CM and Composition

I don’t have much time, but I recently borrowed a book called Writing With Ease written one of the Bauer ladies.  (I’m not intimate enough with the WTM to remember exactly who wrote what.)  I very much liked it and it is based on some of the same philosophies Miss Masson encouraged with regard to hearing, narrating and copywork before writing.  I only looked at Year One assignments, so I’m not sure if I would be as fond of it as it progresses, but I did like what I saw.  It is a 4 year program to help with writing and can be started with a child of any age.  I plan to look at it more closely as I do my planning for next year.  It might be something to look into…

  When I have more time I’ll chime in with the plan I have for my 2 children’s future in the LA department that, I think, addresses the concerns you have; at least they do for me. My children are 9 and 10, the transition ages for advancing in LA under a CM philosophy. I have laid out a plan through about 9th grade to address those areas about which you’re talking.

Until then,

Rachel

Me too, sounds intriguing Rachel. One thing I can say, after 5 kids homeschooled. Not all will be writers, reasoners etc naturally. All can be taught, but it is so much easier all round to pray about and teach to the gifts God gave them. I agree its a good thing to learn how to write and I thought I did a pretty good job of it with my first. Then along came the second with a completely different set of wiring and needed a different approach altogether. One was a natural writer though he had ( and has) such terrible handwriting that it was a death sentence to him when I asked him to write. When I let him type his thoughts and narrations, ideas etc on the computer he was a completely different kid! Three done now, all adults, and all doing well, and none of them taught the same way as the others…one of the beauties of homeschooling is being able to adapt programs and plans to make them work for your family. I didn’t use any formal language arts programs til they were in 11th grade(shhhhh), but we did do spelling and we did talk a LOT about everything. They wrote narrations, summaries, etc. They are all doing well, one finishing his degree in cultural communications, one deciding what direction he wants to go ( the hands on boy!) and the third in NZ pursuing her passion. If we give them freedom, gently structure, and are there to mold and guide, the CM way does really work. I have three to prove it by. Oh, and read, lots and lots and lots of reading! 

I am tired though, with 2 still to finish 🙂 what’s that verse about finishing the race? I am intrigued by your plan Rachel because my youngest is finishing 6th grade and she is a completely different learner yet again…always good to have a plan, just don’t be a slave to your plan:)

I agree, Heidi; I am in control of the “plan”, the “plan” is not in control of me. With my husband’s health problems and 2 surgeries of my own during our 4 yrs. of ‘schooling’, I’ve had to be flexible and I’ve had to research things thoroughly since funds are extremely limited, being that my husband is disabled. Finding resources that can be tweaked for each of my children, without having to use two different things-that’s insane and expensive! The only thing I’ve had to do that with is math. Each of them are unique creations with their own bents, but I do believe that both of them should be taught and are capable of learning grammar and good writing (which also affects speaking, I think).

Here’s a good LA scope and sequence:http://amblesideonline.org/LangArtsScopeSeq.shtml

So, for the past year, I have been praying and researching about future LA. I have come to the conclusion that CM’s basis of copywork, transcription and dictation; oral and written narrations when used together, are enough to serve as a foundation for strong grammar and writing skills. After all the exposure to good literature and ideas of others, I think formal grammar and writing techniques can easily wait till middle and high school years.

This is what my two have done so far and future goals, in addition to oral narration:

3-4th- PLL, mostly oral

4-6th- ILL, oral and written exercises (ILL is more thorough than you initially can see, it covers quite a bit, but does so gradually; I think it gives a great foundation and familiarity w/language as a whole so that more formality later is easier and age appropriate. ILL is how I am introducing written narration, as it contains great selections with which to start off.

late 5th or 6th-start Meaningful Composition (MC). (My back up plan is Jump-In, but I’d rather MC). It is incremental and student-directed. Although they will have been doing written narrations up till this point, I still require more formal instruction in how those sentences, paragraphs and more are actually organized. I could get their Quick Kit DVD and learn the incremental approach myself and teach them, I’d rather have something self-directed.

Meaningful Composition goes through to the 12th. The first semester of MC 4 has about 8 weeks of grammar as a basis to start the writing teachings, so I won’t begin anything then for more intensive grammar instruction. I looked at CW, but it’s way too intense and teacher intensive. Here’s a good review of MC.

Around 8th, I plan to start Our Mother Tongue; using it for two years, according to the AO schedule.

For Socratic learning, I think I’ll watch Teaching the Classics and teach them. It can easily be a part of a CM education and from reading, I think it is very Biblical, too, from a Deut. 6 perspective. I do think that just reading and talking about literature over the years creates a tendency towards analysis without the effort; just read and think and talk about it and love it. However, I also want to go deeper if possible and I think that will apply to their ability to communicate and defend their faith, too. It saddens me to hear and see modern youth (and adults) unable to communicate or think clearly.

You mentioned logic; I’m looking at Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox for the Middle years, then have to decide what to use from there either from Memoria Press or Classical Academic Press for the upper years. 

Both of mine start Latin around 5th and then there’s some speech/debate materials at Training for Triumph that look interesting to me. I don’t know that I would go beyond Speak Up! for my dd (or both, depending on the effect the other items have wholistically), but my son has a strong bent in that direction and G-d will use him and the skills developed for His Kingdom and my son’s purpose. Latin alone develops logical thinking; which will be a struggle for my dd, but struggle can produce much good fruit. She has difficulties in the sequencing dept. and formulating her thoughts coherently due to her sensory issues, so I think it would benefit her greatly, just as oral narration has helped her develop more orderly thinking. They have both been learning Hebrew since K years.

I hope this was clear, I’ve been watching a Star Trek movie this whole time while writing!

Rachel

I came across a resource that may replace the yearly purchase of MC if the instructions are clear enough; Writer’s Inc. 

Here’s a review.

I know there are those on this forum who have used it for thier high schoolers. It’s a refernce book for you to teaach them (or possibly they teach themselves, depending upon the child). I do like a self-directed course, so if this demands too much of my involvement, I would bail on it; but I’d like to give it a good look-over before making my final decision. If it’s doable without a major time investment, then the money saved would be tremendous.

Anyway, just thought I’d throw it out to you as an option to look at.

Rachel

Here’s a better review for Writer’s INc.

Rachel

On the ordering page it says that you can call them with a credit card. Then you could find out if they will ship it to you.

Rachel