to life. Additionally, reading and writing skills were enhanced by incorporating IEW into her children’s school work based on each child’s personal ability. The texts that they read for history were the sources of the writing assignments for each IEW unit. Ginny finds the combination to be very natural in the learning process.
Testimonials
“Ginny has instructed a few of my children in the last several years, and I will gladly send all the rest to her as they come of age to learn from her. Her lessons are clear, plus her feedback is concise and useful. How nice to have a proficient educator and faithful woman contributing to the development of our children. What a time saver to have the Companion Reader as the source text for the writing lessons. Great idea! Thank you for revealing to all of RC History the gem of Ginny.”
“You are a wonderful teacher -- so patient and gentle. My son is learning so much...from self-checks, keeping a binder, deadlines, self-discipline, confidence - not to mention the writing skills you are teaching and the beauty of words, descriptive words. Yesterday as he was completing his paper on Egyptian writings, I was going over the checklist with him, and we talked about WHY dress ups and strong verbs and -ly words are so "cool" - like poetry - they enhance meaning while fitting into a structure (meter and rhyme)/discipline - a challenge! Thank you so much! ”
“We enrolled our 6th grade child to go along with our history, and this is her second semester. We have been moving slowly throughout history, but this doesn't affect the IEW class. You don't have to go at a certain pace through history curriculum for it all to flow and make sense. The class uses sections of the main history book for assignments. It is nice that she is learning more about her Catholic faith and writing skills. We will be enrolling more of our children in the future.”
“I am SO pleased with this class! My kids are learning so much, and I LOVE how it is tied right into our history.”
Space is Limited
Don't wait to reserve your place!
We have a limited number of openings so we recommend enrolling as soon as possible. Enrollment will close when we meet our limit. At that time you may contact us to be placed on a waiting list.