Writing
Teaching your kids how to write is daunting, even for someone who likes to write and happens to have a degree in English. Many homeschoolers pull their hair out trying to get their kids to write well, and then when they do, more hair pulling ensues when mom tries to figure out how to grade their child's writing. It's not as easy as grading a math or science test, when all the answers are neatly laid out for you, and you can grade with a good deal of objectivity.
But here's the thing about writing: it's not an exact science. Yes, there are grammar and spelling rules that must be enforced, but beyond that, writing is very subjective. It's a unique expression of thoughts and ideas, much like a drawing or a painting or other works of art. And while most people would agree that there is good writing and bad writing, it is largely a matter of opinion.
I struggled in my early homeschooling years to figure it out, even though I have a strong background in writing and grammar. So, I dabbled in a few different curricula, not adhering wholeheartedly to any of them, but using them as a springboard. I did assign writing projects to them, and helped them refine and edit. I also dabbled in some grammar programs, and also used them for ideas rather than a strict lesson plan.
My oldest child (the guinea pig) did not have strong opinions either way about writing and did a fair job of it during her years at home. My second child hated it and getting one sentence out of him was pretty difficult. I worried about how they would do once in college; there is a lot of writing no matter what your field of study is.
My first child flourished in college as a writer and enjoyed it immensely. But she is that kind of student; determined and persistent and does her very best. So, I was not very surprised at her success, but I did feel relieved!
My second child, who would much rather spend his days hunting and tramping through the woods than being stuck at a desk doing school work, was my big worry. Writing was a real struggle for him, even though he is very intelligent and can think for himself. He has finished his first semester of college and is doing very well. He even recently said that he really likes writing and wishes he could take more English classes. Not that he loves English classes per se, but that he enjoys the writing part and finds it easy!
I was really taken aback at that statement, but then he floored me with this: "It's because of the way you taught me to write, Mom. That's why it's easy for me."
Wow. All the years of struggle and feeling like I wasn't doing enough or doing it correctly were wiped away with that one statement.
I shared this with a couple of groups of homeschoolers via social media as a way to encourage them, and I'm sure it did. But one comment I kept seeing that caught my attention was along the lines of this: "What curriculum did you use? I want to use it!"
So many times we want an easy answer, a program to follow or a flowchart to show us the path to success. But that isn't how it works. And as I said above, I really didn't use one particular formula. But what did I do?
I went to the source, and asked my two college kids if they could articulate exactly what I did to help them become comfortable with writing. While I was not surprised by their answers (because I knew this all along, deep down) I was glad they recognized it. What was my secret formula? Making them read solid works of literature and difficult historical works. Reading aloud to them from a vast array of literature with solid, complex writing, or reading aloud from a newspaper known for good journalism. Enforcing proper grammar and building a strong vocabulary in them through all the reading and using it myself.
Well, there you have it. It's not exact, and it will look different in different home settings. It takes more effort than following a script. You may not know what the results will be until after you after done. It's a little risky, and a bit uncertain. But so is homeschooling.
But here's the thing about writing: it's not an exact science. Yes, there are grammar and spelling rules that must be enforced, but beyond that, writing is very subjective. It's a unique expression of thoughts and ideas, much like a drawing or a painting or other works of art. And while most people would agree that there is good writing and bad writing, it is largely a matter of opinion.
I struggled in my early homeschooling years to figure it out, even though I have a strong background in writing and grammar. So, I dabbled in a few different curricula, not adhering wholeheartedly to any of them, but using them as a springboard. I did assign writing projects to them, and helped them refine and edit. I also dabbled in some grammar programs, and also used them for ideas rather than a strict lesson plan.
My oldest child (the guinea pig) did not have strong opinions either way about writing and did a fair job of it during her years at home. My second child hated it and getting one sentence out of him was pretty difficult. I worried about how they would do once in college; there is a lot of writing no matter what your field of study is.
My first child flourished in college as a writer and enjoyed it immensely. But she is that kind of student; determined and persistent and does her very best. So, I was not very surprised at her success, but I did feel relieved!
My second child, who would much rather spend his days hunting and tramping through the woods than being stuck at a desk doing school work, was my big worry. Writing was a real struggle for him, even though he is very intelligent and can think for himself. He has finished his first semester of college and is doing very well. He even recently said that he really likes writing and wishes he could take more English classes. Not that he loves English classes per se, but that he enjoys the writing part and finds it easy!
I was really taken aback at that statement, but then he floored me with this: "It's because of the way you taught me to write, Mom. That's why it's easy for me."
Wow. All the years of struggle and feeling like I wasn't doing enough or doing it correctly were wiped away with that one statement.
I shared this with a couple of groups of homeschoolers via social media as a way to encourage them, and I'm sure it did. But one comment I kept seeing that caught my attention was along the lines of this: "What curriculum did you use? I want to use it!"
So many times we want an easy answer, a program to follow or a flowchart to show us the path to success. But that isn't how it works. And as I said above, I really didn't use one particular formula. But what did I do?
I went to the source, and asked my two college kids if they could articulate exactly what I did to help them become comfortable with writing. While I was not surprised by their answers (because I knew this all along, deep down) I was glad they recognized it. What was my secret formula? Making them read solid works of literature and difficult historical works. Reading aloud to them from a vast array of literature with solid, complex writing, or reading aloud from a newspaper known for good journalism. Enforcing proper grammar and building a strong vocabulary in them through all the reading and using it myself.
Well, there you have it. It's not exact, and it will look different in different home settings. It takes more effort than following a script. You may not know what the results will be until after you after done. It's a little risky, and a bit uncertain. But so is homeschooling.
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