Great Writing Expectations

Some teaching tasks are more daunting than others in the homeschool realm.  For me, writing is one of them.  I came from a sixth-grade classroom, where kids could already string sentences together into tolerable paragraphs--emphasis on tolerable.  Even if they weren't on-level writers, I certainly didn't have to start with nonsensical scribbles on a page.  I confess to having quit just about every writing program I've started with James over the years.  None of them stuck.  Some of them were straight torture.  In reflection, I think a lot of what holds me back is my own perfectionism, coupled with equal parts strong-willed boy. I argue that boys don't dance out of the womb clutching a journal and stylus in their fists, or at least mine didn't...I suppose that would have been painful.  But, really, there is an extent to which the fine-motored task of writing is painstaking for the large-motored character that is BOY.  

But that is just the beginning of the story.  I am learning.  Bear with.  (You may have your doubts, considering that my former sentences started with but and I, followed by a fragment.  On second thought, was it really a fragment if the "me" was implied?  Grammar Girl?)  Moving on.  I have resolved to start a list of writing truths.  Hopefully it will allow me to reflect upon what worked (and didn't work) in the realm of teaching and learning.  I expect it will be amended as each of my pupils define their unique learning styles.  How boring would it be if one shoe fit all, right?  So, for starters, here are a few things I can say with certainty (for now):

1.  Nurturing a love for writing starts long before children can actually write.  Meaningful marks on paper, however nonsensical, give youngsters positive connotations with putting pencil (or crayon, for that matter) to paper.  The same is true for reading, but most people already agree with that concept.  Heck--these days mothers are reading Voltaire aloud while their children are still in utero.  You can be assured that where Joshua and his younger siblings are concerned, I will give them more opportunities to write, no matter the legibility or sensibility.  

2.  Writing must be meaningful, especially at the early stages.    I think the reason most of the "canned" programs haven't worked for us is that they don't take into account the individual.  I have steered further and further from predictable writing to responsive writing.  Our subject matter is determined by daily inspiration--our readings, current events, or field trips.  I don't do many genre units at this stage of the game.  He gets bored with a month of narrative-only writing, or five days in an row of purely descriptive paragraphs.  There will be a time to refine genre-specific writing.  But, for now, I just try to get him to write about things that matter to him. We criss cross the genres organically.

3.  Writing thrives on consistency.  As with any other discipline, we diminish our trepidation  and build our endurance when we practice regularly.  I am trying to live by a "no exceptions" policy these days where writing is concerned.  We do it daily, no matter how meagre our output.  

4.  By All Means Necessary.  Lately, I've been writing with James.  We essentially duet.  It's unorthodox, I suppose, but it models good writing for him, and also helps him to think one sentence at a time, rather than being overwhelmed by the g a r g a n t u a n task of writing an e n t i r e paragraph by himself.  *Wink*  Honestly, good writing starts with good sentences anyhow, and writing alongside him allows me some much needed quality control from time to time.  He does write paragraphs on his own, but some days I have to pick my battles.  Who am I kidding?  There is always a battle to be picked in a house with boys.  I stumble over weaponry all day, every day!

5.  Edit, Edit, Edit.  The power of homeschool is in the gift of one-on-one mentorship.  He writes, and we work with it right then--while the iron is still hot.  I think there is power in immediate feedback. Kids need a degree of instant gratification.  It's motivating, and although not always possible, I do it when I can.  Today I challenged James to go BACK to his paragraph and find every error possible...for one chocolate chip per error.  He found three.  I think tomorrow I will challenge him to change a word or sentence to make it better or more descriptive.  But, we'll see which way the wind blows.

To Be Continued As Inspiration Dictates...

Spelling-Bee Pilates
(He contorts and bounces as he spells...He has no ideas how good he has it.  Should I get a patent?)

Joshua's Copywork
(He is copying 2 lines from the BOB Phonics book he read today.  Sometimes he writes sentences using invented/ phonetic spelling, and other times he dictates.  Today he copied.  We mainly work on ideas and correct letter formation.  This particular journal started as a thankfulness journal, where he would write one word with a descriptive picture above.  He has graduated to sentences.  I'm much more relaxed with Joshua (in a good way) than I was with James at this stage.

James' Scooter Riding Paragraph
(I have no illusions about him being ahead of the curve as a writer.  He's not.  But the important thing is that his IDEAS are.  He thoughts are disproportionate to his writing abilities right now, to be sure.  But, we are headed in the right (haha) direction.  That's all that matters to me right (the hits keep comin'!) now. 

GQ
(Samuel insisted upon wearing the new scarf from our Land's End winter clearance box.)

Life is Easy Breezy

Snack Time!
(This child tells me he is hungry every 30 minutes, at least.)

Last Hurrah Playsession
(As dusk approaches, the boys find their final day's-end tasks.)

It's All About The Dirt

It's All About The Swinging

It's All About The Game

Into Thin Air
(The club became a blur of motion.)

Daniel just wanted to hang out in the B'Jorn.  It's a challenge to get a pic. from that angle.

The boys think it is a potty chair...

Samuel loves to tear apart the dress-up buckets these days.

Dinner was themed, "Whatever Works."  Samuel got peanut butter mixed with local honey.

Joshua got cereal with bananas.  They're Chocolate O's.  But they're organic. Does that count?
(This kiddo is my biggest challenge in the picky-eater department...but he LOVES fruit)

Foodie got leftover tacos from last night.

11:00 and all is well.  Sleep tight, folks.