Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: boys, Maturity, Transitioning from oral to written narrations, writing

This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by TailorMade.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

Author
Posts
December 10, 2013 at 5:29 pm
lwiesman
Participant
My son is 10 and has been narrating since August. He gives me wonderful oral narrations, but now when I tell him to write his narrations he pitches a fit! He says “I hate writing!” He has written one narration. I am literally at my wits end with him. I will put him back in school if this keeps up. He whines about every book, everything. I am so tired of this. Have any of you change curriculum just for one child? I have the Paths to Exploration I am going to give him to start on his own and continue with my original plans for my daughter.
December 10, 2013 at 6:17 pm
TailorMade
Participant
My sons had this same trouble at 10 years old. If you have a way for him to record his oral narrations, it might help him in the first several months of writing his narrations. If handwriting is an issue, have him begin a typing course and use the keyboard to write his narrations.
I used IEW methods with all of our older children. Our youngest son, 13, has background in IEW, too. It was a step-by-step process that I turned to years ago as I hadn’t found CM suggestions for formal writing at the time. I combine CM methods and IEW for him, based on what I’ve learned over several years of trial and error. It seems to be a long, drawn out process for many boys.
With our boys, I’ve seen a natural progression in abilities over several years’ time. I’d say, the fear subsides around age 12 if you begin as early as 10. Just getting one sentence down in the beginning is a struggle. If you have him record his narration and write a sentence per day in the beginning, or use a timer for 5, then 10, then 20 minutes, he will build stamina over a year, or so.
I highly recommend reading Lindafay’s series on the transition from narration to formal composition. It’s very good and will save you $ and reduce your stress level. Seeing it as a long term process lightens the load.
http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/2009/07/narration.html
HTH,
Becca<><
December 10, 2013 at 8:57 pm
jmac17
Participant
How many written narrations are you expecting? My children are younger, so I don’t have experience with written narrations, but I’ve read that some people recommend a full year of only oral narrations before even introducing written narration. Then each year you would add one written narration per week. If you have just started homeschooling this year, you might be expecting too much too soon. Remember that reading and narrating is a much more difficult task that anything most children have done at school.
Also, how much other writing experience does your son have? A good solid background of copywork and studied dictation will help strengthen writing skills in preparation for written narrations.
It’s a big adjustment moving to homeschooling, and some of the small steps that would normally have been done in the younger years still need to be done for older children who don’t have experience with a CM style education. Take it slowly and steady and build up those writing skills. I spent many years tutoring children in all subjects, and I don’t remember ever meeting a 10yo boy who enjoyed writing!
You also mentioned him whining about everything, so maybe this is more than a writing problem. When did you start homeschooling? Did you have a chance to ‘deschool’? That means spending some quality time together just getting ‘school’ out of both of your systems before trying to do much formal homeschooling. The recommendation I see most is a month for each year spent in public school. If you haven’t had a chance to do that, you might consider it. Do a web search for ‘deschooling’ and you’ll find more advice about it.
Good luck! Don’t give up on a good thing yet!
Joanne
December 10, 2013 at 9:58 pm
lwiesman
Participant
This is our 2nd year of homeschooling. He did copywok last year as well as this year. We are working through Spelling Wisdom for dictation. I only wanted one written narration a week since he just started. The way he acts you would think I told him to write a book! I told him I am not worried about spelling or any grammar right now, just put something on paper.
December 10, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Monica
Participant
When my son was that age, we started “written” narrations with me typing while he spoke. After we did that for about six months (and he got a good foundation in typing in the meantime), I let him start typing his own narrations. He does pretty well now.
Writing – – he never would have done that. Writing is far too frustrating for him because he knows he can type faster than he writes.
December 10, 2013 at 11:44 pm
my3boys
Participant
I have typed/written the beginnings of a (oral) narration for my dc and when they are almost finished I have had them finish the paper. I have typed oral narrations and have used those for copywork as well.
I really don’t know what to say about his attitude, other than writing is a chore for some and a joy for others. My dc are not “thrilled” about writing, either, and I have one who struggles over his spelling rather than just moving on, as well. Then another who is not really all that concerned about spelling and doesn’t let it bother him when he doesn’t know how to spell a word..he just writes what he thinks. Neither *love* writing, but do it out of obedience and the understanding that it is required. I try to not overwhelm, but encourage them to do what is necessary (and even that may not be enough for some families).
I would continue with the oral narrations for a bit longer with a goal in mind of when the written ones will begin (and let him know). Maybe at that time you could start out with one sentence, then build from there?
I step away from the screen for a bit, hopefully others chimed in and my post makes sense, LOL.
December 11, 2013 at 12:42 am
Claire
Participant
I think this is very normal. Or at least there are several other posts along these same lines. I really think that for some boys this is a time of conflicting maturity. On the one hand they really want to be bigger, older, more mature. On the other they seem almost unable to accept that same maturity in terms of accepting that expectations for their lessons will increase, or that they need to take over some activities that they previously had to be reminded to do, etc.
Breathe deeply. I am in your boat with my own son and have been since about 9 1/2/4th grade to present. I am focusing on our relationship. I know I can teach him anything at any point. He’s bright and learns easily. What is most important to me right now is that we not tear our relationship apart over his behavior. I know that sounds counterproductive. It’s not. I need us to have a close relationship that is open and loving in order to continue to help him through his teen years. If I burn that bridge now and create a relationship based on contention and frustration and a lack of communication/understanding … well, I don’t think I’ll have much hope of “being there” for him later.
December 11, 2013 at 1:37 am
lwiesman
Participant
Thanks for the tips. I will keep at it and tell him it is required. I am just going to go slow and take it one day at a time!
December 11, 2013 at 5:29 am
my3boys
Participant
I *think* what also may help, as well, is being very specific about what is to be written. When I leave it too open for my dc, they can sometimes feel overwhelmed with all their thoughts and ideas. I have been known to ask them to share their favorite part, the personality of the main character (or their favorite character) or, what they would’ve done differently if they were in the shoes of the character/s. I have have even asked if they would like to live in the time/location of where the story takes place. No matter their opinion they are free to share.
You may need to start as slow as one sentence at a time and praise his efforts to the maximum…no criticizing or he’ll not want to repeat the process. Then give him very specific instructions as to when you may expect 2 sentences next time…building up after he has some confidence, of course. This will be just as hard for you as it is for him, trust me. You may feel that the process is as slow as molasses, but eventually he will write more, it just takes time. My oldest will never write a novel, but he does write when necessary and still feels “less is more.” I still have to encourage him to share his thoughts/ideas/details he recalls from his readings. He is a minimalist and just doesn’t like the mess of details.
Anyway, good luck to you and your ds.
December 11, 2013 at 2:01 pm
TailorMade
Participant
IMO, Claire’s post is the most important in the thread. 🙂 I think we’ve all dealt with similar concerns, writing or otherwise. The relationship is what’s most important.