RRYT Class Wrapping Up the Year

It has been a tremendous year of learning and growth for the RRYT Class. We just have two more class meetings scheduled.

We made it through most of our curriculum: The Lost Tools of Writing, and will be finishing up by the students adding the element of refutation to their essays. This is a powerful skill and so even though they will just begin to get a taste of using it, I am confident that it will help them to think and write more clearly in the years to come.

Tonight, I got to witness one of my students, my son, Noah, use the skills he has learned through the RRYT class in combination with public speaking. He ran for President of his 4-H Club and although he didn't get the position (he took a V.P. position instead), I couldn't be prouder him. He had a great attitude and did a very good job of putting his speech together.

He was able to identify the thesis ("I am the best candidate for President") and set up his proofs. In addition, he added in a refutation by acknowledging his other two opponents in a respectful manner while re-iterating himself as the best person for the job. He even had an amplification for the end of his speech. I taught him how to effectively use index cards and he is now sold on this method as it facilitated the process so well for him.

Although Noah will be attending high school next year and I will lose him as a student, I plan to teach the class again next year through Wholistic Learning Resources, and look forward to another great year of writing, thinking and learning with my students.