This page gives a step-by-step overview describing how our online writing program works. Every homeschool writing curriculum has its own unique content delivery system.
It's important to know how an online program works and feel confident that you and your kids will like it before you make a purchase.
Writing Rockstars' online writing curriculum has several unique characteristics:
After you complete the course registration form and make payment, your child will receive an automated email at their personal email account that you provided at registration. This automated email will direct them to set up their student username and password. After that, they can log in and start their course.
When your child signs in to their student account, they’ll see a bulletin board with their course titles and school wide announcements.
Below is a picture of the parent bulletin board that you’ll see after you log into your parent account. Note the difference in how the course titles are listed.
Next, your child will be directed to click on the highlighted course title to enter their online classroom. The first thing they’ll see is an orientation video, which they must watch the first time they log in. To the left of that is the classroom control panel. After watching the orientation video, they’ll be directed to training videos that teach how use the control panel to the left. They’ll learn how to start a lesson, how to send work to their teacher, how to message their teacher, and how to retrieve teacher feedback.
After orientation, it’s time to start their working on their writing curriculum! Here’s an image from one of our lessons.
Within the lessons there are links to assorted worksheets and resource articles, all with audio recordings and links to downloadable pdfs, if they wish to keep a copy of the article.
Once your child listens to or reads the lesson, they’ll be given an assignment. Whenever they’re done, they’ll upload it to their dropbox and wait for teacher feedback. If they have questions about any lesson or assignment, they can message their teacher through the online classroom’s messaging system. They’ll get feedback on their assignment and a response to any questions within 24 business hours. Sometimes students will be asked to make corrections to their assignment, and sometimes the teacher will forward them to the next lesson straight away. It’s different with every student.
Last but not least, students receive a notification or “ping” by email whenever a message is waiting for them in their online classroom, so they never have to log in to check if the teacher has sent a reply.
The parent supervisor account is identical to the student account, but parent supervisors can’t message the teacher from the parent account or submit student work through the parent dropbox. Kids must contact their teacher and turn in their work from their own student accounts. The purpose of this is to foster independence in our students. Parents also can’t access lessons that their kids haven’t been allowed to open yet.
BUT PARENTS CAN read all the lessons their kids have done, all the messages their children have exchanged with their teacher and see all the work their children have sent to their dropbox.
Parents can see for themselves how their kids are working through the Essay Rockstar writing curriculum every step of the way.
In fact, we've decided to give students and parents permanent access to their accounts, Essay Rockstar lessons, worksheets, and resource articles along with their corresponding audios and videos, even after they finish the program. Past students who want a quick refresher on writing skills and strategies can simply log into their Essay Rockstar account to get the information they need.
Once you've joined the Essay Rockstar online writing program, you'll have access for life... or as long as we're in business! Please click here to see our Course listings.
