# 1 Challenge A Prep Hack
Challenge A is known for its quantity of work. The goal is not to burden the student, but to help them learn time management and self-discipline. The mission statement of Challenge A is... "We believe that when students take ownership they can achieve great things." As a parent, our number one job is to help our students learn how to manage their workload, and take ownership of their education. The first thing I recommend is that you front-load the reading. For the strand of Exposition and Composition, you will be using the curriculum Lost Tools of Writing (LTW)
Throughout the year you will read eight to nine books, and write eight to nine papers on those books. Week one is a little tricky. Students need to have read most of the first book before class, or be close to finishing it. They are going to start the first paper the first week. Traditionally, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” is the first assigned book. From that point forward, students will be writing an LTW paper on a new book every three weeks.
They'll take three weeks to read a book, and three weeks to write a paper. This is a much slower pace than those who have been through IEW. The trick is that while writing on one book, they're going to have to be reading the next book. The Guide doesn't assign reading pages, you as the parent have to assign pages and set the pace for your child. To lighten the load during the first nine weeks of class I recommend you read at least the first three books during the summer if not all of them. Usually, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, Carry on Mr. Bowditch, and The Magician's Nephew are assigned first.
They are going to start the first paper the first week. However, it will be weeks before they start writing papers on some of the other books. They're going to forget important details.
What I recommend is that you use the resource Words Aptly Spoken. You will notice in your Challenge A Guide that Words Aptly Spoken is never mentioned or assigned. This can make you feel like this was a wasted resource or a waste of money. It’s meant to be used as a tool for directors and parents for conversations with their students. The goal is to engage in dialectic discussion with your student and use these questions to help launch those discussions.
In Words Aptly Spoken, there are Review Questions and Thought Questions.
To "front load", take a book, and read it. Then I recommend your student answers the Review Questions from Words Aptly Spoken, You can do this in one of three ways. One, you can actually write in the Words Aptly Spoken book, in a keyword outline style. You will have to write small, so that may, or may not work for you. Two, you can make copies of the pages, and then your student could fill in the answers. Three, you could have your student write the answers on notebook paper.
I recommend that you go chapter by chapter. If your student reads the whole book and then goes back and answers the questions, the details get lost in that process. I am not going to lie my kids did not like doing this process. However, it has taught them to read actively and look for details. When it comes time to write the paper, they can revisit their questions and answers to remind themselves of the details.
Christmas break is another great time you could front load the next set of reading.
As a parent, I pull out the Words Aptly Spoken when we start a new book. I take about 15 to 20 minutes and talk with them through some of the discussion questions. This is where the richness lies in the discussion with them. It is where you will learn how your student sees the world, how they view different issues, and what their thought process is.
Challenge A is called Challenge for a reason. Be tenacious, work hard, and know when to give yourself, and your child grace.