Step 3: Creating a Secure Username and Password

Class Description and Forum Registration Information

Brave Writer courses are conducted at the Brave Writer website in a private folder on the discussion forums page of the website. Only registered students and instructors have access to the class folder so that your privacy is assured. You are not required to disclose any private information in order to register with the forums. The only required element is a unique email address in order to create a username (directions follow).

Instructors and students come to the forums each day at the time that is convenient for them (there is no set check-in time). We have students from all different time zones around the world so it is not necessary to log in at a specific class time. Rather, the instructor will post assignments (usually on Sunday night and sometimes midweek) and the students will check in at least once daily to read new posts, to find out due dates and to post their completed assignments. All student work and teacher feedback is available to all students to read. One of the strengths of the Brave Writer program is that it enables students to read other student work which gives them a richer learning experience. All feedback is deeply respectful of a student's writing efforts.

Directions:

In order to access the private forum designed for your class, please read carefully and follow completely the following instructions. (If you already have a Brave Writer username, simply send an email with your current username and you will be added directly to the class folder.) You will only need one username even if you are enrolled in multiple classes.

We strongly advise Kidswrite Basic families to create a family username (bogartfamily or smithfam) so that both kids and parents feel comfortable using it. For teens in classes, have the teen create a personal username (be sure that the username and email address used to create it are both sent to the classes administrator once it's been created).

One caution: The software will not let hotmail addresses set up usernames. Please use a different email address for your Brave Writer registration and send it along with your username. Also, be sure that you have your computer's cookies "turned on." That means that your computer is willing to store username and password information in its memory (which is called a cookie).

1. Go to the Brave Writer Forum lobby now (keep this window open) :

http://bravewriter.com/dc/dcboard.php

2. Click on the "First Time Visitor?" Please Register in the upper left hand corner.

3. Read the user policy and click "I accept" at the bottom of the page. (You do not need to create a user profile unless you want to.)

4. Follow the instructions on the next page to create a username and password. These will be your means to access the forum so don't forget what you create! I strongly recommend picking a username that represents the student in the class (not just the mother). A family identity works if the class is a family class. If you only have one email address for your family, then pick a name both parent and child will happily share. Students are known by their usernames in class. "Paul" will not want to be known as "LindaK" or "Momof7kiddos."

5. When you've completed your registration, send your username to the classes administrator in an email: classes@bravewriter.com (no need to send the password). You will be subscribed to the class forum about a week before class begins. You'll receive an email with instructions about how to access the forum at that time.

6. When you contact the classes administrator, include:

• your name and your child's name
• the email address used to create the username
• the email you want us to use to contact you
• the name of your course
• your username

7. Your instructor will post a welcome message in the class folder (found on the forums lobby page) the week before class begins so that you can read what the class is about and your kids can get used to using the website software. (They're usually whizzes at it.) We'll notify you a week before class when that folder is created.

8. If you haven't heard from Brave Writer during the week before class, assume something went wrong with your email and contact us directly.

Conditions for canceling registration or withdrawing from class:

Once you've enrolled and paid for class, there are no refunds after the first day of class has passed. If for some reason you must withdraw from class between the time you enroll and class begins, your refund will be as follows:

Between enrollment and two weeks before class begins: 100% minus service charge of $10.00.

During the week before class begins: 75%

After class begins, there are no refunds for any reason.