Using TWF in a Homeschool Co-op Setting

The Write Foundation originally was developed in a one-day-a-week homeschool co-op class setting. The lesson plans were designed so other homeschool co-op teachers and also moms teaching at home could successfully teach formal writing without having to plan out their own detailed lesson plans as required with so many other writing curriculums. The teacher/parent is provided the tools needed to teach each lesson laid out in a grab and teach format with minimal teacher preparation necessary once the system is learned.

Teaching writing seems like an insurmountable task for many parents who have chosen to homeschool their children; this is typically one of the key subjects where the responsibility feels overwhelming. Homeschool parents want to make sure their students are correctly, competently, and completely educated to successfully prepare them for life and college. They need tools that, if used as directed, will get their students ready by teaching them how to organize their thoughts where they can effectively communicate. The Write Foundation is a system that does just that.

Co-op writing classes using The Write Foundation originated in the Houston, Texas area, taught by one mom, Rebecca Celsor and have quickly grown in popularity. Ten years later Rebecca stepped down from teaching co-op classes. Her daughter Rachel, however, taught nine co-op classes in 2012-2013 with over 100 students taking classes from her using The Write Foundation writing curriculum. Word of mouth is spreading the news about the amazing student success. Because parents are requesting it, within one hour from where her daughter Rachel teaches, five (5) other homeschool co-ops also use The Write Foundation writing curriculum. Over 1,000 students have been successfully taught to date how to write using The Write Foundation at home and in co-op settings.

Teaching Tools provided:

When you purchase a level of The Write Foundation curriculum, you are sent a folder called Additional Resources, which is teaching tools. Two folders are the Teacher Presentation pdfs which come in two formats that vary in format but the content is the same.

1. Teacher Presentation Interactive Digital: highlighted pdfs are easily used on your computer where information is typed by you in the colored spaces.
2. Teacher Presentation: black and white printable pdfs are for making overhead transparencies where information is to be written by you on the transparency.

Most Popular Instruction Method for Home or Co-op:

• At Home or Co-op: Write the Teacher Presentation (TP) information directly from the instruction manual or original information as you brainstorm on a white board or plain paper for the student(s) to copy on their worksheets.
• At Home or Co-op: Type answers on your computer display using the Teacher Presentation Interactive Digitals, while students copy on their worksheets.
• At Home: View the Teacher Presentation (TP) directly from the instruction manual. The student(s) would write on the worksheets.
• At Home: Put the Teacher Presentation (TP) pages from the Additional Resources folder on your computer screen for your student to view. This works well for non-brainstorming material. Your student(s) would write on the worksheets.
• Co-op: Classes are easily taught using the Teacher Presentation pages on an overhead projector. Make transparencies of the teacher presentation pages to use. Transparencies may be obtained online with value pricing at http://www.terschproducts.com/
• Co-op: A large chart (buy at a school supply store or online) could also be made and used for some pages where information is not being brainstormed, just copied and then saved for use with another class session.

Other tools: Some tools are more useful in a home setting, while other tools are designed more for a homeschool co-op setting.

• Assignments assist students working in a home setting and co-op while they complete their work at home. The assignments come in the student worksheets and at the end of each lesson in the instruction manuals.
• Daily Schedules are more for a home setting. Each lesson is organized in sections. In the Daily Schedule these sections are grouped together and then put into a 5-day session and also a 10-day session for teaching depending on how fast of a pace is necessary.
• Daily Schedules can also help a teacher organize the lesson for a homeschool co-op who is teaching classes 2 days per week.
• Grading Records, found in Additional Resources, are useful in a co-op but can be used at home.
• Other tools are also included but are self explanatory.

Homeschool Co-op Structure:

Co-ops are structured in different ways. Some co-ops are structured where the teacher is not paid, but everyone helps with the work load. If the teacher is not paid then certain jobs and expenses should be shared to keep from overloading one or two people with work and costs.

• Students (parents) need to purchase their own worksheets and supplies.
• 1 person should teach each lesson or the job could be shared with different people teaching different sections or alternate lessons.
• Others could grade (helps to grade during class time). Big help!

  Grading checklists come in the Additional Resources with suggested points off for the required elements, which make grading much easier. The points can be adjusted to fit individual needs.

• It helps if the co-op can purchase an overhead projector and blank transparencies if possible. The church or building you are using might have one available for you to use. (I bought my overhead projector used off the internet, Craig’s List.) Be aware, spare light bulbs for the projector should be kept on hand.
• One mom’s job could be to make the Teacher Presentation transparencies to be used during the year. (I found it easier to make them all at once rather than week by week.)

Other co-ops are structured where the teacher is paid by the parents of the students or the co-op handles the money and pays the teacher. When paid, the teacher will still need to determine if any assistance is needed from any other moms.

• Most writing teachers could use some help grading no matter how much they are paid. A teacher might want to scholarship a student or two and in exchange, the mom(s) could help with grading.
• All students still need to purchase their own worksheets and supplies.

Whether teaching your own children at home or teaching many students in a homeschool co-op setting, The Write Foundation provides you with teaching materials including detailed lesson plans and other teacher friendly tools to enable you to successfully teach your children how to write. The Write Foundation prepares students not only for writing college level essays; it also develops organization skills that students will use throughout their lives.

If you need more assistance on how to teach in a homeschool co-op or a home setting, please contact Rebecca Celsor. Her goal is to get information and tools into teacher’s hands that make teaching writing a doable task.