I'm not talking about penmanship here, but the actual process of writing and all the technical stuff in grammar, usage, and mechanics (or GUM to make it easier on me). Missa is in 2nd grade, going to 3rd this fall at home, and Liddy is in 1st, going on 2nd at home, so it is time I start thinking about how to teach some of that stuff.
I have NO knowledge of the technical stuff. I was out of high school before I understood what a verb was, and I have no use for that stuff really. Even in my college classes so far, I've not had to do a great deal of stuff involving the technical aspects of writing (and I've taken English classes already, I have my last one starting up here on Tuesday in fact).. I am an intuitive writer; meaning, I know what I want to write and instinctively how to say it so that I can do well. I attribute that to my early start with reading (I believe my mom said she had me reading before I was 3 years old, but then I was an only child with a stay-at-home mom who had nothing but time to teach me that stuff so young) because I have had the opportunity to read a wide variety of literature in many genres and time periods, so I've had the natural exposure to how to write well. But if you ask me to diagram a sentence, I will laugh in your face because I cannot do it. Period.
I do not wish for my girls to suffer the same fate I have with writing. I want them to be beautiful writers, but I also want them to know WHY something is correctly written. I don't want them to depend on instincts to write, and grammar check in Microsoft Word. I want them to be able to write anything at any time without fear of having fragments and run-ons, without fear of being laughed at for their poor style of writing. I want them to have the foundation I never got. So, the search is on for materials I can use to start them with this process. And until I find that one program I'm looking for to teach it, I will teach them what little I know about the subject myself.
If you have a suggestion for me on this, I'm totally open to it, post away and know that I do read all comments and look into anything that is recommended to me.
2 comments:
I really like writing with ease. It is by Jessie Wise- who did Well Trained Mind- Story of the World etc Susan Wise Bauer.
They also have a book called First Language Lessons. Both work very well together to teach grammar, usage etc. Some don't like it because it is "scripted". As a former elementary teacher, I like the reassurance that I'm not missing something. Sometimes you can find these at local bookstores.
CarrieMtn
Www.prairieandmountain.blogspot.com
I think for your 3rd grader I would recommend Rod and Staff English. Like you I never learned the mechanics of writing. This curriculum has really helped me learn as I go along with my kids. I get the teacher book and kids book and we read through and do lessons together. It only takes 15 minutes or so a day. I don't do all the review and we do a lot orally.
Rod and Staff go really well with the Sonlight LA for writing assignments. For your 2nd grader I would just do the Sonlight LA. In time this will all come together.
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