Learn how to meet university writing standards from a former tenured professor
Many students arrive at college unprepared to meet their professors’ standards for writing. This course is designed to help graduating high school students (or college students struggling with writing) understand what universities expect and teach strategies and habits that will help them meet or exceed those expectations.
Taught by former tenured professor Dr. Deanna Heikkinen, these lessons impart the fundamental skills that all university students must draw upon to produce cohesive, competitive essays. This course spans the entire writing process, from selecting a topic to prewriting, writing, revising, and proofreading. Students will practice each phase of the five-paragraph essay, turning in a completed essay at the end of the course.
Every student in this course will be able to schedule a 60-minute private lesson with Dr. Heikkinen during their first year of university at no additional charge. This session can be used to focus on any writing work, from breaking down an essay assignment to polishing a draft prior to submission. If desired, there will be opportunities for your teen to continue meeting with Dr. Heikkinen for additional private tutoring.
Class Size: 6
Instructor: Mrs. Deanna Heikkinen
Class Day: Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:15-5:30p ET
Dates: July 10 – August 4 (4 weeks)
Tuition: $25 registration fee, $925 for 8 classes + 1 hour of 1:1 support during freshman year
CURRICULUM
Week 1 provides a broad overview of university expectations, the writing process, and tips for becoming a successful writer and focuses on the benefits and types of prewriting.
Week 2 focuses on the thesis statement and overall essay structure for a standard five-paragraph essay and reviews body paragraphs, focusing on such topics as direction, unity, coherence, and transitions.
Week 3 covers best practices for titling essays as well as the elements of introductory and concluding paragraphs. Students will learn attention grabbers for piquing reader interest and strategies for eloquently concluding essays.
Week 4 focuses on revising and proofreading using students’ rough drafts. Students will submit their draft and receive it back with commentary within one week.
“When instructors tell students to write a conclusion at the end of the paper, they rarely tell the student how. They explain the purpose of the concluding paragraph over and over without teaching techniques. Deanna is strong in this department which doesn’t leave the student making it up as they go.”
—Sarah f., PARENT
The minimum enrollment required for this course is four (4) students. Rose Writing Center reserves the right to cancel this course in the event that fewer than four students enroll. Students enrolled in a canceled course will be duly notified and may choose to either receive a full refund or transfer to another course by Rose Writing Center.
In 2013, Ms. Lauren Bridgeford graduated with a BA in Languages, Literature, and Criticism from Hunter College. She has also obtained her DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Cambridge University. Currently, Ms. Bridgeford is a Registered Instructor accredited by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and she is pursuing her master’s degree in Secondary Education.
In 2013, Ms. Lauren Bridgeford graduated with a BA in Languages, Literature, and Criticism from Hunter College. She has also obtained her DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Cambridge University. Currently, Ms. Bridgeford is a Registered Instructor accredited by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and she is pursuing her master’s degree in Secondary Education.
Deanna Heikkinen has been privately teaching writing as well as history, literature, and art history to students grades 2-12 for over six years. Prior to that, she was a tenured professor of humanities at Los Angeles Valley College with a focus on teaching the Great Books of Western Civilization. Additionally, she taught world history, western civilization, Native American history, and anthropology at the college level. Whether teaching elementary, middle, or high schoolers for Rose Writing Center, Deanna's diverse background allows her to serve as our test prep, academic support, and custom lesson specialist.
