Professional Teaching & Testing
Writing Skills Classes, 2024 – 25
Penelope (Penny) M. Smelcer, M.A.
1107 Fallen Oak Drive, Apex, NC 27502
(919)362-1658 * psmelcer@homeschoolwritingclubs.com * psmelcer.wixsite.com/classes
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~TUESDAY CLASS~
Class # 1: Introduction to Literary Analysis (HONORS ENGLISH)
>>This class has three in-person seats still available as of 04/18/24.<<
Suggested Grade Level: High School
Day/Time: Tuesdays, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. in person or online; contact instructor for audit option
Dates: Fall Semester: Sept. 3 – Dec. 10* (No classes Oct. 8* and Nov. 26*)
Spring Semester: Jan. 14 – Apr. 1* (No class Mar. 4*)
Maximum In-Person Students: 6** Maximum Online Students: 6** Minimum Total Enrollment: 5**
Tuition: $75/month/student (Sept. – Mar.) plus $50 non-refundable registration fee per family
In-Person Location: 1107 Fallen Oak Drive, Apex, NC 27502
Online Location: Students will log on with a password through Google Meet (>>See note below class listings.)
Texts: Windows to the World: An Introduction to Literary Analysis*** by Lesha Myers. Available from Homeschool
Gathering Place in Raleigh, www.excellenceinwriting.com, or from other online resources.
Animal Farm by George Orwell. Paperback, library book, or e-reader will suffice for second-semester novel
study.
This class is a student favorite because of its high-interest content. High-school students will learn how to read, infer, analyze, and write about literature. Course topics include: 1)analytical techniques such as annotating and inferring; 2)literary elements such as plot, characters, conflict, theme, setting, worldview, point-of-view, mood, and irony; 3)literary devices including allusion, plot devices, parallelism, euphemism, symbolism, anaphora, epistrophe, imagery, and figures of speech; 4) analytical essays, creative writing, and reflective essays. A grade will be assigned at the end of the course and can be counted as .75 high-school credit hours of Honors English (based on 120 hours = 1 credit.) Reading lists and suggested grammar curriculums will be provided by the instructor upon request to assist homeschooling parents in structuring a complete language arts program for the academic year.
~WEDNESDAY CLASS~
Class # 2: Garage Door Writers’ Club (Writing Skills for Middle/High School Students)
Suggested Grade Levels: Rising 7th – 10th graders, depending on current skills level
Day/Time: Wednesdays, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. in person or online; contact instructor for audit option
Dates: Fall Semester: Sept. 4 – Dec. 11* (No classes Oct. 9* and Nov. 27*)
Spring Semester: Jan. 15 – Apr. 2* (No class Mar. 5*)
Maximum In-Person Students: 6** Maximum Online Students: 6** Minimum Total Enrollment: 5**
Tuition: $75/month/student (Sept. – Mar.) plus $50 non-refundable registration fee per family
In-Person Location: 1107 Fallen Oak Drive, Apex, NC 27502
Online Location: Students will log on with a password through Google Meet (>>See note below class listings.)
Primary Text: WriteShop 1 Student Workbook, Fifth Edition*** – Features a soft cover and loose-leaf pages that students must place
into their own binders with optional but recommended dividers. A digital e-book (PDF) may be purchased online, but students will
need hard copies of the entire text to use during class. Available at Homeschool Gathering Place in Raleigh or at
In this class, students will review how to develop strong paragraphs and proceed to writing descriptive, informative, and narrative paragraphs. Emphasis will be on style, content, organization, clarity, conciseness, and vocabulary. Students will experience a wide
variety of writing activities and will learn stylistic techniques that will help them add variety and interest to their writing. Students will
be taught the fundamental skills of how to refine and edit their own work. Mechanics (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and
grammar) will be taught as needed throughout the course. A grade will be assigned at the end of the course and can be counted as
.50 high-school English credit hours (based on 120 hours = 1 credit.) Reading lists and suggested grammar curriculums will be provided by the instructor by request to assist homeschooling parents in structuring a complete language arts program for the academic year.
~THURSDAY CLASS~
Class # 3: Fallen Oak Writers’ Club (Writing Skills for Middle/High School Students)
>>This class has two in-person seats still available as of 04/18/24.<<
Suggested Grade Level / Prerequisites: Rising 8th – 12th graders. Ideally, students should have some experience writing paragraphs
and short essays. Completion of WriteShop 1 is recommended but not required to enroll in
this class.
Day/Time: Thursdays, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. in person or online; contact instructor for audit option
Dates: Fall Semester: Sept. 5 – Dec. 12* (No classes Oct. 10*, and Nov. 28*)
Spring Semester: Jan. 16 – Apr. 3* (No class Mar. 6*)
Maximum In-Person Students: 6** Maximum Online Students: 6** Minimum Total Enrollment: 5**
Tuition: $75/month/student (Sept. – Mar.) plus $50 non-refundable registration fee per family
In-Person Location: 1107 Fallen Oak Drive, Apex, NC 27052
Online Location: Students will log on with a password through Google Meet (>>See note below class listings.)
Primary Text: WriteShop 2 Student Workbook, Fifth Edition*** – Features a soft cover and loose-leaf pages that students must place
into their own binders with optional but recommended dividers. A digital e-book (PDF) may be purchased online, but students will
need hard copies of the entire text to use during class. Available at Homeschool Gathering Place in Raleigh or at
Optional Text for Second Semester: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Ninth Edition. Available as a paperback if
desired. Most of the information is also available online at MLA’s official website, The MLA Style Center.
Class will begin with review and practice of the skills and stylistic techniques presented in WriteShop 1. In addition to learning descriptive narration, narrative voice, and point of view, students will learn how to write and edit opinion essays, compare/contrast essays, and essays that describe or define. Students will also learn how to write a research paper according to Modern Language Association (MLA) format during second semester. A grade will be assigned at the end of the course and can be counted as .75 high school credit hours of English. Reading lists and suggested grammar curriculums will be provided by the instructor upon request to assist homeschooling parents in structuring a complete language arts program for the academic year.
>> All 2024-25 classes to both in-person and online students simultaneously. In-person students will meet in my home. Online
students will log on with a password through Google Meet, and I have made the necessary purchases to offer high-quality picture,
lighting, and sound. Online students must have a working camera and microphone. Additionally, I plan to record each class and
post it for a limited amount of time. Each recording will be accessible only to enrolled students and may not be copied, shared, or
altered in any way.
* Calendar dates are subject to slight changes before classes begin in September, 2024. The following dates are protected holiday
or vacation dates; therefore, they will not be changed after classes begin or used as make-up dates: October 8, 9, 10; November
26, 27, 28; December 15 - January 13; March 4, 5, 6. If it becomes necessary, make-up classes will be scheduled as closely as
possible to the dates that were missed and usually the same week.
** In order to teach both in-person and online students simultaneously, I must limit the number of in-person students to six. However,
I require a minimum of two in-person students in order to open up my home and set up tables and chairs for them. Additionally, in-
person students must attend regularly; otherwise, they will be asked to switch to the online format. If less than six in-person
students register for a given class, I may accept more than six online students. If fewer than five students enroll (either as in-
person or online students) in a given class, that class may be canceled; any students affected may join another section if it is
offered.
*** Windows to the World: An Introduction to Literary Analysis is a faith-based curriculum that espouses a Christian worldview. The
recent 5th editions of WriteShop 1 and WriteShop 2 have removed all references to Christianity; however, I may occasionally
supplement these two texts with information from the out-of-print 4th editions which contain religious content. For more
information, please refer to “FAQ” on the home page of my website.
Qualifications: I have B.S. degrees with honors in education and English from Longwood University and an M.A. with honors from Liberty University. I have taught in both public and private schools, and I have 40 years’ experience as a superior-rated teacher. I am a member of Lambda Iota Tau, a national honorary society for literature, as well as Kappa Delta Pi, a national honorary society for education. I graduated my son, who completed his B.A. degree at NC State in 2016, after homeschooling him through middle and high school. I am also a certified administrator of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, the Stanford Achievement Test, and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. As a proofreader, I have readied numerous creative and technical documents for publication, most notably the dissertation of a Harvard Ph.D. graduate who designed a chip for the PlayStation 2. Currently, I am working on a collection of short stories. References and sample student work are available upon request.
For more personal and professional information about me and my philosophy of teaching, please visit my website – http://www.psmelcer.wixsite.com/classes. (Be sure to type the entire web address into the address line at the top of your computer screen. My website does not appear if you type the URL into the Google (or another search engine) bar.) “Mrs. Smelcer’s Top Ten” get-to-know-me facts and a list of FAQs are both printed on the home page. You will also find suggested reading lists, organized by grade levels, and testimonials from former students and parents.
Multiple Child Discount: You may enroll more than one student from the same family for one, $50, non-refundable registration fee. However, please remember to fill out a separate registration form for each child you wish to enroll. Also, families who enroll more than one child in the same school year receive a 10% discount on every child after the first. Currently, I am unable to offer financial aid in the form of other discounts, scholarships, or bartering.
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