Words have power! We can make someone’s day or ruin someone’s life with words. We can impact the world with words that inspire, motivate, or teach. Scripture uses words to change lives, and God even spoke all of creation into existence with words.
This course helps students understand how to harness the power of their words. In a world where artificial intelligence can think, write, and revise for us, students must learn how to preserve their own voices and make their own decisions about their writing.
To communicate effectively through writing, students need to learn to craft sentences that are clear and grammatically correct. This self-paced course is for students who already know how to write well-developed papers but struggle with editing, flow, clarity, style, and/or revision. The course focuses on understanding sentence structure and using that understanding to fine-tune any writing assignment. As a bonus, students will be prepared to conquer the English/writing section of the SAT and ACT.
Along the way, students will look at some of those seemingly trifling rules of grammar and writing such as when to spell out numbers, whether to use affect or effect, and how to avoid passive voice (or even to use it for rhetorical effect); and they will weigh in on some of the ever-changing rules of grammar such as whether or not it okay to split an infinitive or to start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction.
Please note that this course is designed for students who already know how to write well-developed paragraphs with topic sentences, support, and concluding sentences. The focus is on improving and editing paragraphs rather than on learning to write paragraphs.
Our self-paced offering allows students to work at their own pace in our learning management system. Students are provided with a full year of access from the date of login generation and access. Please purchase the course when you are ready to start the course. 🙂
Using a modular approach, this course is the equivalent of our regular live session course in terms of content, assessment, and feedback. Included in your purchase is a block of two hours of live meeting time with the teacher. This may be used in 15 minute increments. Once past the two hours, parents may purchase additional time (if necessary) from the instructor.
At the end of the twelve month time period or upon earlier completion of the course, a Final Grade PDF will be provided of the grade. Should the student not complete the course, an audit or the grade at the final week of the course completed by the student will be sent.
Questions? Write to registration@excelsiorclasses.com.
SPECIAL NOTE: There are no refunds for any self-paced course once the purchase has been made. Students are provided with a full year of access from date of login generation and access. Please purchase the course when you are ready to start the course.
This course is NCAA-approved.
Please view prerequisites and required supplies below.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss (ISBN-13: 978-1592404889)
Painless Grammar by Rebecca Elliott (ISBN-13: 978-1438007748)
$10 materials fee for access to a Daily Grammar Practice digital workbook
Dawn Burnette is truly excited to be part of the Excelsior family as an English teacher! Dawn holds a B.A. in English Education/Journalism from Lenoir-Rhyne University and an M.A. in English Education from Georgia State University. She has also earned National Board Certification and gifted endorsement. While teaching English at a public high school for 15 years, Dawn served as English department chair, coached a nationally ranked dance team, and won a few local, state, and national teaching awards. Dawn loves sharing her passion for reading and writing, and she works tirelessly to help students reach their academic potential and to glorify God in all pursuits. Soli Deo Gloria!
When it was time for their children to start school, Dawn and her husband Rod moved the family from an Atlanta suburb to the North Georgia mountains, acquired way too many animals, and spent the next 12 years homeschooling. Their daughter Ansley graduated from Samford University in 2022 and works at Sight & Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and their son Beck graduated from and played collegiate golf at Lee University and the University of Georgia and began playing professional golf in 2024.
Student L. –
This writing course has been a good experience. Not only has it helped me develop a keen eye for grammatical errors but also helped me fine-tune my writing skills. As someone who loves writing, the assignments in this course were challenging yet enjoyable, and the homework was quite manageable. Mrs. Burnette always had a positive attitude when teaching, and she encourages students to learn from mistakes instead of striving for perfection. She gave clear instructions in each lecture and assignment, and she was always willing to help me whenever I needed it. Thanks to Excelsior classes and Mrs. Burnette, my grammar and writing have definitely improved since taking this course.
Student S. –
To students/parents,
I am one of those people who didn’t consider writing to be my favorite aspect of high school. I took a writing class last year that seemed to go on forever! There were incredibly strict rules that I had to follow in each paper, and it simply wasn’t enjoyable for me. I did learn a few skills from that class, but I believe that I’ve gained practical writing techniques (parallelism, emphasis, quotes or comments, and creating intriguing titles) from Writing Power. Mrs. Burnette has made my writing experience exciting and personal. She was always positive, supportive, and clear in each lesson. And, when, I emailed her for help, she always responded with 24 hours with feedback including an explanation or sometimes by a video message specific to my question. I have improved immensely in the past four months than when I took my writing class in 2023-24. I recommend Mrs. Burnette’s Writing Power class for those who don’t find writing interesting, or for those who want to take their writing to the next level.
My favorite part about this class is that Mrs. Burnette always encourages her students to stick to their own style. She emphasizes that students shouldn’t use outside sources like AI or Grammarly to keep the writer’s originality. This expectation has allowed me to grow as a writer and to experiment creatively with my writing. Also, Mrs. Burnette highlights that writers should write with purpose. This means that each sentence written needs to be intentional with their word, punctuation, phrase, or sentence placement. For instance, you wouldn’t place a semicolon before a coordinating conjunction, right? Or, maybe, you want to a dash to indicate an abrupt interruption. Writing with purpose automatically makes your writing more interesting for the reader and inspires you to want to do well as a writer.
Thank you to Mrs. Burnette for expanding my writing skills this semester! Honestly, I believe that Mrs. Burnette is one of the best English teachers that I’ve ever had. It’s incredible what four months can do to your writing. I am extremely grateful for your diligence, and I hope to be in another class with you!
Student J –
Writing Power has been a huge help in polishing my writing skills! It solidifies the basics and teaches new concepts in an easy way to grasp. Writing Power covered a vast number of subjects: from what a “noun” is to diagramming compound-complex sentences. I even gained a newfound admiration for diagramming! If grammar is not an easy concept for you, this is the class!
R.P. –
I loved this class. I loved how thorough my teacher was and how thoughtful she was. She made me feel like she actually cared for my success. She gave me constructive feedback, nice commentary, and thorough emails. If you had a question or concern she would be very quick in responding back . She gives us a variety for extra credit and host weekly interactive classes that feel like your just hanging out with your friends. She made writing fun. She has strengthened my writing skills in so many ways. She chose great books that you can truly learn from. Overall, this has to be the best writing class I’ve ever had.
N.R. –
This class has been amazing and helpful! I was skeptical at first, but have enjoyed the entire semester. I am sad to go. I had been struggling with comma splicing and grammar, but now I am doing a lot better. I see improvement throughout the semester. My first paper versus my last was a big difference. Mrs. Burnette is the best teacher ever, and I’m not saying that just to be nice or to make her feel better. I mean it! You could not have a better grammar and/or writing teacher. Love you, Mrs. Burnette!!! <3 <3
Student M –
I have made more progress with Mrs. Burnette in two years than I have in any other year of my schooling! I really enjoyed this class. I learned so much in just one semester, and I can see clear improvement! I love that every class begins with a Bible verse and prayer and ends with kahoot. Kahoot is one of many ways one can get extra credit if only you reach out! Mrs. Burnette is not only incredibly knowledgeable of the English language but also knowledgeable of how to make young people understand it! I would highly recommend this class. Even if you don’t feel like you’re struggling, I promise there’s room for you to add to that understanding!
Tony Taylor –
This class has improved my writing tremendously. While helping me write clearer sentences, Writing Power also helped me develop my points. I would definitely recommend the teacher. This year I learned how to write my papers without a point-by-point guide. Last year in her class, Building Confident Writers, Mrs. Burnette taught us to answer questions to build our papers. I would definitely recommend that class too. This is my second year with Mrs. Burnette. She is overly considerate… Mrs. Burnette also helps students with their homework if needed. Before starting class, she always reads a scripture verse and prays for her students. She doesn’t overload us with homework. This year we turned in three\/four homework assignments every week. The homework is due the day before the next class. Prior to starting classes, you should order the necessary books for this course. Mrs. Brunette has more than one course, so check them out.
J.D. –
Hello Friends! I am one of the students from this class – Writing Power by Mrs. Burnette.
First of all, Excelsior is an amazing program to sign up for. Personally, though I understand that there are also a plethora of other amazing courses, this one, for me, has been by far, the best. Excelsior offers a diverse variety of classes with some of the most outstanding, Biblical-teaching instructors who enforce Biblical principles as well as encouraging, but faith-challenging words that any student will experience every week. In addition, there are even clubs and fun social events for any age to experience. From Bible classes or fun trivia to an online school lock-in event, students couldn’t possibly not be having fun. It’s absolutely amazing! I realized I really love this course after a year of making close connections not only with the teachers, but also with the students that I am surrounded with. I even met an online student in person once! However, don’t get me wrong, even though Excelsior offers some of the most amazing experiences a student could ever experience, the teachers offer challenging courses with clear and simple instruction in the Excelsior classes as well as in the week-to-week homework assignments.
Secondly, this class, Writing Power with Mrs. Burnette, has literally upgraded my writing skills above and beyond what I thought she could. Mrs. Burnette is certainly one of my favorite teachers for so many reasons including: how kind and caring she is to all of the students, how she encourages writing skill as well as a closer relationship with God, how she includes a touch of humor and fun every week, and so much more. This is my second year with Excelsior and, even though Mrs. Burnette is a one-of-a-kind English teacher, all of the teachers, hands down, are absolutely amazing. In every class, there is also a discussion every week in Excelsior to chat with the other students. Also, of course, with parental permission, we could even exchange emails! I am so grateful I got to experience that, especially, when the teachers encourage godly goals as well as friendships. Frankly, to put it lightly, Mrs. Burnette has truthfully encouraged me to be a greater student striving after God’s glory and I know that that makes Him proud :). Thank you, Mrs. Burnette (for all of your hard work)!!!
P.S. Honestly, it’s hard not to love this program lol.