Introducing the IEW®

   Quite often we get phone calls or emails from IEW fans asking us to recommend an â€Å"IEW ® School† in their area. Sometimes the request comes from a family moving to a new city or a homeschooling family wanting to enroll their children in a full-time or hybrid school that uses IEW. Occasionally, it’s a teacher or administrator considering implementing Structure and Style who would like to consult with another school for advice and recommendations. No matter the reason, they are looking for our endorsement of a school where IEW’s Structure and Style ® Writing . This mission accomplished, we are pleased to introduce the IEW ® School Accreditation Process. The Accreditation Criteria To become an accredited school: Teachers must have completed IEW’s Teaching Writing: Structure and Style Seminar by DVD or streaming, or live through on-site professional development or by attending a Regional Workshop. Teachers must demonstrate competence in understanding the nine structural models and stylistic techniques. A school administrator or mentor must be prepared to support teachers as they use the Structure and Style ® writing method in their classrooms, as well as promote accountability and maintain progress. To maintain Accredited School status, individual qualifying teachers must renew their IEW Instructor Accreditation every two years. The Accreditation Process With these criteria in mind, we established a process for schools to become an IEW ® Accredited School All grade 2–5 teachers* must become Registered Instructors. In grades 6–12, all English-Language Arts and Humanities teachers must become Registered Instructors. A school mentor** must attain the Certified Instructor level. *Kindergarten and grade 1 teachers are not required to become Registered Instructors for a school to qualify as an accredited school, but they may choose to do so. **A school mentor is a teacher, curriculum coordinator, literacy specialist, or another faculty member who has both training and experience in using the Structure and Style writing method with students and who is ready to assist the school administrator in supporting other teachers as they use IEW in their classrooms. Mentors can demonstrate lessons, serve as instructional coaches, and become â€Å"guides along the path,† making learning the methodology less intimidating for their fellow teachers. What are the benefits of becoming an IEW Accredited School? Your school can display our official school accreditation badge on your website. IEW will list your school on our School Accreditation Page. This page will feature both schools working toward becoming accredited and those which have reached accredited status. Accredited teachers will be able to renew their streaming subscription each year at no cost. Most significantly, becoming an IEW Accredited School means that every teacher in every classroom is teaching the same process, following a clear path that builds from year to year as your students move through the grades. Your students are learning to write well, think clearly, and express themselves eloquently and persuasively. Above all, good speaking, writing, and thinking will flourish in your school, which in turn benefits the wider community. Through our IEW School Accreditation program, parents will recognize and appreciate that your school has skilled writing teachers who have been trained through IEW and have demonstrated competence and experience in the Structure and Style writing method. We invite you to become an IEW Accredited School. People are looking for you! For more information about becoming an IEW Accredited School, click here.    IEW ® and  Structure and Style ® are registered trademarks of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, L.L.C. Log in or register to post commentsJean B Nicholss blog Log in or register to post comments