Ms. Deb's Classes - Philosophy

I am Deb Evans. I've homeschooled my children from Day One - they are in high school now [wow! time flies] - and I'm a homeschooler through and through. I strongly believe in parents' right to direct their own children's education, including serving as teacher or outsourcing specific classes. I believe that children all learn differently and that teaching should reach children where they are, ideally using a variety of methods. I love teenagers - I have two myself - I enjoy teachi*ng them, listening to them, mentoring them, and hanging out with them. [Check out my SuperFriends Teen Social Club]. The best way to find out what teens are learning?  TALK TO THEM.

I am a professional photographer and writer. Those are my passions and sharing them brings me immeasurable joy. I'm a huge fan of the U.S. Constitution and desire to light a fire under our youth [future voters].

My teaching style is very laid back and informal, but that doesn't mean that my classes are not serious or that I don't have high standards for my students. I do. I believe that if you expect a lot from kids, they will rise to the challenge. I'm very nurturing, though, and understand that students come to me with a variety of skills and experiences and as long as they are trying and giving their best effort, I will encourage and support them.

Deb Evans' classes and clubs are open to ALL students who are interested in learning and participating.

Deb's Writing Class Philosophy:

1. Writing is FUN. Learning to write should also be fun.

Most writing curriculum is so focused on the mechanics that they all but ignore the reason we write - to communicate - to share information, express an opinion, entertain through a story. It also zaps all the fun out of writing!

Mechanics - grammar and punctuation and spelling – are important… Proper mechanics help us to communicate effectively, to make it easier for our readers to understand what we’re saying, but they aren't the reason we write.

Writing teachers must understand that writing is, ultimately, expression, communication, art. By accepting that premise, we allow students the joy and freedom that comes with writing. When students enjoy writing… enjoy creating… the mechanics will fall into place.

2. Students need a purpose for writing. It increases their motivation and willingness to work and improve. Our writing assignments are designed to appeal to students’ interests and/or to coordinate with their other classes. We focus on the importance of writing throughout your life and career.

3. The process of writing is vital. We teach writing in separate stages  -prewriting/writing/rewriting. It’s important to separate writing from editing. Editing too early in the process stifles creativity and expression. Remember, even bestselling authors need revising and editing.

4. Effective writing instruction must be individualized to the student’s needs and must include specific and timely feedback or assessment. A simple grade will not allow students to improve. They must have the opportunity to revise their work and learn from feedback. Students must have clear, achievable goals.

5. Reading and writing go hand in hand. Students learn the most about writing by reading good literature. Our curriculum includes studying the techniques of influential writers from a variety of genres. Writing should be taught across the curriculum; its importance in all areas of life should be emphasized.

6. Good writing is important. Colleges and Universities annually report an increase in the percentage of students requiring remedial reading and writing classes. Even corporations are reporting sending new employees to remedial writing classes. Students need to develop good writing skills. Although some children are naturally gifted writers, all children are capable of learning fundamental composition skills.

7. We believe that writing is a process. Every written work should go through this same process:

1. Pre-write / Organize - researching, brainstorming and deciding exactly what to write about / putting ideas into logical order.
2. Write - putting thoughts and ideas into written format, using a writing style that suits the target audience. Your writing should flow. Do not stop to make corrections or to think about the proper word or correct grammar.
3. Rewrite – looking at the “big picture”. Look at your content, structure and style. Does your work respond to the assignment or did you drift off course? Does it make sense? Is your content organized?
4. Editing - correcting errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation – the “picky stuff”.

©Deb Evans

Homeschooling High School
As a homeschooling parent in Texas, you have the right and responsibility to issue high school credits towards your child's graduation. [I use college admission requirements as my guideline rather than the state's requirements - although they are similar.] You can issue credits for any of my classes that your student completes. I'm happy to help you determine which credits to give and how to record them on your child's transcript. 

Dual Credit - a popular avenue for many homeschoolers is to take dual credit classes through the community college. As a mom, I'm not ready for my kids to be on a college campus, although it is something I will consider in the future.

CLEP testing - another popular choice is for your student to take a CLEP exam after completing high school courses. By passing the appropriate CLEP exam, the college will issue your child college credits for that course! This is the route that my family will pursue. Each college has their own requirements for which CLEP exams they will accept, so you would need to look into that before going forward with testing. Many of my classes will help prepare your student for CLEP testing. If this is something you are interested in, please discuss it with me at the beginning of the semester, and I will help you to make sure your student is prepared [add'l coursework may be required.]