Get Busy Writing

Writing is often considered a difficult subject matter. Many students run away from essay writing, writing exercises or even creative writing. In reality, there are many ways that writing can be a subject of enjoyment and one that students actually look forward to. As we have posted previously blog writing is an excellent way to encourage your student to write.  Yet, finding your students point of interest or something that they are passionate about, will give them cause to write creatively from their heart.

Of course, interest is key to writing, yet practice is the thing that produces proficient writers. Yes, the writer needs the tools - good grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling and vocabulary. Once the student has the tools in hand, proficiency in writing comes only one way... practice, practice practice.

Have a student who doesn't want to write? Find their interests and encourage them to write about them, and then have them write, write, write... The more they write - the better they will be!

Homeschool literature learning

Have you ever heard about literature based learning? Or learning through reading great literature? A superb method of teaching/learning for homeschoolers is literature based learning. Students can use great classic literature and literature-based word lists to learn about far away lands, historic places, historic events, and amazing inventions.

This method was made popular by Charlotte Mason. She encouraged her students to learn by reading "live" books or books that made the subject come alive. She asserted that these "live" books were written by people that were passionate about their topic. They enjoyed the subject and wrote more interesting work than the typical textbook authors did. Students can benefit from the various subjects that these fiction, non-fiction, biography, and autobiographies provide.

Students can vary the homeschool curriculum they use, by using literature based studies for a while and then rotating back to workbook or online study. An excellent method of learning, and a great way to integrate language arts into each subject across the curriculum.