Fall 2014 Groups

Two classes are currently being offered this fall and we will meet in West Asheville on Old Haywood Road. Do you know where The Hop is? We'll be right next door! (And yes, you can indulge in some ice cream or hot cocoa while you wait...) Classes will have a size limit to maximize the learning of each child, so if this sparks your interest, let's get started! :o)

Group sessions are $15 each. Secure your child's spot with a deposit of $30 for the first 2 classes. Once you have signed up, please complete the form below so I can learn a little more about your learner! This is also a great way to request more information. 

Classes begin the first week of October and go through the second week of December.

Word Wizards (older children) (formerly "Word Warriors")
Tuesdays 4:30-5:30    Classes begin October 1st

Do your children still need to ask "How do I spell..." a lot? Does it seem like the only other option is to go to a dictionary more than they'd like, and wish for an easier way to spell? Does your child sometimes hesitate to show other people their work because they know there are too many spelling mistakes? Word Wizards will put the fun back in spelling! The age range of children who would benefit from this group is flexible, as children are often at very different levels. Children need to already be independent writers, as this group will be fairly fast paced. They will learn new rules/patterns each week, and will add them to a notebook they will create to use as a future resource.

This group is for your child if they:

*are already writing independently
*can write a paragraph or more at a time
*would benefit from learning spelling rules they can 
   independently use when writing and taking notes

Click below to enroll.

Your child will learn:

*basic syllable types in words
*how the relationship between the letters within the syllable are crucial to making spelling easier
*spelling patterns and generalizations
*spelling "rules", such as...
   >how to spell a word when adding a suffix
   >when do you double the last letter when you add
     an ending (ex: hopped, walked)
   >silent e rule, Y rule 
   >when do you use each of the different ways to spell 
      the long a sound: a, ai, ay, a(consonant)e, ai, etc.
   >when do you use "ge" vs "dge" when you hear /j/ at
      the end of a word
   >...and so much more!!!

Writing...Building on the Basics (younger children)
Thursdays 4:30-5:30     Classes begin October 10th

Help your child build their writing "muscles" this fall! In this group, we will explore different formats for writing along with setting personal goals with how we want to grow as writers. Your child will use different ways to organize their thoughts and information to aid in writing on a topic. We will dive into informational writing, autobiographies, "how-to" pieces, and more!

This group is for your child if they:

*have basic letter-sound correspondence
*know how to write some/many words, but may not 
  write in sentences frequently (or not at all)
*can write a simple sentence, but does not expand into
  more sentences on the same topic
*write for pleasure, but would benefit from having some
  structure to what they write (for example, staying on a
  topic)
*have a need to be able to write a little more
  independently down the road (for example, going to
  some sort of group or class where you will not be there
  to help them)
*your child could use the gentle encouragement to write
  "more" and the support that a group provides be giving
  them an audience outside of their immediate family

Click below to enroll.

Your child will learn to:

*build their auditory memory (remembering what they
  want to write long enough to get whole message
  "down", even when they have to stop to figure out a
  word spelling)
*brainstorm words on a topic to aid in communicating a
  full message
*sentence building basics
*expanding sentences to create more detail (for those 
   children who are ready for this)
*how to represent most sounds in a word so it can be
  easily read by their audience
*create categories that fully explore a topic in order to
  decide what are the most important things a child
  wants to communicate about that topic (don't worry,
  this will be guided!)