About the Classes
2026–2027 Academic Year
U.S. Writing and Medieval Writing
2026–2027 Academic Year
Spanning two semesters (16 weeks in the fall and 15 in the spring), each course is appropriate for one high-school credit in English. Classes meet once a week for 90 minutes with a short break in the middle.
These classes should be treated as an English credit, not as an elective. Taking two English courses would overwhelm most high schoolers.
If you would like to view the syllabus for either course, contact pamelawhitewriting@gmail.com. If your student has used either theme-based book before, you may ask for alternative assignments, keeping in mind that the courses are heavily adapted for high-school level work.
U.S. Writing (USW): 10:00–11:30 CST Tuesdays This Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) course is enhanced to suit students in grades 9–12 who are new to IEW or who need more practice with IEW’s basic structure and style methodology. The course will cover all nine IEW units and will include literature, grammar using Fix It! Grammar, and research with MLA documentation. The main text is IEW’s U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons. (See Required Materials.) Course cost: $325/semester ($650 for complete course)
Medieval Writing (MW): 12:00–1:30 CST Tuesdays Designed for students who have completed Pamela White’s U.S. Writing or its equivalent, this Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) course is appropriate for high schoolers in grades 10–12 who wish to develop their writing skills and analytic thinking. It will cover the nine IEW units and will include literature, grammar using Fix It! Grammar, and research with MLA documentation. The main text is IEW’s Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons, enhanced to be a high-school course. (See Required Materials.) Course cost: $325/semester ($650 for complete course)
Prerequisite for Medieval Writing: Pamela White’s U.S. Writing or its equivalent. If your student has not taken a class with Pamela White, contact her at pamelawhitewriting@gmail.com to discuss readiness.
In and Out of the Classroom
I meet with students in an interactive online class each week on Tuesdays. With ample opportunity to ask questions and participate through chat, students receive focused live teaching with an engaging PowerPoint presentation to help with assignments.
I record classes for students’ use in case a student must miss a class and provide a print version of the slides’ content to facilitate note taking.
Outside of class I am readily available to answer questions and offer help with any aspect of the assignments. I love to work with students and encourage them to ask questions. I tell them that this inquisitiveness is a sign of their intelligence!
Content
U.S. Writing and Medieval Writing teach IEW’s structure and style methods, which provide practical, concrete tools and techniques to train students to handle any type of writing assignment, including research with MLA bibliography and citations. Students check their daily Fix-It! Grammar using the Teacher’s Manual, and during class I focus on specific grammar concepts.
The USW and MW theme-based books were created for middle schoolers, but I have adapted both to fit the needs of high schoolers.
The four novels assigned in each class are deliberately middle-school level so that students can learn literary analysis without lengthy class discussion of the literature.
FAQs
For more information about Pamela White Writing courses and expectations, see the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Daily Assignments
Detailed daily instructions and a checklist of tasks explain what students need to accomplish in order to succeed.
Before class each week students will email their completed assignment. Within a week they will receive thorough feedback on their writing and a grade for every assignment.
Is This English? Lit? History?
U.S. Writing and Medieval Writing are primarily writing classes that teach IEW’s methods to prepare for college writing and beyond. They are not history courses even though the sources tell about history. Nor are these literature courses. They include literature to count for an English credit, but the goal with the novels is to learn how to write about literature, not how to analyze them in depth.
How Hard?
IEW’s methods easily adapt to a wide range of writing ability. I gladly work with students at their level, seeking to challenge them to achieve the most they can without overwhelming them.
I have high expectations, but students who follow instructions do well in my classes.
U.S. Writing is designed for high-school students in grades 9–12 who are new to IEW or need more practice with IEW’s structure and style methodology.
Medieval Writing is designed for high-school students in grades 10–12 who have successfully completed at least a year of IEW in high school and who will likely attend college. (See prerequisites at the top of this page.)