Miss Lorraine 101
Private Tutoring and Small Classes
since 1994
Class Descriptions
Creative Writing -- Jumpstart
This class is for students, typically junior high school level and above, who want or need to improve their writing skills. If you have a child who is more apt to stare at a blank piece of paper for twenty minutes than write something on it – this is the class you want. Student who enjoy writing will be encouraged to experiment further and to work on pieces above and beyond class requirements, with assignments designed to strengthen weaknesses in their writing.The objective of this class is to encourage students to write freely, to have fun with it, and to play with ideas as they discover their own "voice", in a light-hearted, non-threatening environment. For students who already enjoy creative writing, this class is an opportunity to share their work with peers, receive personal feedback, and take on new challenges as the class explores a variety of writing styles, themes, and genres. Students will learn:* The elements of vivid description* How to hook their audience* How to construct memorable characters* How to build suspense * How to write natural dialogue Students will be writing in class and encouraged (but not required) to orally share what they have written. Students are also encouraged to write at home. I suggest four ten-minute free-writes a week as well as the weekly assignment. Students are welcome to share their original works with the class and may submit them to me for personal feedback, along with their other work. It should be remembered that one of the purposes of this class is to encourage the hesitant writer. While I will make note of spelling, capitalization, and grammatical errors, and may suggest ways in which a student can improve their technical writing skills, I will not do so to the point where it detracts from the enthusiasm of putting forth ideas on paper. This class is best suited to junior high school and high school students. * Class size is limited to eight students
* Class meets for one 1 and 1/2 hour session per week
* Cost is $10.00 per session, paid monthly in advance
Note: In my experience, each group tends to take on a character of its own. I try to accommodate particular interests that arise within any given group and to allow their interests and enthusiasm to help shape the direction of the class.
One such class was not so thrilled with poetry – but enamored of fantasy fiction. So, along with the skills listed above, we have studied the elements of a good “fight”scene, various ways to depict transitions through portals, and how to introduce a flashback or a daydream. return to top | ||||||
(Click on links for class descriptions, and rates.)
Beginning American Sign Language
Class consists of vocabulary building and basic sentence structure. Practicing at home will be required to keep up with this course. Weekly tests are given. Finger dexterity and willingness to practice and study at home are the criterion for this class. * Class size is limited to eight students
* Class meets for one 1and1/2-hour per week, for 10 weeks. * Class is $7.50 per student per week, paid monthly in advance * Required text: A Basic Course in A.S.L.Note: ASL fulfills foreign language requirements for high school credit.. I offer an extended 26-week class for home-school students considering this option. Grades will be provided. (Home-school students considering ASL class for foreign language high school credit should see below.)This course builds on the skills developed in the Jumpstart class. It introduces more sophisticated and subtle writing techniques, through the examination of a variety of short works. Authors include Poe, Shelley, Shakespeare, Thurber, Jackson, Maugham, Steinbeck, Frost, and others. Film clips are also used for quick illustration. I recommend this for freshman year high school students and up. Students will learn to first identify, and then to imitate, the techniques and styles illustrated by these authors, including phrasing, alliteration, meter, imagery, tone, foreshadowing, and symbolism. SAT level vocabulary is an integral part of this course. Fifteen words are introduced each week to be included in free-writes, followed by vocabulary tests. One other writing assignment is given weekly. Students share their work with the class and personal feedback is given, as well as grades.* Class size is limited * Class meets for one 2-hour session per week.* Cost is $15.00 per student per week, paid monthly in advanceIn this class a student's knowledge of tone and style as developed through creative writing becomes a real asset. Developing a "hook" in creative writing for a broad audience is now modified for a specific audience--the college admissions board. This audience reads a thousand essays in a few short months, each responding to the same essay question. Standing out, without being outlandish, is the goal. Students will learn to refine their creative writing skills into clever observations, analogies, and comparisons. The essay questions are drawn from actual college admission and scholarship applications, as well as the SAT prep book. Essays will be started in class and often need to be finished at home. Students will be editing and revising their work based on feedback. This class is graded.
* Class size is limited
Creative Writing -- First Steps
This class is for students, typically grades 3-6, who know how to write a complete sentence. They should have knowledge of basic punctuation and capitalization, and be familiar with nouns, verbs and adjectives. This is not to say they have mastered these concepts - just that they are familiar with them. It is especially recommended for young students who "hate" writing or find it boring. The goal of this class is to show the students that writing can be fun. The purpose is to move them from simple sentences to more complex sentences through the inclusion of adjectives and adverbs, and to gently reinforce the idea that things like spelling and punctuation matter - if they want their ideas to be understood. This is the first step in creative writing: transforming a sentence that "tells" the reader something, into a sentence that "shows" the reader something. To keep class lively and fun,I use sentence starters involving giraffes in bikinis, dandelions that are allergic to pollen, and chipmunks that roar like lions. I appeal to the student's sense of humor in order to spark the imagination. Due to the age targeted, I am tempted to subtitle this class "Let the Silliness Begin".
There is typically one handout, and a creative assignment to be completed each week for homework. If, by the end of the eight-week class, the students are excitedly sharing what they've written with friends and family -- I've done my job.
* Class meets for 1and 1/2 hours per week
* Cost is $7.50 per session, paid six weeks in advance
This class will delve into academic essay writing in response to op-ed pieces, speeches, articles on historic events and television advertising.
Advertising uses the same basic appeals to pitch their products as some essayists use to pitch their opinions and ideas. Through a of study of television advertising, students quickly learn to identify shallow and superficial appeals to status, social acceptance, sympathy, pity, fear, elitism, and celebrity endorsement -- as opposed to sound reasoning.
Op-ed pieces will introduce humorous, satirical, and ironic elements to essay writing. Historic articles such as the Federalist and Anti-federalist Papers, will be used for comparison pieces, and opinion essays.
The goal is for students to develop analytical thinking skills as they begin actively looking for emotional appeals, fallacious arguments, bias, and omissions in what they see, read, hear and, ultimately, in what they write themselves.
Students will write essays in response to advertisements, Op-eds, opinion essays, and articles that recount historic events. In doing so they will write essays that inform, assert, compare and contrast, persuade, argue, and entertain. This class is graded.
* Class size is limited * Class meets for 1 and 1/2 hours session per week* Cost is $10.00 per student per week, paid monthly in advanceAcademic Essays
Dyslexia:
Barton Reading and Spelling
Mathematics: Pre-Algebra,
Algebra, Geometry, Trig.
Any subject listed above
Working the Personal Essay
A Study in Creative Writing
SAT Prep
Test, assess, fill in the gaps, repeat...
The key to the SAT's is being prepared. Aside from having a well-rounded knowledge of English and Mathematics it is also necessary to understand the scoring system and becoming comfortable with the time constraints. Students need to have a plan of attack and the confidence to implement their plan. Becoming familiar with the test is essential, especially for homeschoolers who seldom sit with 30 other students and perform with the clock ticking. This class is designed to accomplish these goal. Student will need a copy of the 24th Edition of Barron's SAT Prep book, and an approved SAT calculator to class.Class will begin with a full length diagnostic test - and end with a full length exit test. Class is 2 hours per week for 11 weeks
Cost is $12.50 per week, paid in two installments
Classic Literature & Literary Analysis
This course is specifically designed to prepare a student for college level literature courses, in which they will be expected to analyze increasingly complex and subtle works of literature. Students will learn the requisite vocabulary and literary elements used to discuss literature including: - author's pertinent biographical information - historical relevance of the novel - forms of narration - arch types, and character development - theme, symbolism, irony, foreshadowing - climax, anti-climax, denouement - setting, tone, voice and registerThis class requires 25-30 pages of reading per week, as well as writing, and rewriting an analysis for each book read. It is designed with the college bound student in mind. - class size is limited - class is 1 and 1/2 hours per week.
- cost is $10.00 per student per week, paid monthly in advance
Conversational Sign
This class continues to build vocabulary, while focusing on fluency and receptive skills. Students will practice these skills through class participation, storytelling and song interpretation. Both written and practical test will be given weekly. Grades will be provided.* Class size is limited to eight students * Class meets for one 2-hour session per week. for 26 weeks* Cost is $10.00 per student per week, paid monthly in advance* Class is limited to students who have completed 24 weeks of Beginning American Sign Language. ** (Prerequisite: Completion of 26-week Beginning American Sign Language course.)Private Tutoring
Any of the classes listed can be tutored privately, ($20.00 per hour) or semi-privately ($12.50 per hour) at my home in Dartmouth. Tutoring is available in Mathematics including Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. and in the Barton Reading and Spelling Program for students with dyslexia. Rates may be adjusted (to accommodate for prep time) for students with specific needs that fall outside the parameters of the courses listed above. | ||||||
Attleboro Classes
2011 ~ 2012
Oak Knoll Nature Center, Attleboro (link)
Classes start Sept. 12th!
Tuesdays
Creative Writing
First Steps
10:00 - 11:30
(ages 8-12)
Wednesdays
Creative Writing
First Steps
10:00 - 11:30
(ages 8-12)
(two seats open)
Thursdays
Creative Writing
First Steps
(w/Spelling)
10:00 - 11:30
(ages 8--14)
Dartmouth
English Composition
(middle school age)
seats available
Time to be announced
If you have questions
or would like to reserve a seat:
When emailing please be sure to copy verification code exactly, including caps.
This course is adapted from my Classical Literature and Literary Analysis course for high school, college bound students). This class introduces the basic elements of a book report. Students will need to read two books at home, and will be taking notes as they read. Their reports will include pertinent information on the author, publisher, copyright, historical background of the time period, genre, narration point of view, an assessment of the main characters, a brief summary of plot, the climax, and student recommendation. - class size is limited
- class is 1 and 1/2 hours per week.
For those who have inquired about classes online, I have the webcam up and running. For anyone else interested in this format - please drop me an email. Thanks, Lorraine
Book Reports
Essays
An introduction to essays, this class will introduce the five paragraph essay, (though students with a developed creative flair will be encouraged to go beyond this standard). Essay topics will be drawn from SAT Prep prompts and questions. Students will be taught to approach essays using brainstorming techniques, how to limit the scope of their response, and then arranging their thoughts logically. Students will receive individual feedback, and will be asked to edit their work and refine their skills. Two timed essays will be given during the class, emulating the SAT's.
- class size is limited
- class is 1 and 1/2 hours per week.
- cost is $10.00 per student per week, paid six in advance
This page was last updated: December 1, 2011
"Come to the edge," he said.
They said, "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge," he said.
They came.
He pushed them
. . . and they flew.
Guillaume ApollinaireEnglish
This English Class includes literature and book reports, vocabulary,
a splash of essays, creative writing, and a self-direct grammar (for which you will need a text.) It is geared toward 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.
I do coordinate with parents about the books to be read and ask the students for suggestions as well. Class runs all year and is graded. There are vocabulary tests weekly, typically drawn from current reading.
Class meets once a week for 1 and 1/2 hours. Cost is $10.00 per week, paid six weeks in advance. back to topPublic Speaking
This class is offered to students 12 years old and up. In class each student will deliver a variety of speeches for a variety of purposes and situations including: Introduction, demonstration, impromptu, celebratory toasts, persuasion, and information. The class will conclude with interview skills and preparation.Instruction will include the importance of body language and projecting confidence, eye contact, vocal projection and articulation, audience appropriate delivery, and social etiquette. Interviewing skills will include the handshake, appropriate dress, and likely questions that may arise during job and college interviews.* Class meets for 1 and 1/2 hours per week* Cost is $10.00 per session, paid six weeks in advance.Summer Class for Beginners and Families
This class is kept to an hour for younger children and designed just for fun and enjoyment. Students will learn basic skills and signs that can be used about the house and with their friends and fellow students. We will be learning family signs, nature signs, basic sentence structure, and signs that are useful about the home and with friends. Class will 1 hour per week.
Cost is $5.00 per week, paid in two install ments
