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Easy Ways to Teach Writing from Preschool up!
February 22, 2017
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Hey Mama,
Writing is an important skill for our children to learn, whether they’re budding novelists, poets, or need to know how to write in preparation for college or a career. Check out some of these articles from the magazine for some tips for teaching writing:
Three Principles for Writing Instruction
Why Does Writing Matter?
Developing Good Writers
Fun Writing Projects for Reluctant Writers
And remember . . .
When you’re tempted to blow a gasket, choose to smile instead. Chalk it up as just part of the job. You are an EXPERIENCED Mama, and you don’t have to "lose it.” One day, your kids will remember the way you handled the daily stresses. I want to hear mine say, “My Mama didn’t freak out much. She normally kept her cool and went with the flow.”
AND, keep in mind: The way you handle stresses today is quite likely the way your little munchkin (who won’t stay little forever) will handle the same stresses with HER kids when she’s 40.
Treat your littles the way you want your GRANDKIDS handled. Think about that today, Mama. Keep walking. Smile. Life is good because the Lord is in it. HE is your life.
~gena
[email protected]
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Dear Friends,
When it comes to writing, think about all the various components, including:
• penmanship for handwriting
• keyboard skills for computer
• good content
• descriptive words and well-chosen phrases
• grammar and spelling
• logical, appropriate flow
These are the mechanics of writing, things to be studied in English class. Each takes time to learn and practice to master. Some of these are appropriate for young students, while others won’t be fully mastered until high school (or beyond).
There is a writer’s maxim, however, that we sometimes miss when we are teaching our kids:
Write what you know.
For homeschoolers, I’d like to change that slightly:
Write what you LOVE.
Once they connect the mechanics to their passion, students will suddenly find themselves motivated to write. In fact, you might find it hard to get them to stop!
When they are in the early elementary grades, have your kids dictate a story that you write down for them. Then, to develop their penmanship, they could copy out one or two sentences from this story in their own handwriting.
Add to this little by little. Some students will have a natural aptitude for writing, and they will find it fairly easy to master the mechanics of writing. Others who struggle with the mechanics, may find enjoyment in communicating about the things they love. (For older students, using a microphone and recorder may help the creative juices flow.) Be patient and kind in this process, however long it may take.
Remember, stay relational,
Diana
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My daughter, Katherine (20), has written three wholesome and edifying medieval teen novels as part of the Maidens of Malidone series, and she wrote A Girl's Guide to Tea Parties when she was fourteen. In most of her spare time, she can be found typing away on her laptop, immersed in the details of another story she is writing. She has always loved stories, both reading and writing them.
The secret to her success as a writer? God made her that way (and we gave her lots of time to write).
None of our other children care two hoots to write . . . anything. My wife has been diligent in having them write*. . . but none of them has taken off with it like Katherine did.
The temptation is to think that it was because of some writing program that Katherine learned to write, or that the lack of the right program caused our other children to “not-write,” which is, of course, pure baloney!
So here's my writing advice: Have your kids write, but don't expect non-writers to love it or even do it well. You might be able to teach them the basics (which is good) but they may not excel at it . . . until they are motivated to do so. Then, they'll figure out how to do it.
Your job is to plug away, be realistic, love your non-writers, don't make them cry, and . . .
Be real,
Todd
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FREE
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Your membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com includes eighteen different writing courses, in addition to courses focusing on the alphabet, handwriting, grammar, and other areas of the creative process. Kids can enjoy Adventures in Writing or Creative Writing with Pictures, while older students learn the Benjamin Franklin Writing Method or how to write the dreaded college admission essay! The best part is they can take whichever courses they want, whenever they want. There are no set schedules or deadlines. And if they find one course too hard or too easy, they can switch to another—you’ll no longer have unused textbooks left lying around!
If you’re not already a member of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, what are you waiting for? Sign up for a trial membership today and discover all the courses and resources we offer that can make your homeschool day simpler and less stressful. There are no per-child fees or additional fees for textbooks. Join today!
If you or someone you know is interested in designing lessons for our site, please contact Executive Editor Bonnie Rose Hudson at [email protected].
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in the latest issue of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
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Contest Corner
For the month of February
Exploring America's Musical Heritage is a two-DVD set taking you across America, visiting with Professor Carol and 38 other historians, scholars, and artists to learn of our musical heritage from art, literature, and culture. Each DVD contains two hours of material in four half-hour segments for a total of four hours of travel, instruction, and exploration of the music of the past, helping us connect with our legacy by learning of the poems and music that our ancestors created. There's an abundance of study materials online for each segment, with links to explore; people, places, and things to further study; and questions to consider. Exploring America's Musical Heritage DVD retails for $49.95.
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A whole lot is packed into each half hour episode. Professor Carol begins with the Puritans in about 1620 and moves mostly incrementally through the years to about 1960. We learned a lot of names we hadn't heard of, heard stories of songs and their meanings, and learned of the culture behind the music and poetry. While it's certainly not geared merely for homeschoolers, it does lend itself toward the Classical education model. There isn't a specific age range on their website, but it does seem to be more for middle and high school and over the heads of the elementary ages unless they were already well educated in America's music over the years. (. . .)
(Read the rest of the review.)
YOU can WIN this DVD set for your homeschool!
TO ENTER: Email Kathleen with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, “Musical Heritage” for a chance to win it for your family!
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Dunwoody, GA
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