Your cart is currently empty!
Category: Writers in Residence
-
Writers in Residence: Writing Prompts
This is the third installment in a series of video clips taken from an interview with Hip Homeschool Moms. In this clip Debra discusses how the writing prompts in WIR allow your student to draw from their own personal experiences.
-
Writers in Residence: Independent Learners
This is the second installment in a series of video clips taken from an interview Debra conducted with Hip Homeschool Moms. In this clip she discusses how WIR prepares your student to be an independent learner.
-
Writers in Residence: An Interview with Debra Bell
Earlier this year Debra did a full-length interview with Hip Homeschool Moms about Writers in Residence. Below is a short clip from that interview giving a basic introduction to this new language arts curriculum.
Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be featuring clips from the full-length interview. Topics will include:
- WIR and independent learners
- WIR’s unique writing prompts
- WIR and struggling writers
- WIR and the homeschool mom
Be sure to check back for future updates.
-
Writers in Residence: A New Writing Program From Debra Bell
Writers in Residence, Vol. 1, Apprentice has arrived! You can order it now at our special introductory price here. You can request a FREE sample here. And join my private Facebook group here.This is the first volume in a complete language arts program for 4th-8th. Writers in Residence teaches kids to write (and love it!) while also presenting grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in the context of high-interest writing assignments. I’ve taken 30 years of teaching experience and distilled it down to the best activities and most effective writing instruction I’ve gleaned from mentoring homeschool students over the years. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
-
Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Week
Hi Everyone! It is Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Week and to celebrate we have several free resources and a giveaway.
Our Spanish teacher David Nance has written a book on learning a language and it is free on Amazon now thru Sunday. In this short but insightful e-book David talks about what it really means to be proficient in another language and how to attain that.
SAT Math instructor Kathryn Gomes is offering this free graph paper printable. This surprisingly simple resource can make a world of a difference for an algebra students. She developed and designed it while working with struggling math students in the public schools. Additionally, if you are wrapping up math for the year you can find a great end-of year project also created by Kathryn Gomes here. Student use their knowledge of systems of equations to determine whether it is cheaper to fly or drive to a destination.
Finally, for English students (and their parents) Debra Bell has created this helpful writing rubric. The rubric is based on the six traits of writing that she used to develop the Writers in Residence curriculum.
Traits-of-Great-Writing-for-Teens-Download
Last but certainly not least we are giving away a free Ultimate Homeschool Planner and student planner this week. Click here to enter. Keep in mind that you get 3 additional entries every time you share the giveaway with others.
And Happy Homeschool Teacher Appreciation Week!
-
How Do You Get Kids Interested in Writing?
It’s Dr. Deb Friday, and this week’s discussion question is about writing. Some children naturally love to put their thoughts down on paper and they start composing stories early. But many find the creative process daunting and the expectation that they must write things down frustrating. What do you do in the latter case? And is this practice even important?First, it is important. The process of composing our thoughts and crafting them into written language is a powerful brain-building technique. Many kids find writing difficult because there are so many choices to make: What is a good idea to write about? What words should I use? What order should I put my thoughts in? We can help them embrace this process by assuring them that making all these decisions is great exercise for our brains. The more they practice generating and ordering their ideas, the faster they will become at this decision-making process. More importantly, the practice of writing regularly is the key habit that produces good writers. And the future belongs to the eloquent. No matter what path they head down up ahead, they are going to have to use written language to open doors of opportunity and to complete their daily tasks on the job and at home. Look at how often you or your spouse must write today! E-mails, Facebook posts, texts, letters of protest or appeal, proposals, job queries, journal entries. We communicate far more often with written language these days than face to face.
Here are 10 tips for getting kids interested in writing:
1. Set aside a regular time to write. Stick to it. Slowly, even the most reluctant will start producing ideas to put to paper.
2. Let them choose what to write about.
3. If they are stumped, give them two or three suggestions, but let them choose.
4. Find new experiences to prime the pump. “Hey kids, why not jot down what you noticed about some of the animals you watched during our field trip to the dairy farm this week.”
5. Don’t emphasize spelling and grammatical correctness. Save that for only a few drafts you polish to perfection. Make their ideas what you talk about most.
6. Give them an audience for their writing. It can be sharing in a regular writers’ group or around the family dinner table once a week.
7. You write too and share your compositions as well.
8. Give them cool writing gear or an online portfolio: a special pen, a unique journal, a personal blog or Facebook page they can share with family and friends.
9. Encourage them to illustrate their stories and reports.
10. Find opportunities for them to connect with favorite authors — most have websites where they interact with readers. Watch for author visits in your area to libraries, schools or book stores.
What ideas can you add to the list?
