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Writing program advice
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I found Writing Tales to work well for my son at age 9/10. It is based on short, well-known stories and teaches grammar. The blog series and book here is good too:
https://simplycharlottemason.com/blog/series/language-arts-in-the-charlotte-mason-method/
I need to jump in on this as well. I have a 13 year old boy and he isn’t writing well, but we have only been implementing CM for a year or so now. Any suggestion for him. He hates to write and I purchased Abeka for grammar and wow not at all impressed with how early they want them to start a research paper. I just threw it in the trash and went back to copy work and narration. Please tell me if I’m wrong, but they really only need a full year of grammar in high school to get what they need? I struggle with all of the same thing on this post as well, and go back and forth because I doubt myself. Lets keep encouraging one another and building each other up.
I love grammar and could not understand that my kids were NOT getting it. I had always liked a traditional grammar approach and had tried Road and Staff and then Abeka for a number of years. Lighter approaches, too, but nothing was sticking. Then upon someone’s suggestion on here, Miss CeeGee, I think, we gave Get Smart Grammar a try about a month ago. Can’t say enough about it! It’s wonderful! I LOVE DIAGRAMMING and now my kids see the benefits and are truly making the parts of speech connections. Worth every penny! (We ordered the download and I print them out for my 11th, 9th, and 8th graders).
This is an awesome thread! I have gained encouragement and confidence that my son will learn great writing skills. He doesn’t like to write, yet when he writes, he does it well. He just turned 12 and is in 6th grade. He was in a classical school the last 2 yrs. In my head, i think that he needs to be learning writing the same way he used to. I was going to use Classical Writing this year, but we have done only a few lessons. It is so hard for me to wrap my brain around. I like the literature excerpts they use but it is difficult for me to try to teach. I don’t remember doing that kind of writing when I was in 6th grade and I think i turned out o.k. He does written narrations and loves doing oral narrations. I think i have to be careful not to compare to what I think he should be doing based on public or private schools curriculum. For the high school years, i will use something to guide him. Thanks so much for all the comments, even if this is an old thread.
Has anyone used Write Shop? I am considering using it with my ninth grader. We have utilized narration up to this point, but he is ready for the next step now, and he (and I) could use the focused guidance.
Thanks!
I do too!! I have it bookmarked on my phone and read it when I start to feel like I’m not “doing”‘enough! 🙂
If any of you need narration ideas, I have a ton of them. I’m certain there is a list here on the site but I don’t know where it is. I just printed out a copy of them and am cutting them in strips as I type, well, not at the *exact* same time 🙂
I struggle with being prepared with the narration “ideas” and I know my kids would appreciate some variety. Plus, it’s giving you, the parent/teacher, the “evidence” of learning that I believe many of us crave, or as needed samples for the state, etc. I love to see a composition book/spiral notebook fill up with my dc narrations, whether they be drawings or a paragraph.
Hope this helps!
I am putting my two in an online Writeshop 1 & 2 course for 2016/17.
Then, the following year, they will take her Windows to the World, 1 semester course and afterwards, I will find a Research Paper course to sign them up for.
My son is finishing up The Elegant Essay course now. It’s been a real challenge for him, but that’s good.
My dd will take creative writing courses after this next year, since that is her bent.
@jenntracy: have you checked out Jump In? Sharon Watson also has additional writing courses available after JI.This thread is awesome. I wanted to share an email I received from Sally Clarkson who wrote Educating the Wholehearted child years ago (2006). I had emailed her about what to use to teach grammar and writing and was pretty much freaking out! LOL I stumbled across this email again a few days ago and wanted to share what she said with you guys. I NEEDED to hear these words of wisdom again and I am so glad I printed it out and filed it. I now have it hanging in my school room… Her kids are all excelling in college/life. All 4 of her children are great writers. She believed in a CM education. If you have not read her book, I encourage you to do so… she has a wealth of wisdom! Here is the email she sent me:
Hi Jennifer,
I will have to tell you that Sarah made almost a 1400 on her SAT’s and Joel was not far behind) got the Presidential at the University of his choice). Nathan and Joy are yet to come. Nathan is not as academically inclined, but his vocab is incredible and he is a great writer and speaker. All that to say that it is not necessary to follow the Well Trained Mind book to have a well trained mind. My goal is much more focused on their soul. The best way to create a writer is by reading outloud to them. Let them enjoy great literature and words and thoughts and stories. Discuss what you are reading–get excited about it–fill their brains with great brain food. The danger of overdoing curriculum like Shirley grammar is that they can learn the rules and feel pressure to perform in filling in the blanks, but a love for learning is lost. When the heart is engaged and enjoying education, the the mind naturally becomes more able to communicate in thought. Spend the bulk of your together time reading great books. Give them something to draw, eat or drink, or build while they are listening to you. Then periodically, ask them to retell what they have heard or ask a reading comprehension type of question about what you read. (Why do you think the hero made these choices? What do you thing he should have done differently? Why, How, What if–questions that require more than a fill in the blank answer.) Discuss things at the dinner table–articles, issues, stories, events.
Give them an opportunity to verbalize what they are learning. This is where communication skills–writing or speaking–come from–from heart felt convictions and beliefs and values–not from fill in the blank curriculum. Make your home a delightful place to live with lots of great books and ideas.
Blessings,
Sally
Hope this helps ease your fears and MINE in the writing department. I KNOW that learning naturally is the way to go, but it is so easy to spread the “curriculum safety net” to make sure your bases are covered. However, just because your child filled in the blank correctly does not mean the child mastered it. We have done 3 years of Rod and Staff and 2 years of CLE Language Arts… and it is NOT transferring in their writing. Very frustrating. So we are now just writing daily and then correcting the writing as we go. Writing daily in some form is truly the best way to go….
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