Creative Writing meets the needs of writers ages 10 and 11.  Developing a love for writing is the heartbeat of this course.  Writing on age-appropriate topics and reading heart-warming literature (Where the Red Fern Grows and Number the Stars) help cultivate a young writers’ interest.  In this course, the student will learn good paragraph construction.  He or she will also explore the writing of a documented report on a WWII hero or villain.

Academic Writing I meets the needs of young writers ages 12+.  Stress on single paragraph and multi-paragraph construction, creative writing, classic literature analysis, and research procedures build a foundation that all young writers need.  Mini-grammar lessons are incorporated into the writing assignments.  [Students do not need experience writing research papers.]

Academic Writing II Civil War Course and Academic Writing II Travel Course meet the writing needs of students ages 14+.  Incorporated classics and Christian works of literature challenge and interest students.  The creative assignments make these courses exciting.  Research papers on Civil War or the Victorian Period, as well as a city of choice, blend nicely with history and geography curriculums studied in school or at home.  [Previous research paper writing is required.]  

College Prep Writing American Course and College Prep Writing British Course meets the writing needs of students ages 15+. Incorporated British and American works better prepare students for college and better blend with traditional curriculums of junior and senior level students.  Technical, political and historical topics make for exciting research papers.  Interspersed creative assignments will also be given

Mrs. Gorby uses various teaching styles to ensure the success of each student since cultivating writing skills can be extremely challenging at times. 

The classes will include five basic objectives:

1. Process writing will be stressed; encompassing prewriting, drafting, and editing of informative, persuasive, descriptive, narrative, analytical, and expository compositions and/or term papers.
2. Research skills will be emphasized so that the student will feel comfortable in locating and using reference materials, note taking, paraphrasing, and in applying proper documentation [MLA (Modern Language Association) form].
3. Strategies in answering essay questions from classic and Christian literature will be taught. Some secular classic literature will be taught, but an alternate piece of literature may be chosen by the parent and teacher if necessary.
4. Lessons integrating grammar with writing will be included.
5. Assignments dealing with vocabulary skills will, in addition, be incorporated into the curriculum.