About The Denim Beret

Like many writing programs, The Denim Beret Writing Program progresses through beginning, middle, and advanced composition skills.  Unlike other writing programs, this program teaches students common habits and techniques of serious writers and authors, such as keeping a writing notebook and staying attentive to a potential audience.

At the core of the program are the "Six Traits of Excellent Writing".  These are the qualities of all truly excellent writing, no matter what the genre or reading level may be.  The "Six Traits" are introduced in level 1 but remain in the background as students develop fundamental skills that prepare them for the more complex skills taught in levels 2 and 3.  

Specific types of papers are also an essential component of each level, all designed to prepare students for the rigors of upper high school and college.  By the end of the program, students will be well-prepared to face any kind of non-fiction writing project in school and beyond.

Finally, this program follows a mastery-learning approach.  Students do not advance to the next lesson until they have sufficiently mastered the current lesson.  Also, instead of receiving letter grades, students receive a grade that states their level of mastery, along with constructive feedback that will help them develop their skills.  Those who need letter grades for transcripts may receive them upon request at the end of each course.

Level 2: 
​Before Epics Come Essays

Prerequisite:  Level 1 Introductory Unit

Unit 1:  Beginning Well
This unit continues the study of prewriting that was begun in level 1. 

1 -- Introduction to the Multi-paragraph Essay (sample)
2 -- Break It Down:  Making Sense of Writing Prompts (with a mini-lesson on word pictures) 
3 -- Composition in a Nutshell:  The Thesis Statement (with a mini-lesson on sentence rhythm) 
4 -- A Map for the Journey, part 1:  The Formal Outline (with a mini-lesson on purple prose)
5 -- A Map for the Journey, part 2:  The Functional Outline (with a mini-lesson on beige prose)
Workshop--Comprehensive Prewriting Review

Unit 2:  Pour It On the Page -- Drafting the Multi-paragraph Essay
This unit focuses on basic drafting skills important for developing strong essays.  

6 -- You Only Have a Moment:  How to Hook Your Reader (with a mini-lesson on trimming the fat, part 1) (sample)
7 -- Making Your Thesis Crystal Clear:  The Outline Statement (with a mini-lesson on trimming the fat, part 2)
8 -- Pack Power in Your Punch: The Art of Concluding an Essay (with a mini-lesson on strong verbs) 
9 -- Outlining is Not Enough:  The Nine Methods of Organization (with a mini-lesson on adjectives and nouns) (sample)
10 -- Developing the Middle:  How to Develop an Essay of Substance (with a mini-lesson on show, don't tell)
11 -- Enhancing the Middle:  Three More Elements of a Strong Essay (with a mini-lesson on active vs. passive voice)

Unit 3:  Go Out With Style
This unit takes students a little deeper into revision, editing, proofreading, and publishing skills. The assessment is designed to ensure that students are ready for the unit 4 workshops and level 3.

12 -- Windows on Your Writing, part 1:  Learning to Listen (with a mini-lesson on artistic fragments and parallelism)
13 -- Windows on Your Writing, part 2:  Macro-revision (with a mini-lesson on tone)
14 -- Windows on Your Writing, part 3:  Micro-revision (with a mini-lesson on artistic repetition) 
15 -- Putting on the Polish:  Finishing Your Essay Well (with a mini-lesson on style concepts review)
Units 1-3 Assessment

Unit 4:  Workshops on Essay Variations (optional, priced separately)
Once students have finished their study of basic expository writing, it is time to explore some of its many variations. This final unit is a set of workshops, rather than lessons, which means that students will spend less time receiving instruction and more time working on essays. In this unit they will study three essay variations that do not require sophisticated research skills.  Each workshop includes detailed guidance and feedback throughout the writing process, as well as a mini-lesson ("spotlight") on a concept related to that essay variation.  

Workshop 1 -- The Personal Essay (plus a spotlight on storytelling)
Workshop 2 -- The Literary Analysis Essay (plus a spotlight on quotations)
Workshop 3 -- The Persuasive Essay (plus a spotlight on plagiarism) (sample 1) (sample 2) (sample 3)

How the Program Works

Level 2: 
​Before Epics Come Essays

1) Online independent study -- This is a hybrid model of correspondence and teacher interaction.  Using the Google platform, including Gmail, Classroom, Hangout, and Drive, students study lessons independently, complete assignments, and submit them for grading.  They have unlimited teacher access through email, Classroom stream, and instant messaging, and they have regular teacher-student video chats to ensure understanding and progress.  

2) Live online classes -- This is my newest option and will be taught as a beta version, meaning that I will offer it at a very low cost in exchange for student and parent feedback.  This beta version will use the Google platform, so students will need a Google account.  Zoom is not an option at this time.

3) Parent-led home study--To create a version of the course that parents can purchase and use themselves, I will be temporarily offering a free beta version.  Lessons are posted periodically, and parents are asked to submit constructive feedback periodically to help me revise and polish the course.  

4) In-person classes -- For those in the Chattanooga (TN) area, I may be available to teach in-person classes to groups of four or more students.  Please contact me to discuss your needs.

Level 1: 
Before Papers ​Come Paragraphs

(Prerequisite for all levels)  Introductory Unit:  Page One--The Very Beginning
This introductory unit is designed to lay a solid foundation for the study of writing. I have learned over the years, both in my experience as a student and as a teacher, that it is helpful for students to understand why they are asked to learn what we require of them. It is my hope that students who complete this preparatory unit will better understand the why's behind the how's of writing. This unit also covers important preliminary concepts such as how to use a writing notebook. 

1 -- Picking Up the Pen: The Academic Writing Notebook
2 -- Elbow Grease and Black Berets: The Dual Nature of Writing (​sample)
3 -- Why Writing Well Matters in the Real World (2 parts)
4 -- Good vs. Bad Writing: What's the Difference? (3 parts)
5 -- Understanding the Writing Process (or How to Write a Building in Six Steps)

Unit 1: It Takes a Strong Foundation
This unit establishes basic prewriting skills that all students need to master. More prewriting skills, such as formal outlining and thesis statements, are taught in level 2.

6 -- Everybody Has a Lightbulb:  Finding a Topic
7 -- So Just What Are You Trying to Say?:  Determining the Main Idea (​sample)
8 -- Shaping Your Ideas:  The Informal Outline

Unit 2:  One Perfect Paragraph
Because all types of literature are built upon the paragraph, a solid mastery of paragraph writing is essential. Surprisingly, however, I have found that many students are assigned multi-paragraph writing before they are ready for it. In this unit, students will study the six elements of the paragraph.  They will write a variety of single-paragraph essays throughout the course and be well-prepared for multi-paragraph writing by the final workshop. 

9--Paragraph in a Nutshell:  The Topic Sentence
10--Paragraphs Have Legs:  Supporting Ideas
11--Wrapping It Up:  The Basics of Conclusions (sample)
12--Stop for the E's:  Expanding the 3-sentence Paragraph
13--Like Links on a Chain:  Paragraph Transitions
14--Hook Your Reader First:  The Importance of Introductions
Workshop--Mastering the Paragraph (intensive review of unit concepts)

Unit 3:  Polishing the Gem
This unit leads students through the rest of the writing process:  revision, editing, proofreading, and publishing.  These steps are important for crafting a polished manuscript, and there is a great deal to learn in order to complete them well.  In Before Papers Come Paragraphs, however, I teach only a few introductory lessons to help ease students into these concepts.  

15--Good vs. Bad Writing:  What's the Difference? (part 2)  
16--The Next Draft:  How to Be Your Own Editor 
17--Language Matters:  Introduction to Editing
18--A Splash of Panache:  The Least You Need to Know 
19--Make it Beautiful:  The Basics of Proofreading and Publishing
Workshop--Review and Final Project

Unit 4:  Workshops on Essay Variations
Once students have finished their study of basic expository writing, it is time to explore some of its many variations. This final unit is a set of workshops, rather than lessons, which means that students will spend less time receiving instruction and more time working on essays. In this unit they will study four essay variations that work well within a single-paragraph framework. Workshop 4 also begins the transition to multi-paragraph writing by introducing the two-paragraph structure. Each workshop includes detailed guidance and feedback throughout the writing process, as well as a mini-lesson ("spotlight") on a concept related to that essay variation.  

Workshop 1--The Summary Essay (plus a spotlight on storytelling)
Workshop 2--The Descriptive Essay (plus a spotlight on word choice) (sample)
Workshop 3--The Cause and Effect Essay (plus a spotlight on coherence)
Workshop 4--The Compare-Contrast Essay (plus a spotlight on paragraph breaks)
  

Level 3:
Before College Comes Craft 

Prerequisite:  Level 1 Introductory Unit

Unit 1:  Learn to Write Like a Writer
This unit will move students away from the basic rules and techniques of writing to focus on more holistic, advanced writing concepts that reflect the common habits of serious writers and published authors.  We will also begin reading critically-acclaimed published essays in this unit, using The Seagull Reader:  Essays, by Joseph Kelly.  

1 -- Observing Like a Writer:  The Writer's Notebook and Active Reading
2 -- Analyzing Like a Writer:  Close Reading and Imitation (sample)
3 -- Finding Your Way Like a Writer:  The Discovery Draft
4 –- Gathering Details Like a Writer:  The Cornell Notetaking System
5 –- Finding the Facts Like a Writer:  The Formal Research Paper (3-part lesson; 6-8 weeks)
 
Unit 2:  Pursuing Excellence Like a Writer
This unit explores the fundamental traits of writing that is truly "good."  The first three are also the final steps of the prewriting process that students begin studying in level 1.  Because younger students typically struggle to master these three steps, they are reserved for level 3.  Students who master all six traits, grammar and mechanics, and the complex, analytical thinking skills taught in higher-level courses will finish high school as excellent writers who are ready for any college or business task.

6 –- The Six Traits of Excellent Writing:  Audience
7 -- The Six Traits of Excellent Writing:  Purpose
8 -- The Six Traits of Excellent Writing:  Tone
9 -- The Six Traits of Excellent Writing:  Voice  (sample)
10–- The Six Traits of Excellent Writing:  Beauty and Truth
Workshop—Working with the Six Traits

Unit 3:  Workshops on Essay Variations (optional, priced separately)
These final workshops take students deeper into research, analysis, and college exam preparation.  
​
Workshop 1 -- The Timed Exam Essay (plus a spotlight on the Rule of Three)
Workshop 2 -- The Argumentative Essay (plus a spotlight on reliable sources) 
Workshop 3 -- The Problem-Solution Research Paper (plus a spotlight on MLA formatting)