Educating the heart, mind, and soul in the Catholic tradition with online classes

Faith ~ Excellence ~ Passion

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Online Classes: College Preparatory Writing for High School

As high school students prepare for college, it is important that they develop strong writing skills. This course gives students the necessary tools to write effective college research papers to help them succeed after high school.

(click on course title to register)

Note: Due to the advanced nature of the feedback, only 16 students are admitted to the course.
Class dates: Wednesdays, October 1 to December 10, 2014. No class Nov. 26.
Total classes: 10
Starting time: 11:30 am Eastern (10:30 Central; 9:30 Mountain; 8:30 Pacific)
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: Simplified Writing for High School or equivalent.
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade.
Suggested high school credit: ¾ semester Writing
Fee: $230 for all 10 classes.
Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD
Course description: This course will cover advanced research and writing methods for argumentative research writing, how to craft an advanced research paper, and understanding style guides (APA, CMS/Turabian, MLA, AP). A bibliography and research paper will be written during the course.
Course outline:
Class 1: What is research writing? Terms and methods.
Class 2: Advanced research methods: Using libraries and the Internet.
Class 3: Style guides and citations.
Class 4: Creating a bibliography.
Class 5: Creating your outline and thesis: advanced methods.
Class 6: Prewriting: styles and completeness.
Class 7: Outline with rough cut proofs.
Class 8: The rough draft.
Class 9: Revising and editing.
Class 10: Final drafts.
Course materials: Word 2007 or later version. eBooks: 1) Simplified Research Writing by EB Conroy; and 2) Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success by EB Conroy. Available from www.amazon.com (download the Kindle app for free to easily read on your computer, tablet, or mobile device).
Homework: Students will have weekly writing assignments and direct feedback from the instructor, with an estimated four to five hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes researching, reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

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About the Instructor
Sharon Hamric-Weis received her undergraduate degree in Secondary English Education from the California University of Pennsylvania and taught both middle and high schools courses at the Palm Beach County School system. During her last year of teaching, Mrs. Hamric-Weis converted to the Catholic Church and was confirmed. Upon her acceptance to the Dickinson School of Law, she and her husband then relocated to her home state of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Hamric-Weis practiced law as Assistant Counsel for the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and has been published in the Dickinson Journal of International Law, as well as working as a decision writer for the Pennsylvania Board of Workers’ Compensation. After working in law, Mrs. Hamric-Weis left her employment to raise her children and homeschool for several years before returning to work as a paraprofessional teaching and caring for a student with multiple disabilities. She is happy to be homeschooling her three children and teaching the advanced writing courses for Homeschool Connections.

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About the Course Designer
Professor Brown Conroy has been teaching writing for 17 years, including teaching students in private colleges, universities, and online. She was an online professor of writing and research for Patrick Henry College (six years) and taught writing, leadership and management, and health and wellness for Cornerstone University’s Professional and Graduate Studies Division (seven years). Professor Brown Conroy is an author of several non-fiction books, including Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success and Twenty Secrets to Success with Your Child; designs online courses (including an AP English Language and Composition course for PHC Preparatory Academy online); and speaks at conferences on education and learning, reading, and writing. She has a BS and MA from Western Michigan University (WMU) and is currently completing an MFA in Creative Writing at Western Colorado State University (WCSU) with a double concentration in Creative Writing, Genre Fiction and Screenwriting. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, she is also a fiction writing coach for high school and college students; has judged writing contests; and has been a freelance professional writer in marketing/web writing and ghostwriting for twenty years. Professor Brown Conroy authored True North Reading: The Complete Mastery Reading and Spelling Program – a five-level multisensory learn-to-read program for children ages 2 to sixteen, and teaches an international online LIVE reading program at www.readwitherin.com. Mrs. Brown Conroy, who has been homeschooling for 29 years, lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan and homeschools four of her 13 children who still live at home.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Instructor Grading for Unlimited Access


Instructor Access – Optional Grading Service


What is Instructor Access?
Most of our recorded courses (Unlimited Access) offer free answer keys. The only time answer keys are not provided is when the answers require a unique composition, such as Latin composition or essay assignment. Parents sometimes request grading services, even with courses that supply answer keys. For these two reasons, Homeschool Connections offers Instructor Access. This optional service gives you direct access to the teacher who will grade your student’s schoolwork. The price varies based on the difficulty of grading. Below is a list of courses that currently offer Instructor Access. We are continually adding to this service.

Which Courses Are Included? What is the Price Per Course?

Economics
Economics As If People Matter (Micro and Macro) with Phillip Campbell
$30 for the entire 12-week course

Government/Law
Government: Introduction to Law with Jason Negri, JD
$50 for the entire 9-week course

The First Amendment: Five Freedoms with Alison Stanley, JD
$50 for the entire 8-week course (extensive writing assignments)

Government: Constitutional Law; Supreme Court Jurisprudence I with Alison Stanley, JD
$30 for the entire 12-week course

The Federalist Papers with Alison Stanley, JD
$35 for the entire 12-week course

History
Middle School History: Revolutionary War
Middle School history: Civil War
Both with Alison Stanley, JD
$35 per course, 10 to 12 weeks.

History/Archeology: Archeological Survey of the Old and New Testaments with Phillip Campbell
$50 for entire 10-week course (research paper)

Time and Life of Ancient Romans (High School only) with Phillip Campbell
$35 for the entire 12-week course

The Age of Religious Wars
Roots of the Revolt 
Both with Phillip Campbell
$15 for each 6-week course

Catholic Middle Ages
Modern American History
World History; 12 Inventions That Changed the World
All with Phillip Campbell
$30 for each 12-week course

Latin
Latin I, Part One or Latin I, Part Two
Latin II, Part One or Latin II, Part Two
All with Emily Henry
$85 for each 12-week course

Latin III/IV, Part One or Latin III/IV, Part Two
Both with Emily Henry
$105 for each 12-week course

Literature
Literature: Tolkien and Fairy Stories with Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$25 for all 6 classes.

Math
Saxon 6/5
Saxon 7/6
Both with Jean Hoeft, MS
$60 per 30-week course for grading
$210 per 30-week course for tutoring

Pre-Algebra Part One or Pre-Algebra Part Two (middle school)
Algebra Part One or Algebra Part Two 
Algebra II Part One or Algebra II Part Two
Geometry Part One or Geometry Part Two
Advanced Math Topics (Pre-Calculus) Part One or Advanced Math Topics (Pre-Calculus) Part Two
All with Jean Hoeft, MS
$30 per 12- to 15-week course for grading
$105 per 12- to 15-week course for tutoring

Trigonometry Boot Camp with Jean Hoeft, MS
$15 for entire 6-week course for grading
$55 for entire 6-week course for tutoring

Test Prep
ACT/SAT English and Writing Test Prep
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Geralyn Rea
$70 for the 2-week course, includes writing assignments.

Theology
Theology: Introduction to the Old Testament
Theology: Introduction to the New Testament
Both with Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$55 per course, each 8 lessons. Includes writing assignments.

Writing 
Middle School Writing Essentials: Excellent Sentences and Paragraphs
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Geralyn Rea
$60 for entire 6-week course

Simplified Writing for Middle School
Taught by Erin Brown Conroy; Graded by Geralyn Rea
$65 for entire 8-week course

Simplified Writing for High School
High School Writing Essentials: Excellent Paragraph and Essay/Test Writing
Both taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Sharon Hamric Weis
$55 for each entire 8-week course

HS Essentials: Vocabulary and Writing; Part One
HS Essentials: Vocabulary and Writing; Part Two
Both taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Geralyn Rea
$85 for each 14-week course

Advanced Writing for High School: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, Essays, and Papers
Advanced Research Writing; Preparing for College
Both taught by Erin Brown Conroy, graded by Sharon Hamric Weis
$95 for each 10-week course

Writing for High School
Writing for College
Both with Robert Gotcher, Ph.D.
$50 for each 8-week course.

How do I sign up?
To sign up for Instructor Access, visit the course page on the Moodle website. You will see a PayPal button in the introductory module. Click on that and follow the instructions. You do not need a PayPal account, most credit cards are accepted. If you need to pay by check, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com to make arrangements.

Upon receipt of your payment for Instructor Access, the instructor will contact you to make arrangements for grading.