I would consider myself artistic. I even enjoy writing and language. After homeschooling for 5 years I am yet to appreciate any curriculum as "art". I know, I know...some people do. Apparantly my children could not be counted among them. When i have time to make games out of parts of speech, art activities out of grammar, speed races to find specific examples in books, my girls are filled with laughter and joy.
Pull out any curriculum thus far and their eyes glaze over. I have one highly distractable child (and hates writing) and one who loves creative writing but dreads being committed to "boring" language arts. I don't have time or desire to think through this subject. So I dream, peruse the internet in search of the perfect, already laid out plans. I hope I find them soon...Any ideas? |
Thursday - Hi!
We have done some canned curriculum in this area, but if we get them too bogged down with the mechanics, in the early years, we have found that it can squelch some kids' desires to write. Of course they are all different, so you have to keep experimenting and see what works for whom!
My friend Jill Novak has written a wonderful book called "The Gift of Family Writing" and it talks about the natural way to get kids to write. Several bloggers contributed to her revised edition and it is so fun to read together as a family. She also has done seminars on how to teach/learn in a natural way. Anyway, you might look into it. Her website is Remembrance Press.
Oh, also Cindy Rushton has a book called "Language Arts the Easy Way." Look into that too.
Blessings!
Nancy