 Whether this is your first, third, or tenth year homeschooling, the "mom" scenarios are so similar to one another. >>>Let me imagine your thinking while stepping into your size eight shoes today as the new school year rapidly approaches. Your mind can’t stop thinking! You’re perusing Pinterest for ideas. You are following your favorite homeschool blogger. Dang. She is already planned out for the entire year (insert profanity of choice). You have questions for your co-op group. You are asking other homeschool veterans their opinions. Perhaps, you are even farther along. Maybe…
But, what about WRITING? That can be a challenge, right? The questions begin to multiply like some bizarre common core math problem.
I get it! You MUST know these things but how?! Well, I can tell you, getting into the WRITE state-of-mind is priceless. And, that comes from knowing - 100% - that your child is getting the best, most complete, challenging yet fun academic exposure and instruction! You need that. Your child needs that, too. YES! I need this. (click here) Imagine this - if you dare. At the end of any semester, or even worse, an entire school year, you face the realization that you never raised the writing-bar for your child. The writing you expected was minimal and unstructured. The feedback you gave your child consisted of “nice job, good work.” Let me tell you, it would feel terrible to think you lost any of your child’s academic potential in any month, let alone an entire semester or year. And, yet, we all worry about that. Do you think you are alone in your feelings? You are not. Back in 2005, after a dozen years in the classroom, I began supporting parents who wanted to homeschool their children. They did not want to go into home-education blindly, and the resources and support my charter school provided gave them all the tools and confidence they needed. Yet, they struggled with knowing how to “grade” their child’s writing. Believe me, assessing your own child's writing ability is such a personal challenge! #truth I knew then that I wanted to help solve this problem. At the time, I heard about some online teaching platforms, and our school was happy to try them out. My very first online writing class ended up with a waiting list! Yes, the demand was there. Parents loved knowing they could learn alongside their child while being supported and encouraged by an experienced, credentialed teacher (and homeschool mom). Sure, I provided valuable materials and lessons, but the personable coaching and teaching made both students and parents feel successful. They loved the community that online education fostered. Every month, we tackled one new writing style. Each week, they were assigned writing, reading, and research tasks to complete. And, by the end of the month, a quality piece of writing stretched out before our eyes. It sounds simple, right? Well, it is. Don’t be fooled though. That does not mean it is easy. It takes work like anything else. The best part of what I do, for me, is witnessing the effectiveness of my writing classes. Students who once hated writing LOVE writing. Okay, that is a complete and utter lie. Very few have gone from one spectrum to the other. I am not a miracle worker, nor do I claim to be one. What they have said is, “Writing isn’t as bad as I used to think it was.” And, HEY! The ones who DO like (or even love) writing from the start soar to whole new heights. Parents thank me on a regular basis for the guidance and enthusiasm I offer them and their children. Truly, truly, truly, it is MY pleasure. Teaching moms and students to embrace writing IS my passion. There is so much to learn and share! Are you ready to get into the WRITE state-of-mind? Would you and your child thrive with my support and encouragement for the 2018-19 school year? Would you like ME to write out all of your monthly writing lesson plans and lead classes for you? Think about it. What could you do with that extra time NOT having to teach writing? And, if your child can work independently, well, I just saved you even MORE time. My program is step-by-step, and students as young as fourth grade have completed it independently. We should be friends, right?! My first month of classes will begin September 4th, and I need to get everyone signed up and registered in August. You have until August 29, 2018, to save your spot. Head on over to my website to see more details on the classes I will be offering. I am BEYOND excited for this next year, and I can’t wait to work with you and your child. Let’s do this. I can save you a spot for now; one for your friend, too! More details will be coming soon. >>>SAVE MY SPOT! Write On! 
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Want to know how to plan simple and successful writing lessons?
Here's how. There are THREE mindsets I want you to consider as you plan each month's writing lessons this school year. >> Mindsets that relieve pressure. >> Mindsets that build your teaching confidence. >> Mindsets that produce results. When you create writing lessons for your child that you are proud of, you will watch your child soar to new heights. But HOW do you do that? Do you know how much writing is enough? Is there something credentialed teachers know that you don't know? Or, what are the crucial steps your child must complete to write well? Let's get started so you can begin planning your BEST lessons. And, hey, if you prefer to watch this on video instead, here you go! Watch it here. TIP #1 Focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY. Some parents think their children should construct full paragraphs each and every day to improve writing abilities. In my experience, that is the perfect recipe for burn-out. Most students quickly lose interest and produce poor quality paragraphs even though they may have 15 to 20 paragraphs by the end of the month. Worse yet, they detest writing altogether because it has become a tiresome chore. A daily journal entry is a wonderful idea, but those are hopefully less structured, more expressive, and free-flowing. Instead of expecting multiple paragraph essays each week, my recommendation is to fully focus on ONE style of writing per month and provide detailed direct instruction while exploring and practicing all parts of the complete writing process. By the end of each month, you have developed a quality writing piece for your child's writing portfolio. By the end of a school year, you will have seven or eight quality pieces. Best of all, your child's confidence and attitude toward writing will be at a whole new level! TIP #2 Know Your Stuff Have you ever wondered what credentialed teachers know that you don't know as a homeschooling parent? Well, nothing that you can't learn yourself. The best teachers pay attention to changes in standards and grade level expectations. You can do that, too. Familiarize yourself with the core standards expected of students. There are three basic styles: argumentative, explanatory, narrative. You can read all about them - and the many subcategories - at www.corestandards.org. Taking the time to explore and learn your child's grade-level educational standards will build a confidence within you that you didn't know you had! How great would that feel? TIP #3 Follow my FOUR WEEK WRITING PLAN. Over the years, I have learned the value of organization and predictability. This process not only makes my life simpler but students demonstrate greater success. Each month, my writing courses and styles change, but the process remains the same. WEEK 1: Students gather information on their topic/style of writing. They read and take notes on any necessary materials. This is the week that brainstorming and outlining take place. WEEK 2: It's SLOPPY COPY week! This is the time for students to move from bullet points to full-blown sentences and paragraphs. WEEK 3: Revision and Editing week arrives! These two steps are critically important. Students learn and grow the most during this week when these strategies are done well. WEEK 4: Time to polish and publish! At this point, students should have an audience equipped to give valuable and authentic feedback. There you have it! Now it's your turn. >>Begin working on your quality (not quantity) writing lessons. >>Study up and learn first what is expected of your child this year. >>Finally, break your lessons into four-week segments. Are you wondering if I could just do this for you instead? Well, the answer is "YES!" - and I'd love to help! Click on over to writeonwebb.com. You will see the courses I offer and the months they are taught LIVE and ONLINE. Choose one, four, or MORE! And, if you receive Educational Funds to use toward academic material through your school, let me know. I am a proud vendor for many wonderful Charter Schools. If yours is not on my list yet, we can change that. Together, we can make this your best year yet, and that is a SUPER mindset with which to start.
Write On!
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