IEW - Structure and Style
Recommended Grades: Students Reading at 3rd - 5th Grade Level
Curriculum: IEW
Days and Times: Mondays and Wednesdays: 10:30 - 12:00
Each Semester Covers Different Material - You can sign up for one or both
First Semester: September 5th - December 15th
Second Semester: Begins January 5th - April 22nd (No Classes the Week of MSBSD’s Spring Break)
Any classes that need to be made up as a group due to the instructor’s illness or snow days will be added to the end of the semester.
Cost: $922.50 - Includes all materials
Located: at 124 West Swanson Ave, Wasilla - Near Wonderland Park
Why I'm Using IEW Structure and Style Level 1A
As your child’s writing teacher, one of my goals is to help students feel confident, capable, and clear when expressing their thoughts in writing. That’s why I’ve chosen to use IEW’s Structure and Style Level 1A curriculum, a proven, research-based program perfect for students in grades 3–5 who are still developing a strong writing foundation.
This class will not focus on research papers or heavy academic writing. Instead, we’ll spend time building essential writing skills step-by-step, giving students tools they can use throughout their education.
Why IEW Works for Early Writers
The IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) method is designed to take the pressure off young writers and help them grow at a pace that makes sense for their age and ability level. Here’s what makes this curriculum such an excellent fit for this age group:
Clear Structure – Students are taught how to organize their ideas using keyword outlines and paragraph models. This gives them a framework to lean on instead of starting from a blank page.
Stylistic Tools – Students learn how to make their writing more vivid and interesting by adding strong verbs, quality adjectives, and other simple techniques that keep writing engaging.
Confidence-Building Process – Rather than expecting students to “just write,” IEW breaks the process into manageable steps: read, outline, write, revise. This method reduces frustration and builds confidence.
Age-Appropriate Lessons – The content and pacing are designed for elementary students, making it ideal for those just beginning to take writing seriously.
What Your Child Will Gain
By the end of this course, your child will have learned:
How to summarize and retell using their own words
How to structure a well-organized paragraph
How to revise and edit their work using a checklist
How to apply style techniques that elevate their writing
Most importantly, they’ll come away with a toolbox of strategies that will serve them well in all future writing tasks, academic or creative.
Each class will also include short, engaging video instruction segments from Andrew Pudewa, the founder of IEW. These videos are designed specifically for students and complement my live instruction. This format gives your child:
Two different teacher perspectives – Hearing a new concept explained in different ways helps reinforce understanding and often makes the material click.
Listening and note-taking practice – The videos model what good writing sounds like and how to think through the writing process.
Built-in classroom practice time – After the video, we’ll work together on writing activities and skill-building exercises so students can apply what they’ve learned right away.
More individualized support – While students are watching the video and working through activities, I’m able to observe their progress in real time, offer on-the-spot help, and gently guide those who need extra support—something that’s harder to do if I were delivering the entire lesson solo.
This blend of video and live instruction keeps lessons fresh, helps students stay engaged, and strengthens their comprehension—while allowing me to meet students where they are and support them more effectively.
Why I Chose This Curriculum
I chose IEW because I believe in equipping students with a strong foundation, not just writing assignments. The method is both effective and encouraging, helping students build skills and enjoy the writing process. I’ve seen how this approach can transform reluctant writers into confident communicators, and I’m excited to bring that transformation into our classroom.
FAQ
How often should my child work on writing?
Every family has different schedules, but consistency is key to writing progress. I recommend that students work on their writing assignments a few times throughout the week, not just the night before class. In a traditional classroom, students write daily and often bring larger assignments home for extra support, and I encourage a similar approach.
Please check in with your child multiple times a week to see how they’re progressing. I know that writing can sometimes be a source of frustration between parents and kids, so don’t worry if it feels a little bumpy. One of my goals is to give feedback that students might be more open to hearing from a teacher than from a parent, but your support still matters a great deal. If your child is struggling with motivation, focus, or resistance, please reach out to me. Every child is different, and I’m happy to work with you to figure out what works best.
What if my child doesn’t want to write?
It’s very common for students to feel overwhelmed or discouraged by writing. If your child is resistant, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Sometimes, a slight adjustment, like changing where they work, giving them sentence starters, or breaking up the assignment, can make a big difference. I also do my best to create a safe, encouraging classroom where students feel empowered to take risks and improve over time.
Can I give my child feedback?
Absolutely, and I encourage you to do so! Writing is a process, and students benefit from hearing feedback from multiple people. Try to:
Focus on one or two areas at a time
Praise effort and growth, not just the final product
Ask questions like, “What are you trying to say here?” or “Can you explain this part a bit more?”
I’ll also provide targeted feedback in class and via our rubric to help guide revisions.
Can I help my child with spelling?
Yes! Writing and spelling are processed in different areas of the brain, so struggling with one doesn’t mean your child can’t be a strong writer. If spelling is holding them back, please feel free to:
Help them with tricky words
Encourage them to use tools like a dictionary, spell check, Siri, or Alexa
These supports can help your child stay in the flow of writing instead of getting stuck on how to spell a single word.
Who is responsible for grades?
I will provide detailed feedback on your child’s writing assignments and suggest what grade I would assign based on a clear rubric. However, because we work with homeschool families, parents are ultimately responsible for recording and reporting final grades to your homeschool program or charter school.
This writing unit will be broken into two semesters, while not necessary, I do recommend signing up for both semesters to get the full benefits.
Registration: If you are associated with a homeschool program and would like me to bill the school directly, please put your homeschool in the PROMO code section of registration (the homeschool will be all one word, no spaces, and no characters). If you need to, you are welcome to email Matsulearnandisnpire@gmail.com to register.
I am a direct bill vendor with the following homeschool programs: Mat-Su Central, IDEA, CyberLynx, Raven, PACE, Twindly Bridge, Denali Peak, and Totem.
Disclaimer:
Please note that once you commit to attending the workshop, the cost will be deducted from your student's allotment. Workshop costs are refundable until 7 days before the event. Please contact me via email at Matsulearnandinsipire@gmail.com as soon as possible if you are unable to attend the workshop, and I will make every effort to fill your spot with another student and refund your allotment account. Thank you!
Below are links to the customer portal (if you have already created a user name on the booking site) and the link to register. If you decide to create a username and password, you will be able to log into the customer portal and see the classes you’ve signed up for, as well as the class schedule.