I woke up this morning around 4am with my husband.  He awakes early to "beat" the traffic to get to work at the Pentagon.  I usually sleep in until 6am, but a headache was bothering me. I've been a bit stressed about some issues with my daughter, concerning her Sensory Integration Disorder. Yesterday we had a breakthrough, finally figuring out that many recent concerns are tied to seasonal allergies. I have had major medication changes lately due to laryngitis caused by allergies.  On top of that, I've had a mix of headaches and dizziness while trying out new contact lenes.  As the eye doctor said, because of the astigmatism in one eye, a regular soft contact will not produce crystal clear vision.  She was right. I have been struggling with reading things and seeing anything up close clearly. I am going nuts!  I could live with these contacts, but when I see her today, I will humbly admit that I am ready to try the toric lens.  I have met some people recently who have great success with them with no discomfort.  I think they have improved from when I first wore them nine years ago.  So my headache this morning is likely a culmination of all of the above.

 My son has just found me down here with the laptop and I told him I was waiting for the Exedrin to kick in.  Meanwhile, I happened to be reliving the wonderful time we had at the CW Costume Design Center and I am embarrased by all the typos I have on my blog entry.   I'll correct them as soon as I can. When I mentioned that to my son, he cleared his throat and I thought, "Uh, oh. What else is wrong?" You see, he has my blog saved as one of his homepages and he likes to read it. Additionally, he often finds mistakes and he politely lets me know about it.  =)  That is humbling when your son finds your mistakes. However that is a great tool for teaching. I think he learns more from my mistakes, than from my hopeful perfections. As I willingly allow him to show me my errors, I can turn that into a learning opportunity to model humility and willingness to accept constructive criticism, in order to make something better. As a result, we are building a terrific rapport when working on his papers.

     Right now he is working on a paper on Sgt. York.  He came to me yesterday to ask for source material on Sgt. York. Furthermore, we discussed the plan of attack to organize his paper. I will allow him to own this paper, by choosing his own topics. I merely wanted to remind him to stick to three key points to develop into a well thought out essay.  Also we are looking for a way to add information in a meaningful way to a famous historical figure. 

      In  year's past, my son has not always liked my advice on his papers.  Now that he has been able to help me with some of my writing, he is far more open to receiving suggestions from me.  We have become a writing team. I haven't mentioned my daughter, but she is more compliant and eager to please.  She has always needed lots of guidance, yet she has also been willing to listen. With her I also work to build a bit of esprit de corps. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word esprit de corps is a French word that dates back to 1780.  It means, "the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and strong regard for the honor of this group." It's all teamwork. None of us are perfect. We are all learning. We help and encourage each other. Our relationship grows stronger. Also, it prevents a lot of headaches in the end.

     Our TOG Rhetoric literature has quite a bit of analysis, which I feel perfectly fits the classical model for that age.  Although TOG has literature worksheets for the younger students, I'd rather they savor and experience the words in the book, rather than have one more written assignment to do.  However, when we first started TOG, I did want to teach the basics of literature.  That's when I pulled out IEW's "Teaching the Classics."  

     "Teaching the Classics" comes with a notebook and DVD on different aspects of basic literary analysis. After watching the DVDs, I was pleasantly surprised that I knew more than I thought I did.  Armed with the basics and a few good tips, I set out to enhance our dialectic literature studies.  Instead of using worksheets, I used our white board.   

     After reading one of our books, I put a plot diagram on a whiteboard...isn't that more fun than a worksheet? I like to use color markers for different points, perhaps green for setting, blue for rising action, red for climax and yellow for denouement.  I talked the kids through the book, and jotted down answers on the correct parts of the diagram. Soon they got the idea that a good book has the same plot structure.  After a few weeks, when this was internalyzed, we began discussing the literature book orally over lunch,  which became a Literature Club Cafe.  We liked the informal nature of the discussion. Sometimes we'd even read our favorite parts of the book, emphasizing a point we were trying to make.  One day, I got so caught up in a favorite scene, that I made a scene, acting it out in the kitchen!  The kids thought I had lost it, but I made a dramatic point!  Isn't that the fun of teaching? ;)

        In preparation for the discussions, I'd read the book myself and tag the pages with a sticky note if there was something special I wanted to be certain to share.  Some authors merely write books, fulfilling the requirements for basic plot structure. Ahem, b-o-r-i-n-g.  These books I didn't formally discuss. They were good for reliving the historical moment, since grammar and dialectic literature books are about the historical era studied. Otherwise, I didn't spend much time discussing them. However, other writers weave a tale of intricacy, either through characterization, foreshadowing, or building suspense in the plot structure.  It is a pure delight to sink into their stories, to savor the experience. These books lend themselves to teaching new literature concepts. One book from our ancient studies in TOG Year 1, Hittite Warrior, was full of foreshadowing.  On printer paper, I wrote in large colorful letters...foreshadowing.  Then during lunch, aka Literary Club Cafe, I defined foreshadowing. Then I flipped in the book to each sticky and dramatically read a sample of foreshadowing while holding up my sign. I did  that for each quote. By the time I was done reading quotes, the kids had gotten the point!  The fun part was that it did not require a worksheet! 

     Now, three years later, I don't even try to have Literary Club Cafe (I got caught up in a move from Texas to Virginia and the dust continues to settle).  However the kids sort of bring it up on their own, especially my daughter who is now doing TOG's Rhetoric literature. Barely seated, she immediately lapses into the next literary analysis of the book she is currently reading. This amazes me, considering we're going to have a formal discussion on the R book anyway, using TOG's literary analysis lesson plans. My son continues in dialectic literature, his final year before Rhetoric, and he too likes to share dramatic moments from his book.   That's another fun part of teaching, when the kids naturally carry on what I started!     

     Today someone asked me more specific questions about how to implement IEW with TOG. Since I often answer the same questions each year, I thought I'd post my answers here for others to easily access.

     When I got my TWSS I read through it and found a chart suggesting a time frame for using it. Basically, there are 9 units.  There are 9 months in a traditional school year. Therefore, schedule one unit each month. Because my kids were 10 and 12 when we started, they were the right age to do all of the units in one year. As you go through each unit, there are suggestions for how to extend the unit for older kids. Furthermore, it has guidelines on how far to go with the younger age set. 

     The basics are taught in the beginning units and are constantly reviewed while advancing through the rest of the units. The units tend to alternate between expository and creative. The reason for this is to give the kids a break with creative writing assignments after a month with more analytical work. It is extremely important not to get bogged down in any one unit for months, waiting for perfection. Simply move on to another unit and the kids will continue to improve each month, while continuing to learn interesting new things. It can get boring staying in any one unit for too long.

     Another concern I've found moms to have is the time required to watch the TWSS DVDs.  I completely understand how this is a huge sacrifice of time for busy moms to try to fit into a busy schedule.  However writing is one of the most important skills we can teach our students. They will always need to be able to communicate, not only in written form, but also orally. Both go hand in hand. Making time to watch these DVDs to learn how to implement this program should be a priority.  For me it was best to wait for everyone to go to bed before I watched the TWSS.  No interuptions.  Watching an entire unit with my TWSS, notebook paper and pen in hand, I took notes and did the assignments. I only had to do this once a month, so that wasn't so bad. Also Andrew is entertaining so it certainly wasn't drudgery.     

     TWSS was initially designed to give teachers the big picture of how to use the structural models with any conceivable writing assignment.  Usborne books are loaded with descriptive paragraphs for each of the colorful pictures on the pages. TOG recommends a lot of Usborne books for spine texts. My kids are not fans of these books because the information is disjointed instead of flowing from one idea to another, and I can't blame them. However they are ideal for learning how to KWO.  We have an Usborne book that we used when we studied Ancient Greece.  Sometimes I assigned the paragraph I wanted them to KWO, because I wanted them to master a major historical concept or cultural aspect.  For example, when we studied Ancient Greece, I had them write about their special pottery.  Other times I let them choose.  They would KWO on day 1 and write the paragraph on day 2.  In the beginning, I would help them with the KWO.  I would write on the whiteboard while they copied onto their notebook paper. We would read the paragraph and discuss it together, agreeing on how to KWO, writing it out as we went.  (Andrew does this very thing on the DVDs of the TWSS.  Bascially, after watching the DVDs, I would teach my kids in the same way Andrew taught us on the DVDs.) Then the kids would form sentences from their KWO.  (Andrew uses this on the DVD to teach speech giving skills.) On day 2, I would teach the kids a stylistic technique and challenge them to use it in the paragraph they would write from the KWO.  After doing several of these the first few weeks, I let them try the KWO on their own.  After my kids do their KWO, I have them form it into sentences for me. I listen to make sure they stay on topic. This is the best time to catch any mistakes and redirect them. If it flows well, they can put the KWO into their writing notebook. Then on day 2 they write their paragraph.

     Before they learned how to write 5 paragraph essays, I let them make pop up books for their single paragraphs, to make them more special.  Here is one my son made when he was 10.

 This was my daughter's when she was 12.

 Here's one my son did on a comet seen by the Mesopotamians.  He even made a moveable comet.

     Since I am often asked how I incorporate IEW with TOG, I decided to post my son's latest paper. During the move and house hunting in March, my kids read a non-TOG book, Lincoln: A Photobiography, during our Civil War studies. Since we were on the road much of March, driving to Virginia from Texas, and then driving several times a week from Maryland to Northern Virginia to house hunt, I knew it would be unrealistic to expect any writing assignments to be done. Therefore, while we moved into our new house, when I would be busy with unpacking, I wanted my kids to make up for lost time by doing major writing assignments.  For my son, I assigned a super essay on Abraham Lincoln.  It could have been better organized thematically, had I any wits about me in the midst of moving boxes. Even though he prefers to work independently, he did come to me with a few questions when he got stuck. As a result, this paper is pretty much his project. He has had 3 years of learning different structural writing models from IEW.  Since he was assigned the super essay, he merely went to his writing notebook (after I unpacked it) and looked up the notes on how to do this. Then he presented it in costume during our Civil War unit celebration.

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   Although Uncle Tom's Cabin is not on the TOG Year 3 Unit 3 Redesigned reading list, we felt that we had to read it. Obviously it was a classic.  It was mentioned in every dialectic book we read for the history studies of the 19th century. Apparently, Abraham Lincoln once said, "This is the little lady who started the big war."  My son, daughter and I enthusiastically got our own copies of the book.  Even though my son never finished his copy, he certainly enjoyed different parts he did read.  One scene in particular I figured would make him laugh. Sure enough, I heard him giggling one day while reading that particular scene.    My daughter and I enjoyed Uncle Tom's Cabin immensely, which definitely influenced our understanding of the events leading to the Civil War. 

    In between house hunting, I searched on-line for ideas on a good literary analysis paper for my daughter to write. I thought it should center around the title of the book, yet I had trouble nailing down how to do that.  I decided to ask the ladies at my TOG yahoo group for ideas.  One of the TOG moms who also uses IEW gave me several ideas from her co-op.  As badly as I wanted my daughter to do a paper on the title of the book, which is a great topic clincher title as taught in IEW, I gave her the freedom to choose from the list of ideas I had received.

     She decided to compare the kitchens in the novel and the cultures they represented.  She wasn't sure how to begin so I helped her plan out the paper. It could be set up with IEW's unit 8 structure: introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion with a persuasive point.  Each of the three kitchens would get a body paragraph. She had a plan and made a KWO that she showed to me while I was unpacking.  I took a break and looked it over.  It was a good start but needed fine tuning. I helped her clarify her topic sentences.  Who's kitchen?  Where? Descriptive word?  Then we looked at each supporting detail. Did each one support the topic sentence?  If not, it had to go.  She pled to keep them. "But..." she'd beg. "But does it relate to the topic sentence?" I'd counter.  She resolved to stay on topic.

     After some tweaking I let her loose to work on her paper independently.  For the next couple of weeks she set aside time to write the paper, add stylistic techniques, and edit. Finally I had the costumes finished for the unit celebration and I said the paper was due. Yesterday I printed it out and handed it to her to read aloud for the unit celebration rehearsal. Not having previously read it, this was the first I heard it.  It flowed!  It was cohesive!  Hmmmm, first person in the introduction and conclusion, yet third person in the body paragraph's?  I told her that technically it should all be third person, but admitted that personally, I liked it with the mix!  My husband did too!  She may have needed to further compare the cultures.  Overall, I was pleased with her paper, especially considering she did not rely on me for every step of the process. 

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  Shining Standards

     When we walk into a kitchen, what kind of atmosphere do we usually anticipate?  Do we expect warmth or cheery fires burning in the fireplace while people are casually chatting with each other?  Or do we expect rebellion or an angry cook hitting an assitant with a rolling pin, because they failed to put in the right ingredient?  In truth, we anticipate the warm, cozy feeling of friends chatting around the kitchen and a fire cooking sizzling hotcakes and sausage.  Let us now journey into the lives of those in Uncle Tom's Cabin, which was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in the 1850's, and see what kind of lessons we can learn from the kitchens of Aunt Chloe, Dinah, and Rachel Halliday, in which Stowe demonstrated the culture of antebellum America.  

     Living on a plantation in Kentucky, Aunt Chloe was a slave and the head cook of the Shelby household.  In her cabin as well as in the mansion kitchen, the atmosphere was friendly and inviting. There was absolute harmony. Her mistress and Uncle Tom, who was her husband and confidant, taught her about God. Encouraging her to always have faith in God, he persuaded her to pray for her master, because he foresaw that if anything terrible happened to him, Chloe would be easily tempted to rebel against their master rather than forgiving and gathering money to rescue him.  "'Pray for them that 'spitefully use you, the good book says,' says Tom." Promptly, while the dishes were being cleared, she would stroll to her cabin to "get her ole man's supper". Her inviting kitchen warmly welcomed the master's son, as he would come to teach Tom how to read and write, while she cooked a delicious supper for them all.  While Tom's sons were eating theirs, they would tickle each other and roll all over the ground in merry laughter. Later, she was allowed by Mrs. Shelby to hire herself out as a confectioner in order to redeem her husband from the plantation in the Deep South and restore him to her. Whereas the atmosphere of Chloe's kitchen was cozy, cherry, and caring, Dinah's kitchen was dull, drab, dirty and dingy.

     Working as the head cook of the St. Clare household, Dinah was a slave, whose master lived in a stately mansion located in boggy Louisiana. Carelessly, he allowed them to get away with anything like not having a neat kitchen, because he felt that he would be too harsh on them if he ordered them about all the time. In truth, he was lazy.  Openly rebelling against him, Dinah and all the slaves thought that if their master could be idle, they could be lazy too.  Fervently, Dinah expressed her views against the newfangled ideas that St. Clare tried to convince her to follow. Every time he bought her more cupboards and drawers, she would deliberately put things there that did not belong. Cleaning it only when she wanted to, she usually left the kitchen a pigsty. After she had finished "clarin up" the kitchen, she would tell all the little rouges to stay out "for she was gwine to have things kept nice." When Miss Ophelia, who was St. Clare's cousin, saw the unorganized kitchen,  she was horrified yet undeterred.  Much to Dinah's disapproval, she got right to work cleaning and putting everything in their proper places.  Whereas the atmosphere of Dinah's kitchen was dark and dreary, readers will be instantly welcomed into the cozy, calming ambiance of Rachel Halliday's world.

       Rachel Halliday was a Quaker and a staunch abolitionist, who lived in a Northern Quaker settlement. Secretively, she worked as one of the conductors of the Underground Railroad and conducted her passengers to the North or to Canada, where they could be finally free from their oppressors. She was old and kind.  Naturally, Rachel was considered by her friends as a mother to those who were housed at her home. For instance, she called Eliza, who was one of the fugitive slaves that was stationed at her home, her daughter. "'My daughter' came naturally from the lips of Rachel Halliday; for hers was just the face and form that made "mother" seem the most natural word in the world."  Opening to the main living area, her kitchen made it easier for her to talk while she worked. While preparing dinner, Rachel would sit in her rocking chair and cordially chat with friends. Her children would help her cook dinner, since there were no slaves laboring in the Quaker settlement. While Eliza was secretly housed in her home, he felt like she was in a dream. When she awoke, she could hear the merry tinkling of the cups or the dreamy sound of a singing teakettle.  The home was a peaceful pardise to those who had wearily traveled from afar, because Rachel worked diligently to make her home a tranquil one. Strikingly the kitchen of Rachel Halliday was quite the opposite from the unorganized St. Clare mansion kitchen.

       In the cheerful kitchens of Chloe and Rachel and the drab, filthy kitchen of Dinah, which was in utter disarray, there was demonstrated the different cultures of the Pre-Civil War Era.  Harriet Beecher Stowe instructs readers today how their lives should be a pleasing aroma in God's sight.  One of the things that Stowe condemned was slavery, which was one of the ideas that greatly influenced people's lives in Antebellum America. She teaches readers how other people and their morals impact our lives on an everyday basis.  Hopefully, the lessons they teach us align with what God teaches. If not, then they will lead us down a path of uncertainty and there is bound to be heartache and disappointments.  However, if we follow God's commands, He will reward us by saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." The principles that Chloe and Rachel lived by were demonstrated in their immaculate kitchen. Likewise, the morals we follow should just shine through our daily lives and in our kitchens. 

     For our Year 3 Unit 3 Celebration, my son decided to create his own character based on historic evidence. He wanted to be a Union officer, a colonel. He had me google a few key words (I forget what they were now.) and then he decided to be part of the 9th New York Calvary Regiment. I found a good web site on that regiment that had strong documentation. He studied that and pulled out details to incorporate into his character.  The blanks were filled in with his own imagination. He kept his own name for the character's name. Since he would be in the calvary, he decided that he had horsemanship skills because he grew up on a farm in New York.    

     Following are his notecards, done in a similar manner to his sister.  He did these on his own. While I painted his bedroom (we just moved into this house), he gave his speech. I gave suggestions for clarity.  However in all the busy-ness of unpacking, painting, paperwork, etc, I never did check his actual notecards.  I am finding that some of the key words are too verbose.  This is not good since it encourages reliance on the notecards and little eye contact. However he did an excellent job on his presentation tonight. This shows that he is too dependent on those notecards.  This lets me know what to target next time.

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Colonel _____________________ commanding 9th New York Calvary regiment

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union just won Civil War

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Civil War started b/c South believed state rights

they believed should have rigt own slaves

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however many North wanted detestable practice come end

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when matters came head South secceeded

Lincoln sworn office when South fired upon Ft Sumter April 12, 1861 declared war

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quickly I decided enlist army

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requested sent branch calvary since grew up riding horses own small farm

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wish granted introduced life 9th New York calvary regiment

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although knew war wouldn't glorious not prepared those camp conditions

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food terrible and same thing 3 times day 7 days week

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ate hardtack, dessicated vegetables, preserved meat, sometimes salt pork, beans, rice, dried apples

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camps also fell disease

soldiers who haven't gotten chance fight already dying malaria dysentery, small pox etc

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in addition how long how hard would become true soldier

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drill, drill, & more drill

learn how use swords, carbine musket rifle, pistols, bayonets

then had learn how use them horseback

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finally March 9, 1862, went into service Army of the Potomac

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April 5, 1862 AOTP lay seige Yorktown but May 4 ready bombard city Confederates withdraw making useless month-long seige

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union army began following, & eventually ran into end C line

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9th NY calvary clashed Confederate calvary I first taste battle

Providentially nobody our regiment died

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after battle General McClellan appointed me reconnoiter enemy position

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next day fought Battle of Williamsburg

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although stalemate C withdrew took possession Williamsburg

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regiment after 1 more battle transferred army of Virginia joined General Pope's campaign

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afterwards Oct 1862 again transferred againbe with AOTP

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I made many successful reconnoissance missions during time

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however several close calls

once while surveying landscape bullet tore off brim hat

suddenly 10 C horsemen emerged woods

I turned horses head quickly since I completely outnumbered

nothing stopped pursuit

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not when 1 their men fell raging rapid I leaped

not even when I turned saddle let fly bullet heard horsemen and bullet struck home

only when reach camp they forced turn around

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also during that time Battle of Gettysburg fought

biggest bloodiest entire war

4 months later ceremony held dedicated address

RECITE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

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transferred twice more second last time again landing us AOTP

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4 days after last transfer Abraham Lincoln Inaugurated second term

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Second Inaugural Address great speech and last portion greatest part

RECITE "With malice towards none, with charity for all..."

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On April 9, 1865 we triumphed at last!

Gen Lee, Gen Grant, met Appomatox Courthouse where Lee formally surrendered Grant only Gen who had successfully defeated

Since our regiment with AOTP I witnessed surrender myself

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Tragically however April 14, 1865, actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln impertanintly shouting "Sic Semper Tyranis" "Thus always to tyrants."

Justly some soldier cornered shot him in old barn

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July 17, 1865 we 9th NY calvary honorably discharged army

we fought 141 battles

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     I am often asked how I incoporate IEW with TOG.  We rarely do actual TOG suggested writing assignments. Instead, we apply the effective IEW methods to anything we do with TOG, from on-topic papers to speeches.   Tonight we had our Year 3 Unit 3 celebration. I thought I'd share specifics of how my kids used IEW in preparation for this event.

     In this entry I will share my daughter's KWO for her first person interpretation (speech) on Florence Nightengale. I will then post my son's KWO, and then their papers. Finally I will post our unit celebration. Each will be a separate post. These KWOs and papers will be linked in the unit  celebration so the connection will be clear.

     We have been using IEW for three years.  Before that my daughter could not write anything sequential, much less cohesive.  My daughter did her KWO on her own on a sheet of notebook paper.  She bascially used the model for IEW's Unit 6: Library Research Report.  Then instead of writing it out as a paper, she wrote each point of the outline onto notecards.  (Below I have separated her key words as they are on her notecards with ****.) Then she practiced, practiced, practiced. While I painted walls in our new house, I listened to her speech and made a few suggestions for clarity.   

     Now that I look at her cards, I see that stronger key words could have been used. A few of her symbols I was not able to keyboard. Also some lines have too many key words.  I forgot to check her on this persistent weakness of her KWOs. Even though she had an excellent presentation, she is too dependent on the notecards, needing them to glance at.  That is why the key words on the notecards need to be limited to 3-4.  Only the memory joggers need to be used. She keeps forgetting this rule and I forgot to check her on it! 

     Nevertheless she gave an excellent presentation with lots of eye contact and confidence. She knew her material well. Quite frankly, my husband is a tough critic for me and the kids, and expects perfection.  Tonight he gave us high reviews!  Whew! =) 

*****

 TRANSITION

when heard furious

give glory me glory soldiers

ones fought war me just helped back feet

wonder true story work war

got inspired become nurse

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felt marriage way help poor

"God spoke to me and called me to His service."

temptation forced my direction

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bachelor proposed declined

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1842 family friend G ambassador told Kaiserwerth

nurses helped poor sick clean hospital

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let spark passion be nurse strongly God's purpose

"God spoke to me and called me to His service."

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found nurse needs training

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told family want Kaiserwerth visit

thought ridiculous young lady social status be nurse

nurse known laziness, drunkeness, hospitals filth, stench, constant death and disease

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London conditions hospitals revolting undeterred

desire become nurse

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finally chance Kaiserwerth friend invite Mediterranean Sea area

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Kaiserwerth pastor Friedner ask stay 2 weeks

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delighted, ask, become nurse industrious help

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agreed clean well-organized work fast

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1853 superintendent Institution for the Care of the Sick Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances

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sought new ways improve place

make inviting pleasant

"Constantly I sought new ways in improving the place or making it more inviting or pleasant to be in."

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night nurses newspaper told conflicts Turks Russian

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told B & F stop power-hungry R gain power

B declared war interfere trade route I  

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tensions B & F strong idea Napolean control E still thoughts

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B try save $ send needed supplies

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decide ask Mr. Herbert Secretary of War close friend

40 nurses front help approved

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Mother, Parthe, friend Selina

help gather supplies enlist nurses

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Scutari Turkey B officer "hospital"

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"hospital" revolting little determined help

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despite filth stench encourage nurses goal help

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frustrated learn doctors work nurse reputation determined help 

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finally Nov 6 injured brought doctors need assistance

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improve conitions hospitals everything possible B soldiers

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nights walk lamp comfort water

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soldiers called "The Lady of the Lamp"

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afternoon felt hot ask help

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doctors Crimean fever severe case almost died

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finally well not strong before bck routines

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later learned sick "The Nightengale Fund" started raise $ nursing school

amount donated over $45,000 or 3000 pounds

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finally Crimean War ended home

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want attract attention disguised dark clothes successful 

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news spread homecoming people writing work war

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thought job easy really opposite hard

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1861 Civil War raging A

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advise USA Secretaryof War set military hospitals

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wish USA help set military health condition same caught Crimean Fever 

goal glorify God everything help country countries would improve hospital's conditions

always persevere always glorify God everything 

     A few posts ago I shared our excitement over our son getting published in the literary magazine, Magnum Opus.  I just found out that they have published my daughter's article too!  Whereas my son's article made the actual magazine, my daughter sort of got an honorable mention, so she has been published at the magazine's web site.  I hesitate to share which article is hers, since the web site publishes the students' full name.  Like her brother, this article was written a few years ago and was submitted the following autumn when the call for submissions was made.  If you'd like to read the article, just e-mail me.  In the right hand column of this blog, under the "Prayers for Noah" picture, you will see "Email me."  Just use that to get in touch with me and I'll send the link and details.  

     There's been a bit of publication fever going on around here, which has been quite exciting!  I have had the honor of being contacted by two different groups to send them links to specific articles that I write, which they have/will publish through their sites for their readership.  My kids and husband are always delighted to hear when I get contacts for this. In fact, we have all been amazed at "who" has stepped into the world of my blog and shared a comment or writing request. My kids have even said in awe, "Mom, you're getting famous!"  I don't know about that, but it is exciting!       

My son has recently been published in the literary magazine, Magnum Opus!   A couple of years ago we were studying Ancient Greece.  My son became fascinated with the hoplite soldier, so he not only did a research article on hoplites, but also made a costume and dressed up as one for our TOG Year 1 Unit 3 Unit Celebration. 

Other articles I have read, submitted by kids, in Magnum Opus, have been excellent.  I've wondered if my kids' writing would ever be good enough for publication in this professional looking magazine.  Before IEW, my children struggled with writing.  My son gave too many details, whereas my daughter couldn't organize her thoughts.  Despite lots of success in teaching other students how to write, I was at a roadblock with my own children.  Then I discovered IEW.  IEW teaches students how to organize their thoughts with basic structural models for every form of writing imaginable.  In addition, they are given concrete tools for flexibility and originality in style.

Two years ago was not only our first year of TOG, but also our first year with IEW.  My children learned how to do about one model of writing a month, applying the concepts to a topic being learned in history.  How better to learn history than to Read, Think and Write? By the spring, my kids were learning how to write research papers while they were learning about Ancient Greece.

One of the principles of IEW is not to perfect every paper.  Instead, why not make writing accessible and fun? Actually, during the writing process, I do give feedback and have them complete a basically good paper, based on their current writing skills. As one skill becomes easy, I give them a new challenge.  Then to make it meaningful, we usually write on our history topics, to help them make connections between major events in history.  Finally. we make it fun, by coordinating our writing projects with our fun unit celebrations four times a year! 

At the end of the school year, IEW encourages students to choose one paper previously written to perfect and turn into a magnum opus (Latin for "great work").  A few months after our Ancient Greek studies, IEW announced the beginning of their new literary magazine just for kids who use IEW.  Appropriately named Magnum Opus,  the cream of the crop from the submissions get published in the magazine.   

My kids selected their favorite papers and submitted them.  In the second issue of Magnum Opus, their names were printed.  However, my son's hoplite article was returned in the mail, with encouraging and helpful comments from the editor, who hoped he would tighten the paper for a future submission.  Wow!  What mom/teacher could ask for anything more?  I didn't even have to pay for this!  My son willingly redid his paper and we resubmitted it.  Now that he has had feedback from an editor, he is more willing to listen to my guidance on his papers.  This has turned into a win/win situation!

Yesterday, in the snail mail, we got our copy of Magnum Opus.   Hurriedly, I flipped through it and found my son's hoplite article!  I excitedly called my son to see it!  We loved it! The entire family was elated! The editors did a terrific job of making it look professional!  Also, they used a wonderful picture of an authentic hoplite shield for the background!  I am  proud of my son!  Additionally, I am thankful for this terrific project from IEW to encourage young writers...or should I say, young historians?  ;) 

One of the nifty things about Institute for Excellence in Writing is that they have many great ways to inspire wonderful writers!  One of their terrific ideas is to choose one piece of writing at the end of each year to rewrite to utter perfection...a magnum opus.  In the last few years, they have made this idea more exciting.  IEW now offers a literary magazine by the name of Magnum Opus for IEW students to submit articles to be published.  Those who are published, apparently get cool prizes too.  Last autumn, my dc submitted some of their writing.  Although they were not printed in the magazine itself, they did get their names printed for having submitted a work.  Those who did not get printed in the magazeine, got published on line...except my dc.  I am certain they still have much to learn to reach that pinnacle of success.  

However, a few weeks ago, ds received snail mail from IEW.  It was the article he had submitted to Magnum Opus.  The editor had marked some suggestions for improvement.  She also wrote a lovely note telling him she enjoyed the piece, and asked him to rewrite it and send it back to her for the Magnum Opus!  Wow!  I'd have to pay dearly for a service to get editor's markings like that!  And an invite to resubmit!  I'm impressed! 

This was a valuable process for ds.  Of course the editor had some great ideas I had not considered.  In addition, she marked some of the same things I've been telling ds over and over that needs to be worked on.  In the process of rewriting for an editor, ds learned some valuable writing lessons.  The article has been strengthened and resubmitted.  Now we get to wait. =)