IEW Medieval History Based Writing Course

IEW United States HISTORY-BASED WRITING

Structure & Style Online COURse

for students in grades 4-8

Raise your child's writing confidence!

Book titles: Feat and Adventures in Time

Register$579

Tuesdays from 1-2 PM EST

From September 8, 2026 - April 6, 2027

26 weeks of sessions LIVE on Zoom

Student / Teacher workbooks must be purchased separately.

Challenge B Short Stories

Does your young writer not know what to write?

Does the blank page make them blank out?

The truth is, many students struggle with this—and it’s not their fault. Writing can feel overwhelming when you don't have a clear path to follow.

I’ve seen students move from frustrated to flourishing in their writing. Once they understand how to use the simple tools I provide, writing becomes enjoyable, even easy. And here’s the surprising part: it works every time.

In my homeschool, I watched my boys who once loved to write endless pirate stories, find freedom in structure.

Thanks to the KWO (Keyword Outline) technique, they didn’t feel limited; they felt confident knowing exactly what to do every time they sat down to write.

(Pictured above is my oldest at 12. He's now 15 and writes essays independently!)

Many people know outlining is a writing tool, but they don't always know how to use it effectively.

Teaching students the steps to making a KWO (Keyword Outline) helps them understand the process, so sitting down to write becomes less daunting.

Institute for Excellence in Writing Registered Instructor

Teaching writing was not my plan—but God's! Years after graduating with a degree in Creative Writing, I found myself teaching an adult poetry class.

I realized how many people want to communicate well but hadn't been given the tools.

That's when I became passionate about starting students early, giving them skills to communicate well with words.

Writing isn't just a skill we can use—it's an act of worship!

By communicating well, we demonstrate the power of the Spirit in us! (I Corinthians 2:4)

HELP STUDENTS BECOME

COMPETENT COMMUNICATORS!

Teach students to analyze good writing
Imitate writing structures and patterns
Improve vocabulary and sentence structures with grammar-based style techniques
Layer learning with embedded review to improve sophistication!

Teach students to analyze good writing
Imitate writing structures and patterns
Improve vocabulary and sentence structures with grammar-based style techniques
Layer learning with embedded review to improve sophistication!

Why this

IEW History-BASED WRITING

Online Course Will Work For You!

Equips Parent & Student

Methods & Materials

Students don't start with a blank page-- and neither do parents! The student workbook (sold separately through IEW) scaffolds the writer with curated source texts, graphic organizers, and practice sections.

Parents who use the optional Teacher's Manual receive sample answers and outlines, as well as helpful tips. Structured checklists can be used for easy assessment.

KEY TO OVERCOMING WRITER'S BLOCK!

Applies 4 Language Arts

Listen - Speak - Read - Write

Students listen and observe as I model writing strategies with their input.

They read source texts that build specific writing skills.

They write using the Keyword Outline method to plan their paragraphs.

They speak by retelling the outlines aloud before writing.

KEY TO GETTING IT DONE!

Removes Fear of the Blank Page

Repetition Grows Confidence!

Students begin writing immediately in Unit 1. Each lesson builds on the one before, and this gentle repetition grows their skills to become automatic.

As students gain confidence, they begin to invent and organize their own ideas with increasing independence!

KEY TO IMPACTING THE WORLD!

Who is this ideal for?

Homeschool students in grades 4-8
Students who can write (or narrate) complete sentences.
Students who are capable of navigating the Zoom platform.
Parents - you're welcome to listen in and learn too!

What's included?

26 LIVE, 1-hour lessons (with video replay available for 1 year)
Access to an IEW Registered Instructor
Graded feedback using the IEW Checklists

NOTE: The IEW Student Book is NOT included with the course, and must be purchased separately at iew.com here.

The Teacher Book is optional, but will help you support your student's keyword outlining skills.

When is it offered?

Tuesdays, 1-2 PM Eastern Standard Time
FALL: September 8, - December 8, 2026 (Breaks on Oct 6 and Nov 24)
SPRING: January 5 - April 6, 2027 (Break on Feb 16)

Click to Play Video Below

Challenge B Short Stories

What Parents Say

Institute for Excellence in Writing Testimonial 1

About Mrs. Kieras

Julie Kieras

Writing for His Glory

Award-Winning Author, Speaker, Writing Coach

award-winning author
IEW Instructor since 2022 (2026 certification is pending)
B.A. in Creative Writing
B.A in English Literature
M.A. in Education
Connecticut Certified 7-12 grade English Teacher
trained in Lucy Calkins Writers' Workshop program
taught 7-8th grades in public school setting
tutored Classical Conversations Essentials for 5 years
Classical Conversations Challenge Director/Tutor (3 years and counting in Ch B and I)
tutored private students and group classes with IEW
writes at Happy Strong Home, a family parenting/homeschool blog 15 years running!
published a children's fairy tale book
self-published devotionals and Bible Study journals
homeschool mom of 2 boys, who have completed 3 years each of IEW and a combined 6 years of Classical Conversations Challenge A, B, I, & II.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Is this a virtual or in-person class?

This is a virtual class that meets live on Zoom. The sessions will be recorded and uploaded for review.

Do I need to purchase a workbook?

Yes, the IEW U.S. History-Based Writing workbook is a required purchase. Due to copyright law, I cannot display the text of their course online, so students must have their own copy to follow along, and to record their answers. This book should be bought separately through the IEW website here. Please plan to purchase in advance of our course start date.

The teacher handbook is not required, but can be a useful tool for assisting your student at home during the week.

What is my student expected to know already?

No prior IEW experience is necessary, but your child should be able to:

*Read at 4th grade level minimum

*Write complete sentences independently

*Take notes independently (or have a parent-scribe for assistance)

*Use Zoom respectfully

Is grading included?

Yes, I give grading/feedback using the IEW checklist included at the end of each lesson. Please read my full grading policies here.

Students will upload their papers into the IEW Gradebook for this course. Papers submitted on time will be completed within 1-2 days of upload. Late papers incur no grading penalty, and will be graded by the following week.

Parents can also assess with the checklists and modify the assessment to their student's needs/level.

But what if I'm not a good writer myself?

Don’t worry! The IEW method and this course is designed to support both parents and students. With clear guidelines (in the lessons and student checklists) and sample answers (in the Teacher Handbook), you’ll be able to support your child’s writing journey confidently.

My student is already enrolled in CC Essentials. Is this course necessary?

From my experience as a former CC Essentials Tutor, this course covers much of the same ground, therefore, can be repetitive for current Essentials students. However, if your student benefits from review and feedback, this course can provide that. Students enrolled in both courses should maintain attendance in both courses, as being absent can affect the flow of class discussion in either class. However, they do not need to write a separate essay for my class; they may use the work they have done for CC Essentials to submit for grading with me.

*Both this IEW Course and CC Essentials use the same IEW materials and are considered stand-alone courses. That is, they do not require each other to be successful. Here's what's different:

*This course is a 1-hour online class with video replay; CC Essentials is a 45-minute in-person class (for the IEW portion).

*This course covers 26 lessons over 26 weeks; CC Essentials covers 22 lessons over 24 weeks.

*This course will not directly match up to your CC Essentials week.

*I offer grading/feedback as an IEW Registered Instructor; CC Essentials does not offer grading/feedback (parents assess at home).