This one-year program allows students to improve in both their critical thinking skills (seen in reading comprehension), and in their writing skills. Here is how it works:

First, much of the writing is done in response to reading literature. Before the student writes a literary analysis, the focus is on improving one’s critical thinking skills, and that in turn improves one’s overall reading comprehension. How is it possible to improve one’s thinking skills? I believe that students who don’t know what to say, or what to think about, are simply not sure what the question is. They depend on the teacher or the curriculum to tell them what the question is. But, if the student learns what questions to ask himself for every step in the process, they will become more independent thinkers.

One of the ways the student will learn this is by watching the videos which are included in the curriculum. In them, I (the teacher) model the metacognitive strategy of stating my thoughts out loud. Specifically, I state out loud the questions I am asking myself before, during, and after reading. In this way, the student is able to learn first from observing, then by imitating, and finally through repetition to the point of mastery. This process involves a gradual hand-off of responsibility from the teacher to the student. By the end of the unit, the student will feel empowered and confident to write independently using the same step-by-step process that has been repeated throughout the unit.

The curriculum could be of use in the following ways:

• Homeschoolers: grades 3-5. (also appropriate for a high second grader, or a sixth-grader wanting to develop confidence in their writing)

• Schools (for an entire class or grade-level)

• Teachers who are looking for an effective method of teaching writing

• Students who are not homeschooling but who would like to gain confidence as a writer.

• Cram schools or specialized schools that help students prepare for attending high school or college in the USA or any English-speaking country.

1. Teacher Books (4): These include step-by-step directions for how to teach the curriculum, examples of student writing, and guides for what a completed graphic organizer and paragraph or essay might look like for each assignment. There are four of these (one per quarter).

2. Student Books (4): There is one of these for each quarter. Included in these books are stories I have written myself, and stories I have written with students.

3. Videos of each lesson being taught by a teacher. With purchase of the curriculum, these are provided for the first 1-2 lessons of each of the ten units. As a separate purchase, the entire year’s set of lessons will be available on streaming video.

4. Children’s books which are required or recommended for the curriculum are listed with links for purchasing. To see the list, click here.