Build the reading and writing skills every future class — and test — is built on.
Middle school is the time to grow the skills the school year often rushes past: reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing fluency. In a small group, students read closely, discuss real books, and write with clarity — building habits that pay off for years.
Two weekly sections · Fridays 7:00–9:00 PM or Wednesdays 6:45–8:15 PM
Through guided reading, discussion, and hands-on writing, students steadily grow:
The focus is on genuine skill — reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing fluency — the foundation that makes middle school, high school, and later test prep far easier.
Not test prep — a real literacy foundation. Each weekly class integrates four connected areas.
~20 academic words a week, chosen for grade level and frequency in advanced reading — learned in context, with roots, prefixes, and nuance, plus cumulative review to lock them in.
Increasingly challenging texts across stories, novels, poetry, humanities, history, and science — main ideas, inference, evidence, text structure, and author's purpose.
A systematic grammar foundation, then writing that grows from strong sentences to organized paragraphs to structured essays — with individual feedback on 150–250-word responses.
14 weeks — the same curriculum whichever day you choose. Earlier skills are reinforced through later readings, not dropped after a week. Every week: ~20 new vocabulary words + cumulative review, a challenging close-reading passage, reasoning & grammar practice, and periodic short essays.
Progression: Fall builds the foundation → Spring adds harder texts, deeper analysis, and more advanced writing.
Reading & reasoning plus grammar & writing, week by week — the same curriculum on the Friday and Wednesday sections.
| Week | Reading & Reasoning | Grammar & Writing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main Idea & Supporting Details | Sentence Types; Subjects & Predicates |
| 2 | Implied Main Idea & Inference | Clauses; Building Complete Sentences |
| 3 | Explicit vs. Implicit Meaning | Fragments, Run-ons & Comma Splices |
| 4 | Inference & Supporting Evidence | Commas; Coordinating Conjunctions |
| 5 | Words in Context | Sentence Variety; Lists & Parallel Structure |
| 6 | Text Structure | Subject-Verb Agreement; Verb Tense |
| 7 | Author's Purpose & Point of View | Semicolons & Colons; Pronoun Agreement |
| 8 | Relevance & Supporting Details | Nonessential Elements; Paragraph Organization |
| 9 | Textual Evidence | Modifiers; Using Evidence in Writing |
| 10 | Comparing & Contrasting Texts | Topic & Supporting Sentences; Paragraph Fluency |
| 11 | Rhetorical Devices | Paragraph Structure; Short Analytical Response |
| 12 | Literary Devices | Transitions; Multi-Paragraph Response |
| 13 | Persuasive Texts & Arguments | Thesis Statements; Essay Structure |
| 14 | Data-Based Reading + Semester Review | Writing Review + Final Assessment |
Dr. Hardin, Ph.D.
Senior English Instructor · Teaching since 2007
A Ph.D.-level English instructor who has taught reading, grammar, and writing since 2007. In a small group, she helps Grades 6–8 readers and writers build real skills — patiently, and at each student's level.
Two weekly time options — same curriculum, pick whichever fits. Classes begin the week after Labor Day and run through mid-December (no class Thanksgiving week). Friday (2 hr): $65/class · $910 · Wednesday (1.5 hr): $55/class · $770. Billed monthly by classes attended.
Sep 11 – Dec 18, 2026 · 14 classes · $65/class · $910 total
| # | Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 11 (Fri) |
| 2 | Sep 18 |
| 3 | Sep 25 |
| 4 | Oct 2 |
| 5 | Oct 9 |
| 6 | Oct 16 |
| 7 | Oct 23 |
| 8 | Oct 30 |
| 9 | Nov 6 |
| 10 | Nov 13 |
| 11 | Nov 20 |
| — | Nov 27 · No class (Thanksgiving) |
| 12 | Dec 4 |
| 13 | Dec 11 |
| 14 | Dec 18 |
Sep 9 – Dec 16, 2026 · 14 classes · $55/class · $770 total
| # | Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 9 (Wed) |
| 2 | Sep 16 |
| 3 | Sep 23 |
| 4 | Sep 30 |
| 5 | Oct 7 |
| 6 | Oct 14 |
| 7 | Oct 21 |
| 8 | Oct 28 |
| 9 | Nov 4 |
| 10 | Nov 11 |
| 11 | Nov 18 |
| — | Nov 25 · No class (Thanksgiving) |
| 12 | Dec 2 |
| 13 | Dec 9 |
| 14 | Dec 16 |
Fall semester · choose Fridays 7:00–9:00 PM or Wednesdays 6:45–8:15 PM.