Once Upon a Pen
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About The Denim Beret Writing Program

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The Denim Beret writing program began in 2010 when I was forced to resign from my teaching position with a Minnesota homeschool academy due to a head injury.  That year I had developed and piloted a two-level writing program for the academy and couldn't face throwing away all of my hard work.  At the time I deeply admired several homeschool writing programs, but none offered the attention to composition theory that I felt many students sorely needed. Because of this gap, I designed my own and decided to convert my courses to an online, correspondence-style format once I left the classroom.  This meant a great deal of hard work, so I began right away and have been developing the courses ever since.  They have been tested many times and are now nearly complete. Once they are finished, I will begin converting them to a home study edition, which I eventually plan to offer in print.  On this website a beta-version of the home study edition will be available free of charge.  As the courses become available in print, I will gradually phase out the tuition-based, teacher-led edition that I have offered since 2011.  Instead, I will offer an optional grading service instead to assist parents who need more support.

The Denim Beret Writing Program teaches general non-fiction writing--both essays and formal papers.  It does not teach creative writing, except for the personal narrative essay. I do plan to offer a creative writing online class in the future, however. The program consists of three levels--beginner (ideally grades 6-8), intermediate (ideally grades 8-9), and advanced (ideally grades 10-11).  It uses a method of my own that teaches students to approach writing the way real authors often do--as both a craft and an art.  It also seeks to instill habits common to professional writers, such as keeping a writing notebook.  At the same time, the program is focused on the academic needs of students.  By the conclusion of the program, students are well-prepared for upper-level high school and college courses.

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  • Home
    • About OUAP
    • About Charitable Donations
  • Learn
    • Mentoring/Tutoring
    • The Denim Beret Writing Program >
      • Praise for The Denim Beret
      • Is The Denim Beret right for your student?
      • Tuition and Registration
      • About Before Papers Come Paragraphs (Level 1) >
        • BPCP (Level 1) Scope-and-Sequence
        • BPCP Parent-led Lessons (Beta-test)
        • BPCP (Level 1) Feedback Form
      • About Before Epics Come Essays (Level 2) >
        • BECE (Level 2) Scope-and-Sequence
        • BECE (Level 2) Parent-led Lessons (Beta-test)
        • BECE (Level 2) Feedback Form
      • About Before College Comes Craft (Level 3) >
        • BCCC (Level 3) Scope-and-Sequence
        • BCCC (Level 3) Parent-led Lessons (Beta-test)
        • BCCC (Level 3) Feedback Form
    • About Grammar Matters >
      • GM Live Intensives
      • GM Independent Study
    • About Before Great Books Course >
      • BGB Live Intensive
    • Other Recommended Courses >
      • Literature
      • Academic Writing
      • Creative Writing
      • Grammar/Style
      • Spelling/vocabulary
      • Reading/Literacy
  • Experience
    • Mrs. B's Show and Tell
    • Reading
    • Literature
    • Writing
  • Cheri's Page
  • Books and Resources
  • Contact Me