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Homeschooling Through High School ~ Writing
10:14 AM, Sep. 16, 2009
I have a love-hate relationship with writing.
As a blogger, an enjoyment of writing is sort of a necessity! I love to talk, and I tend to write the way I speak, so this style of writing comes very easily to me. Formal reports are a bit tougher for me, but it’s still just writing, so I can do it without too much effort. And once I get started, I really enjoy it.
So where does the “hate” part come in?
It’s in the teaching of writing that I struggle. For, you see, I have always been able to write. Always. No one ever “taught” me how to write. I just kind of knew how…I’m a “verbal” person. Until I became a homeschool mom, I just assumed that everyone could write “if they just tried.”
Ha! Have I had a rude awakening! God, in His infinite wisdom, has seen fit to provide me with a husband who is what I call “pathologically visual” in the way he processes information (he’s a gifted architect), as well as one son who is the same way (my other son is a mix of verbal and visual). I am “pathologically verbal.” Can I even begin to tell you the struggle that I have when it comes to teaching writing???
Those of us with dyslexic kids (my oldest is wonderfully and wildly dyslexic!) know what that does to them as writers…this article will not address this, though you are welcome to leave me a note and we can chat about that separately.
So, what of writing in the homeschool high school? “Where” should our students “be” in terms of ability? There is no clear answer. Even so, we all should endeavor to be able to communicate with some clarity our thoughts and intentions in writing. Did not God, Creator of the universe, choose the written word to communicate everything we would need to know and follow Him? The fact that our children have learned to read means that someone took the time to write something for them to do so!
As always, I encourage you to find the tie-in for your students between their efforts in excellent writing and their future goals/plans/endeavors. For example: the aspiring journalist cannot be a master of only the structure of good writing; he must also learn the art of writing…to master style. It is an engaging style of writing that makes readers want to continue reading.
The technically/mathematically-oriented student must also be able to communicate clearly in writing. The usefulness of technical writing is entirely dependent upon its clarity and exactness. (Ever tried to follow poorly written instructions? It is an exercise in frustration.)
If a student is headed for a competitive college and, therefore, the college entrance exams, they must be able to write an expository essay, and to do it quickly. Pick up your latest issue of World Magazine, The Old Schoolhouse, or any magazine which is related to their interests, find a topic about which your student would have an opinion, and then formulate a single opinion question about it. Have them give a standard 3 paragraph essay answer. Do this every week or two. As the structure of the simple essay form becomes just that…simple…begin to discuss with your students how they can add style to that structure in order to make their essay stand out from the rest.
Whether or not you wish to teach writing as a class unto itself, or to simply incorporate writing into your other courses (typically history or science, if your science studies would lend themselves to the writing of reports) is a matter of personal preference. This year we are using Andrew Pudewah’s “Excellence in Writing” materials for our English class. We use our American Government studies and assigned essays as the basis for writing, and I’ve adopted the practice of giving 2 grades for every paper…one for the content (which is the grade I’ll record for them in Government), and one for the writing structure and style (which is the grade I’ll record for them in English/Language Arts). So once I’ve read the paper for content, I photocopy it, and my red pen marks up the photocopy. We use this marked-up copy as the “rough draft” from which to discuss the structure and style errors, suggest improvements, and write the final draft. By the end of the year, the goal is a history paper that needs no photocopying for the red pen! (Wish me luck…I’ll let you know how it goes!) May God bless you and your homeschool this week!
Lori
Lori Havens has been married to Kevin for 24 years. They live in Illinois with their two sons, Bryan (17) and Nathan (15), and dog Sunny (9). Lori enjoys writing, gardening, reading, and the outdoors. She is the author of "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering a Career in Nursing" and "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask." You can find her blogging at both Homeschool Blogger and Homestead Blogger .
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