Summer Family of Writers FAQ
When is 2024 Summer Family of Writers?
June 11 (on Zoom) from 6 to 7:30.
June 18 (on Zoom) from 6 to 7:30.
June 25 (at Portuguese Bend Beach Club) from 4 to 6 PM.
Who can enroll in Summer Family of Writers?
Family of Writers is open to PVPUSD families with incoming fourth through incoming fifth grade students (in other words, at the time of registration, your student or students are still in third or fourth grade) who can attend ALL THREE Family of Writers classes.
One or more parents attend the classes with their child(ren).
When does registration open and close?
Registration opens April 15th at 8 PM HERE.
If you sign up for the waitlist before April 6th, you get a priority registration link on April 7th. This means you get to register one week early.
Registration closes when the course is full.
How many families can participate in each session?
Summer Family of Writers is limited to ten families.
How do I get the Zoom links for the online class?
Zoom links and details for class at Portuguese Bend Beach Club will be supplied after registration.
How to I get into the Portuguese Bend Beach Club?
The Portuguese Bend Beach Club is private and requires a pass for entry.
Parents receive driving directions and a pass for entry upon registration.
What should we bring to the last class that’s at the Portuguese Bend Beach Club?
Beach chair and towel for every family member attending.
Warm clothing if it’s June gloom foggy.
Summer Family of Writers Workbook.
Pen/Pencil.
Snack to share.
Are the online classes LIVE or recorded?
They are LIVE and in real time. If you have to miss the class, it is also recorded (except for the last class). The replay will be sent within twenty-four hours of the live class ending.
What if we miss a class? Are the classes recorded?
Yes. I’ll send out links within twenty-four hours for classes one and two.
We have twins and/or more than one child in 3rd-5th grade. Do we register our kids as one family or separately?
Register as one family. Do not register your children separately.
What if Summer Family of Writers sells out?
CONTACT me to get added to a waitlist. I will notify you if space becomes available.
Include your first name, your last name, your email, child’s school, and child’s grade level.
What is the cost?
$200 per family.
How much time will Summer Family of Writers take?
All meetings are on three consecutive Tuesday evenings. The first two meetings are on Zoom from 6 to 7:30 PM. The third meeting is inperson from 4 to 6 PM at the Portuguese Bend Beach Club. (NOTE: We can hang out a bit longer after class ends if we’re having fun at the beach, but everyone should be on their merry way no later than 7 PM.)
On the Wednesday and Thursday following meeting #1 and #2, students may elect to have a twenty-minute, one-on-one writing conference with Mrs. Tom via Zoom or inperson at my home in Rancho Palos Verdes (near Peninsula High School). Scroll down to find additional FAQ about one-on-one writing conferences.
The final meeting is a writing and publication celebration that happens at Portuguese Bend Beach Club from 4 to 6 PM.
There is no homework.
I hope students will be inspired to revise and edit their pieces after their writing conferences, but it’s not required.
What do you cover during Family of Writers?
Every Family of Writers session has a theme that relates to an essential element of helping your kids become lifelong writers. The summer theme is noticing.
During every Family of Writers session my goal is helping your kids fall in love with writing so they’ll use it as a tool for the rest of their lives. I want them to believe they can write well and enjoy the process. I want them to walk back into their classrooms as empowered writers! I do this by giving positive feedback, and teaching everyone how to discover what they’re doing well as writers right now. I help everyone understand that writing isn’t so scary.
What’s a typical class?
During the summer session, the theme is NOTICING. Even though the theme is the same for summer sessions, the writing prompts are different each year. Plus, I use the same structure that we follow during regular Family of Writers. Keeping the structure predicable helps students learn new ideas about writing.
Classes 1 and 2 on Zoom:
Big idea teaching (also known as a writing process or writing craft mini lessons).
Read mentor text.
Writing prompt based on mentor text.
Share writing with family.
Share writing with whole group.
Class 3 Publication Celebration at Portuguese Bend Beach Club:
Final big idea teaching.
Brief writing prompt.
Share writing and celebrate publication! This is an opportunity for students to share pieces they’ve revised and edited after their two writing conferences.
Every family will also leave with a special writing gift that inspires writing for the rest of the summer.
How is Summer Family of Writers different than regular Family of Writers?
The theme is different, but the structure of the course is the same.
It’s a smaller group of families with an opportunity for one-on-one writing conferences between classes.
It’s three classes instead of four. Two of the classes are on Zoom. The last class is inperson at the beach because it’s summer!
We don’t submit pieces for an anthology, but we share final pieces during out last meeting at the beach.
Does Family of Writers support what my child is learning at school?
Yes! In 2023, PVPUSD implemented Writing Workshop.
Family of Writers is based on the following principles of Writing Workshop:
Give students ownership through topic choice.
Provide positive response.
Share writing with an authentic audience.
Get inspiration from mentor texts.
Write within a predictable classroom structure.
Write in community instead of isolation.
It’s my goal to send your child back to the classroom with a renewed confidence in their ability to write well and have fun at the same time.
What supplies do we need?
Whatever you like to use for writing – laptop, tablet, journal, paper, and/or pen.
Please bring the course workbook to every class. (See next question about the course workbook.)
Save all writing and bring it to every class.
Is there a workbook for the class?
Yes. It’s required.
It will be ready to download on June 1, 2024. I will include a link in reminder email sent before the class begins.
What if we miss a class?
If you must miss a class, there is no need to do any additional work at home. You can jump right back into the next class.
For your reference, all the handouts for each class are included in the Summer Family of Writers Workbook.
Do parents have to write, too?
Yes. Writing alongside your kids is one of the best ways you can help them fall in love with writing.
I remove the fear and will take care of everyone—even if writing isn’t your thing!
The writing prompts are winners and help everyone feel successful.
Do we have to share our writing?
I never force anyone to share their writing. It’s 100% optional.
However, please know that your kids will LOVE whatever you write! They will LOVE seeing you take a risk to share your writing. It will give them the courage to do the same.
Before we ever share a word, I teach everyone HOW to share their own writing, and HOW to listen to other writers sharing theirs.
Most importantly, Family of Writers is a space where feedback is ONLY positive. I always find something to celebrate in every piece of writing I hear. I show you how to discover and celebrate what you hear in your child’s writing, too!
Can first or second grade students attend?
At this time, Summer Family of Writers is only for fourth through fifth grade students and parent(s).
For younger students, it’s something to look forward to when they are just a bit older.
Is there a membership area for this class?
No.
All you need is the workbook.
All communication will be by email.
Do you offer refunds if our schedule changes and can’t make it?
Refunds are offered up to one week before class begins. After that, no refunds.
Do you reduce the cost of the class if our child doesn’t do the one-on-one writing conferences?
No.
one-on-one writing conference questions
What are one-on-one writing conferences?
Helping students recognize what they're already doing well as writers is my passion. We’ll use the pieces students write during class to discover ways to enhance their words on the page.
NOTE: Conferences are a bonus, but not required.
During two 20-minute ZOOM or IN PERSON conferences, I build on everything we’re learning during class, but also add the following:
Personalized response.
How young writers can learn to trust their instincts about what they need to revise or edit.
How to attempt new writer’s craft, revision, and/or editing tecniques.
How do writing conferences help my child?
Students discuss what they are doing well as writers right now. This helps them continue to make the same moves as writers in the future. It’s also a great way to boost confidence.
Students learn how to give and receive response that can lead to revision and editing. This is where the real work of writing begins.
If the student is ready and receptive, I introduce one new writer’s craft and/or revision technique your child can try for current or future pieces.
If the student is ready and receptive, I introduce one new editing technique.
What isn’t covered during a writing conference?
One-on-one writing conferences are not twenty minutes of me telling students exactly what to revise and edit so they leave with a perfect piece.
I want them to have ownership of their writing process.
Yes, I see all those mistakes and errors and I know how to correct them, but the Summer Family of Writers conferring experience is different from school writing.
Nothing is graded. It’s a writing experience that encourages experimentation and allows students to discover their identity as writers. I want students to finish a conference and say, “That was fun!”
Most importantly, a more informal and less heavy-handed approach during Summer Family of Writers helps students build muscles that strengthen the classroom writing they will do for years to come.
How long are writing conferences?
Writing conferences last 20 minutes.
They start on the hour or half hour. For example, either 3 PM or 3:30 PM.
Do the writing conferences cost extra?
No. They are included in the cost of the course.
Who can sign up for a writing conference?
Any PVPUSD fourth-fifth grader who is enrolled in Summer Family of Writers.
Is my child required to sign up for a writing conference?
Nope. It’s an added bonus.
They can also sign up for one instead of two.
Basically, whatever works for you, works for me.
I have more than one child enrolled in Summer Family of Writers. Can they share a writing conference?
Nope. Please schedule each child for their own writing conference.
How do I sign up for a writing conference?
When your registration is confirmed, you’ll receive a link to schedule your child’s writing conference.
Pick two times and two dates.
One on the Wednesday or Thursday following the June 11th class
Another on the Wednesday or Thursday following the June 18th class.
What does my child need to prepare for a writing conference?
Your child should bring one of their Summer Family of Writers pieces.
Also, bring a pen/pencil and Post-its/paper for taking notes and/or making revisions or edits.
It’s a good idea to review the piece once before the conference begins. Then, pick a golden line to share with me at the beginning of the conference.
You do not need to send me a copy of the piece before the conference.
Can I attend the writing conference with my child?
I think it depends on you and your child. No one knows your child better than you. For the majority of kids, it’s better to “eavesdrop” in the background instead of sitting beside them during the conference.
On the other hand, I think it’s powerful to see how I give encouraging response. It’s also important to notice what I DON’T do in a conference.
No matter what, your child is the focus of the conversation.
My child is nervous about having a writing conference. Do you have tips for easing his/her anxiety?
Writing conferences are a new experience for many students. It’s not unusual to feel anxious.
Please tell your child that our conversation always begins by discussing what he or she is doing well as a writer. I don’t give any negative feedback. And I certainly don’t write all over your child’s paper with a red pen!
Encourage your child to think of a writing conference as a conversation between two people who are interested and invested in the words and ideas that have been shared on the page.
Finally, your child makes decisions about what he or she does with the piece of writing. I offer suggestions and ask questions, but your child owns this process.
Why does my child need to read his/her piece aloud during the conference? Won’t that take a lot of time?
Reading writing aloud, and consequently hearing the words in our ears and feeling them in our mouths, is one of the best methods for getting fast response about our pieces. In an instant, we can hear what works and what doesn’t. It’s time well-spent.
What if my child misses the conference, or arrives late?
For missed conferences without prior notice, there are no make-ups.
With prior notice, I can probably find a time to reschedule your child’s conference.
For late arrivals without prior notice, we’ll get as much accomplished during your child’s scheduled time as possible.
Do you have pets in your home?
We have one friendly golden retriever. His name is Benny. He might greet you ethusiastically upon arrival, but he settles down quickly.
I include this detail in the FAQ for students considering a one-on-one conference at my home.
What if I have more questions?
Contact me to have a conversation over email, set up a phone call, or we can meet at Starbucks for coffee.