Becky Knefelkamp To All Instructors

Becky Knefelkamp has been teaching writing for over 30 years.  She graduated from Bethel College with an elementary degree, taught fifth grade for St. Paul schools for four years, and then stayed home with her children.  A friend challenged her to teach the writing class at their co-op and that started an adventure of digging for quality resources and checking out a variety of writing curriculums.  She has written her own writing lessons using aspects of a variety of curriculums:  The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW), the Six Traits of Writing, Rhea Holtan’s research process, an excellent teaching book--Before the End, and others.  Keith and Becky Knefelkamp have enjoyed over 40  years of marriage, raised four children, homeschooled them K-12 grade, and now are loving the era of the empty nest and grandchildren!  J  She loves the Lord, loves kids, and loves to write, and is especially happy when the three can come together!  J  
 
“My philosophy of writing is to be more of the encourager. Writing is so personal.  It’s hard to trust another to read our work, so I want them to feel safe.  When I grade assignments, I mainly look to see if they have included what I asked for.  I believe the aspects of writing that I ask them to include WILL make their writing stronger.  I believe that writing is a progressive skill, most of the time taking a few years to master, just like in math and science.  But I do always see improvement in each student’s work from the beginning of the year to the end.  I love that!  
 
“I do recommend that students take a writing class for more than one year, but it doesn’t have to be from me.  And sometimes it is helpful to have a different teacher’s perspective.  I have rarely seen students grasp a strong writing skill in one year.  Each year they build on their previous year’s skills until they come to a place where they can write in a strong way, finding their unique voice.   I think of my class as a foundation of writing sort-of class, a place where we write paragraphs, then 5-paragraph essays, then a research paper.  We write poems and creative journal writings, ending with writing their own story.   Repeating my class can be a bit repetitive.  I do teach many of the same things, but I always change the assignments.  Although I think sometimes the repetition can be good as I see students really understanding concepts the second year as they relax.  They know me and my expectations, and now they can focus on their writing.   Feel free to take a year off and then come back.  The senior high class has a lot of aspects to it that I don’t teach in the junior high.  I love teaching and I love writing.   I pray  that we have a great year!!  J

Current Classes
Writing I (6+) – Instructor (closed)
Writing II (9+) (75-min class) – Instructor (closed)