At Royal Fireworks Online Learning, we know that when students are given the opportunity to wrestle with big ideas—and are guided by an expert who knows how to lead meaningful discussions—their writing and thinking grow in remarkable ways.

Dr. Rachel Lott brings that kind of experience to every class she teaches. With a background in both university instruction and professional editing, Dr. Lott helps students develop clarity of thought, precision in writing, and confidence in expressing complex ideas. Her discussion-based approach invites students to engage deeply with material rather than simply to memorize it, making her courses both intellectually rigorous and highly rewarding.

Dr. Lott offers a rich array of courses both this summer and in the 2026-2027 school year, as well as opportunities to learn with her one on one.

Dr. Lott teaches several courses that use Michael Clay Thompson’s curriculum as their foundation. Some of them are writing courses, using Michael’s Essay Voyage or Advanced Academic Writing I, depending on the level of the course, and some are grammar courses, which use either Grammar Voyage or The Magic Lens I. These courses are an excellent option for students who may not be able to take a course from Michael directly.

Even better, the writing courses are available two different ways: as full-year courses for the 2026-2027 school year—as Michael always intended his curriculum to be used, allowing for a complete immersion in the process of writing essays or research papers—or as intensive summer courses, which are especially helpful for students who may need that extra boost before diving into English class at school. The grammar courses are also offered (exclusively) as intensive summer courses.

The summer courses take place during the nine-week summer session and are offered at a reduced price.

Summer Session 2026
(June – July)
– Middle School Grammar
– High School Grammar
– Essay Voyage Intensive Seminar
– MLA Intensive Seminar

Full Year 2026-2027
(Sept. – Dec., Jan. – May)
– Essay Voyage Seminar
– Advanced Essay Writing Seminar

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The study of classical logic is seeing a resurgence in recent times. Parents want to make sure their kids can see through logical fallacies and biases to understand which statements and arguments work and which ones fall short. Fortunately, classical logic is one of Dr. Lott’s areas of expertise. She’s been teaching it at Royal Fireworks Online Learning for years now, and students consistently give it outstanding reviews.

Dr. Lott has even written a book on logic, which she now uses in one of her courses: Classical Logic: An Illustrated Introduction. Within weeks of its publication, the book won a Gold Mom’s Choice Award! And rumor has it that there’s a second volume in the works….

Dr. Lott offers her two logic courses as single-semester courses, with Part II building on the concepts introduced in Part I:

Fall Semester 2026
(Sept. – Dec.)
– Classical Logic I

Spring Semester 2027
(Jan. – May)
– Classical Logic II

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Not sure if formal classical logic is right for your child? What if you could try it out first? And what if it were presented through thrilling mystery stories?

Dr. Lott gives students just that opportunity in her new summer course: The Logic of Mysteries. In this course, students ages 13-18 will study logic informally through classic mystery stories. The course is discussion-based and will include how logical thinking, including avoiding fallacies and biases, enables the greatest fictional detectives (think Sherlock Holmes and the like) to solve even the most challenging mysteries.

Summer Session 2026
(June – July)
– The Logic of Mysteries

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Dr. Lott is also offering individual instruction in the following areas:

– English Language Arts
– College-Level Writing
– College and Career Application Writing

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Across all of her courses and instructional options, Dr. Lott provides students with gentle but necessary guidance and correction so that they come away with an enhanced ability to write clearly, think carefully, and engage thoughtfully with ideas—skills that support success in advanced academics and beyond!

Installment Pay Option: We offer installment payment plans at no additional cost. For more information and to enroll, visit the Online Learning page.

As always, if you have questions or need assistance in selecting a course, feel free to call us at (845) 726-4444. We’re here to help! Our phone lines are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Happy learning!
The Royal Fireworks Team