When most high school, home school writers think of writing in a journal, they think of Anne Frank’s Diary – personal anecdotes, dreams, and rants captured in a diary.
But most writers use a journal not to capture day to day anecdotes and moods, but to explore writing topics before actually writing about them.
Hence, below is a list of journal topics for exploring specific writing genres.
Enjoy!
Some Possible Journal Topics
Journaling topics below may help to inspire you to think about topics for your writing projects.
Friendly Letter Writing Journal Topics
- What is your favorite time of year?
- I was happiest when. . . .
- What is the most important thing you will ever do?
- I always wanted to …
- When I’m older. . . .
- If I had my way. . . .
- My plans for the summer…
- Describe the best hour of the day.
- Complaints.
- Daydreams.
- What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
- Write one characteristic or habit about yourself that you like and describe it.
- What is your hobby? Why do you enjoy it?
- Write about something you desperately wanted when you were a kid.
- Write about a time you were talked into something and regretted it.
- Did you ever make friends with a wild animal?
- Write about picking apples, berries, or other fruit or vegetables.
- What was it like to get glasses or braces?
- Describe your favorite restaurant.
- Write about a time your parents were proud of you.
- What is the best decision you have ever made?
Personal Narrative Journal Topics
- Home
- My neighborhood
- My family
- My pets
- My favorite holiday
- Awards I’ve earned
- My favorite toy
- My favorite game
- My friends
- Traveling
- My favorite song
- My birthday
- Chores
- My bedroom
- The local store
- Cousins
- My yard
- Hobbies
- Unforgettable vacations
- Strangers
Family Narrative Journal Topics
- Nothing can be worse than. . . .
- The problem is. . . .
- I know better now.
- I’ll never forget …
- I took the blame for …
- Why does it always have to be me?
- Jealousy led to his downfall.
- _____ used to be my hero.
- I was telling the truth and ____ didn’t believe me.
- When he(she) showed up, we were all surprised.
- Our next door neighbor…
- On my first visit to the dentist…
- This weekend I couldn’t ….
- My dad’s (mom’s) greatest accomplishment is …
- The neighborhood bully…
- We were so disappointed …
- It seemed like he (she) had everything.
- I can’t believe I forgot….
- I was only trying to help…
- Thank goodness it was only a nightmare.
- The best advice I’ve ever gotten was from …
Legend Journal Topics
- What is something you do well?
- What is a good neighbor?
- What is your idea of a dull evening?
- What is something that really bugs you?
- What is your favorite song and why?
- 6. What is your favorite movie and why?
- What would happen if everyone wore the same clothes?
- What would happen if you found gold in your backyard?
- What would you do if a friend borrowed things from you but never returned them?
- What would you do if the surprise party was for you but you weren’t surprised?
- What would you do if you found a magic wand?
- If you were five years older you would…
- How would you feel if a new child moved into your neighborhood?
- How do you feel on a warm sunny day?
- How do you feel during a thunderstorm?
- How do you feel when something scares you? What do you do when this happens?
- How do you think eating junk food affects you?
- When you are angry, how do you look?
- Once, when your feelings were hurt, what happened?
- Once, when you were very frightened, what happened?
- Once, when you were embarrassed, what happened?
Interview Journal Topics
- Describe a family member.
- Compare the personalities of two of your friends.
- _____ used to be my hero.
- If he/she had his/her way …
- My favorite holiday guest is …
- I was telling the truth and ____ didn’t believe me.
- A strange meeting …
- The unexpected guest …
- The stranger ….
- Our next door neighbor …
- My favorite teacher …
- My favorite cousin …
- My best friend …
- I’ll never look him/her in the face again.
- Who is the person from history that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person alive today that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person from literature that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Babysitting …
- How do you get along with your cousins?
- A famous person …
Research Project Journal Topics
- How do I feel about competition? (sports, school, friends, etc.)
- How I can earn money.
- Buying your own clothes.
- Places I have lived.
- Describe the qualities of a good teacher.
- Describe the qualities of a good parent.
- Describe the qualities of a good friend.
- Pets are like people.
- Cooking is an art.
- Who is the person from history that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Who is the person alive today that you would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
- Describe an animal that you identify with strongly. Why do you have a special feeling about this animal?
- What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
- If you could go back in time anywhere and “anywhen,” where/when would you go and why?
- What law would you like to see enacted which would help people? How would it help?
- What is your hobby? Why do you enjoy it?
- Is there any machine you feel you could not live without? Explain.
- Write about something you desperately wanted when you were a kid.
- Were you ever in a helicopter? limousine? hot-air balloon?
- Write about moving to another city.
- Describe an outdoor game you used to play in the summertime.
Poetry Journal Topics
- A place from my past, including smells, tastes and textures, is …
- Describe sloppy.
- Nothing can be worse than…
- Compare the personalities of two of your friends.
- I was happiest when …
- If my desk could talk…
- Write about an incident that illustrates shyness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates kindness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates courage.
- Write about an incident that illustrates selfishness.
- Write about an incident that illustrates boastfulness.
- I cooked the dinner.
- If I had my way.
- Money of my own.
- Being alone…
- Pets are like people…
- Cooking is ….
- My favorite weather …
- My first vivid memory is …
- The most real emotion is …
- Two animals…
Technical Documents Journal Topics
- Describe your concept of luxury. Create an advertisement for it.
- Describe your ride home. Create a map with direction for it.
- How I can earn money. Write a series of steps to earn money.
- Buying your own clothes. Write a series of steps for how to buy new clothes.
- Your favorite food. Write the recipe for making your favorite food.
- My jobs at home. Write the steps to completing one of these jobs.
- My plans for the summer. Create an advertisement.
- Describe your holiday dinner table.
- Describe a day at the mall.
- Describe your dream room.
- Describe a day at the beach.
- Describe a practical joke you played on a friend or family member.
- Describe a narrow escape.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good teacher.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good parent.
- Write an advertisement that describes the qualities of a good friend.
- Write the steps to playing with your favorite childhood toy.
- Finish this thought: “If I could change one thing about myself. . .” and write a series of steps for making the change.
- What law would you like to see enacted which would help people? How would it help?
- Is there any machine you feel you could not live without? Write about how your life would be without it.
- Write about a time you performed in front of an audience. List what you did to prepare.
In his article, “Common Core Concerns,” Bob Kellogg states the Home School Legal Defense Association policy against national standards. This makes perfect sense.
Most parents choose to home school to avoid the measuring stick used to prod children along in the public schools. To be fair, with 35 students in a class, it is imperative to have a system of measuring progress and ensuring preparation for the next grade level, to keep the conveyor belt of grade level accomplishment moving. But, home schooling is a jumping off of the conveyor belt of preparing 35 children for the next teacher and is an embrace of a unique’s child’s unique gifts and development.
So, can common core standards help home school parents?
As a tutor, I know that looking at grade level expectations, currently in the form of state standards, helps my students and I keep on track with what we aim to accomplish.
For instance, the expectations for writing builds from one grade level to the next. Once students are proficient at writing narratives and summaries, they are then asked to write biographical narratives and literary analysis. Students must be able to write less complex compositions before they are asked to write more difficult ones.
The other useful component of the writing standards is the grade level “writing conventions” included (grammar, spelling and punctuation). Of course, these also grow more and more complex as students move through the grade levels, but there was also an attempt to match conventions with age appropriate intellectual development. As all parents know, rarely do our children match the development charts and maps. Many children seem to absorb proper writing conventions through osmosis, or from extensive reading, and other children must be taught these conventions explicitly with lots of detached practice until they have internalized the rules for writing conventions. Still, a guide for which conventions to tackle when is helpful. It may be best to ignore mistakes in dangling modifiers before learners understand parts of speech.
In both cases, the common core standards can be a useful guide for parents, though should not be taken as a dictum for a synchronized march toward graduation. Even classroom teachers, myself included, understand that standards for learning are signposts and points on a map. The joy is always in the journey, and no journey is completed in lockstep march steps.
To be against the common core standards as a defense to being forced to join the conveyor belt of education makes sense. To embrace they as a map for possible destinations also makes sense.
One reason parents home school is the an opportunity for their children to learn authentically.
What exactly does that mean?
I remember when my own son came home to ask when he would even need to know how to write an essay about a book.
“In college?” I answered.
“Besides school, I mean…” he waited, patiently. I’m sure he was convinced that since I was a high school English teacher and regularly made my own students write essays about books, I would have a better answer.
“The assignment is full of many transferable skills like analyzing themes and critical thinking and -”
He cut me off. “So, never. Right?”
I was tempted to launch into my back up speech about jobs and careers which required good writing skills, but from my experiences with my own students I knew this line of logic would be met with the question: “But essays about books, what jobs will require that I write those?”
Rather than make the case that someday he may become a book reviewer or an English professor who must publish or perish, I nodded. “Right.”
Fortunately, when parents choose to home school, they can allow their children to pursue authentic writing or allow them to write about things which interest them and which are useful to them.
Like Caleb Warner in the article, “Happily Home Schooled,” who explains he is writing short stories and a novel and songs. You might wonder when he will ever write any of these things for a job. Well, if he is lucky enough to become a novelist or song writer… but more importantly, each of these writing assignments falls into the category of a narrative, which is done in any job requiring an employee to write an incident report – most jobs.
Now I admit that I do “guide” the students I tutor to write essays exploring issues or analyzing themes of books, but because the instruction is individualized, the writing assignments are authentic or grow out of the child’s interests and knowledge.
I do have a student who is currently writing a novel, but I also tutor students who write about their own experiences with chronic illness, about their family stories, about the effectiveness of the Israeli West Bank Barrier, and a student who is writing a children’s book.
Authentic writing for Home Schoolers is about helping children to write about what they are interested in and in the genre they are interested in because out of these writing assignments they will learn the conventions of writing.
Here are the steps I take for guiding students to authentic writing.
1. Examine which genre fits the student’s interest and ability.
For example, a student interested in astronomy may want to write a children’s picture books as a summary for what he knows, may want to write a persuasive essay for why Pluto should be considered a planet, or may choose to write an autobiographical narrative about his first time viewing the stars and why he’s so interested in them. The choices are an endless series of mix and match of interest and genre.
2. Review examples of the genre.
To prepare to write in a particular genre, it is imperative that the writer review how proficient and professional writers are successful. When I teach writing “family legends” I have students read a variety of legends so we can examine the difference between a narrative and a legend.
3. Begin writing but be open to revision of expectations.
Most professional writers have had the experience of sitting down with a writing project in mind only to figure out that the genre does not fit the topic – or at least the treatment of the topic the writer is interested in pursuing. It is a sign of a good writer when she can revise her own expectations to produce the best product.
4. Find an audience.
All authentic pieces of writing have authentic audiences. Whether the audience is a student’s younger sibling, an uncle who works for NASA, the local paper letters to the editor page, or a personal blog, nothing motivates writers like writing for an authentic audience. Usually an authentic audience means someone other than the “teacher.”
Helping your child to write authentic pieces for an authentic audience will help him to be more motivated to write and, hopefully, more successful.
One of my favorite stories is about some well-meaning advice from a friend.
I was at a barbecue lamenting to another friend how difficult it is to give baths to my large dogs. She, too, owns large dogs. We had already run through everything we’d tried and were winding down the conversation with an exchange of pet groomers’ prices and phone numbers when the host of the barbecue walked up and chimed in.
“Have you tried chaining the dog to a fence?”
She must have seen one of many reality shows about pet groomers which clearly shows well-behaved dogs connected to a post while being bathed. Unfortunately, I did not own a pet bathing station and chaining my dog to the fence meant that he could then dance away from me every time I approached with a hose. I wondered, unfortunately out loud, if that worked with her dogs. She admitted she didn’t have dogs and I was not invited back to another barbecue at her house.
The point is, there are many people who are happy to offer advice when they have no experience to back up their opinions. And… there are many blogs about home schooling written by parents who are in the thick of it, who are home schooling and are happy to share their experiences and wisdom with the rest of us.
One such mother is Dianne McLean, owner of the website Home Education Council of America, who shares some great advice, such as how to home school children as they enter secondary education.
As a tutor, I appreciate her advice: “… don’t think that just because you chose to homeschool, that you are required to do all the teaching. The beauty of homeschooling is exercising your right to choose, not forcing undue stress upon yourself. If you are juggling many children, then take a look at what subjects you can possibly trade with another mom – or even still, pay someone if you are unable to reciprocate in services. Some states vary in their laws, but there is always a way!”
Finding the right writing curriculum may be the first hurdle, much like securing a dog for a bath may be the first step in bathing the dog. Unfortunately, even with a secure dog, the right person for the job is very important. Thus, finding an expert in the curriculum subject and in instructional strategies may be the best approach for teaching your home school high school student.
You may just need to swap prices and phone numbers with a friend who has been there.
I clearly remember the first time I sought out the meaning of a word. I was reading Arundhati Roy’s novel, “The God of Small Things” and was so involved in the world she described that I couldn’t bear to not savor every detail of it.
Usually when reading, if I come across a word I don’t know, I continue to read relying on context clues to help me figure out the meaning. If that doesn’t work, I keep reading calculating that one word is not important enough to stop my reading.
But this time, I stopped, grabbed a dictionary, and looked up the word “viscous.” I read the definition several times before returning to the novel, rereading the sentence with the word in it, making sure the sentence made sense now that I knew the meaning of the word. Then I took a deep breath and restarted reading at the beginning of the paragraph, dropping back into the story, savoring every detail… “Bright plastic bags blew across its viscous, weedy surface like subtropical flying flowers” (119).
This is the best way to expand one’s vocabulary, in the context of being thoroughly engaged with a subject where the word is found. So why don’t teachers, tutors, or writing curricula use this method? Many try but end up creating an inauthentic form for a process that should grow authentically from a learner’s engagement.
So should you teach vocabulary?
A large vocabulary is a predictor of reading success http://www.breakthroughtoliteracy.com/index.html?SID&page=df_sc_reading_s, of an increased ability to articulate experience and therefore of higher level critical thinking skills , and of later occupational success http://litemind.com/top-3-reasons-to-improve-your-vocabulary/. Hence, hoping for a learner to be motivated to search for the meaning of words may not be enough.
When undertaking the systematic study of vocabulary, there are two elements of a curriculum that need to be considered.
1. Is the vocabulary list thoughtful?
2. Are the exercises generative?
Vocabulary List
Many curricula present vocabulary lists as “grade level” but this is a random list of words which researchers have determined children should know by a certain grade level. This is not authentic learning and tends to be rote memorization of words. You may find that your child or student already knows most of the list and therefore this is not time well spent. If time is to be spent on rote memorization or “drill and kill” then it is important that the list be worth the effort.
Choosing vocabulary that are “academic” or “tier 2” guarantees that the study of vocabulary is well spent. Academic vocabulary are those words which are found in many academic subjects. Words such as “classify” or “monitor” are used in a variety of academic subjects and will be pertinent for a learner to know for all subjects http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CE4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sci.csueastbay.edu%2Febsp%2Fliftoff%2Fsummer2010%2Fmaterials%2FDay%25206%2F6.3%2520Academic%2520Vocab%2520Tier%25201-3%2520for%2520NASA%2520Lift%2520Off.ppt&ei=Bt4VUP-pNInHrQHK-4DgBg&usg=AFQjCNEZUA_bNGXiHCRyi2OWAaCBa31vLA&sig2=7aIj58nskPa_of7JsY-3pw. There are many great curricula with tier 2 vocabulary exercises in them to help with the teaching of vocabulary. A quick search will turn up many options.
Generative Exercises
When choosing a curricula for vocabulary, be sure that the exercises are generative rather than associative.
Associative exercises are those drill and kill exercises most workbooks are filled with. These require learners to associate the word with the clues given either in the form of definitions, synonyms, antonyms or sentences with a blank to be filled.
Generative exercises require students to generate meaning using the word. Having learners write their own sentence using the word is the most well-known exercise. Others include students answering open-ended questions with the vocabulary word embedded in the question, assuring that the student understands the context of the vocabulary and can generate correct answers given the question. For example, questions such as “What is the best method for parents to monitor a teenager’s social activities?” allows the learner to express an opinion, hopefully increasing engagement, and a clear answer ensures the learner understands the vocabulary.
Best
When I am tutoring a child who is reading challenging literature, my favorite method of teaching vocabulary combines all of the above. I skim the pages to be read for the week and search for words that are tier 2. I ask students to explain the meaning of the word. If they are able to, I keep skimming. If they are not able to, I write it down on a worksheet and ask them to copy the sentence from the book where the word is used (identifying the word in context), copy the definition that fits the sentence onto the worksheet (familiarizing self with the definition), then write their own sentence using the word (generative exercise). When we meet again in a week, I check the worksheet and review the word orally, asking an open-ended question using the word to ensure the student knows the word. The worksheet I created for this is below.
Teaching vocabulary as part of a writing curriculum is important because as writers, the larger our vocabulary the better able we are to articulate the thoughts we have, the clearer our writing will be, and the more concise our meaning will be. Thoughtful attention to how to teach vocabulary as part of a writing curriculum will ensure that learners are engaged and progressing.
Name ___________________
Words From My Readings
Each week you are to keep a list of words you have read but don’t know the meaning of. Write the word down, copy the sentence the word is from in your readings, look the word up in the dictionary, and copy the definition, including the part of speech.
- word _____________________
Sentence from book: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Definition: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Own Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. word _____________________
Sentence from book: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Definition: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Own Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- word _____________________
Sentence from book: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Definition: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Own Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are many things to consider when choosing to home school a high school student including choosing the appropriate curriculum, choosing knowledgeable tutors or instructors and preparing your child for university.
Luckily, many universities and colleges have programs to help with this preparation.
Our local community college allows high school age students to enroll in classes through concurrent enrollment. Students are required to have a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 of higher, basically a B- or better, and be in 11th grade. Students are not allowed to take a full course load because the courses should be in addition to other high school level coursework being completed. This has proven to be a wonderful opportunity for high school home school students to get a taste of college level work and earn credits toward university completion.
Another opportunity universities offer home school high school students are outreach programs. For example, Thomas University offers a Home-school Connections Program (http://moultrieobserver.com/local/x1236702451/Thomas-University-announces-Home-school-Connections-Program). The program offers free concerts, events and exhibits to all age groups and specifically invites high school students to join their book club and creative writing club. High school students, as well as community members, are invited to attend free lectures given by scientists weekly.
Finally, home school students are invited to use the university library and its resources.
I can imagine that one challenge for parents who choose home schooling for their high school age children is being able to provide a rich and diverse experience. Luckily, local colleges and universities are now welcoming home school students to join their activities and are providing parents with one more option.
There’s a great website, Homeschooling Programs, http://www.homeschoolingprograms.net/homeschooling-programs/ which gives readers basic information about homeschooling programs, such as what to consider when choosing to home school, types of programs available for homeschooling, and resources for homeschooling. This website, and most home school websites, focuses on children of elementary school age.
All of the students I tutor have been at least middle school and high school age. Actually, I have referred some tutoring jobs to friends because I did not feel competent teaching writing to younger students since all of my experience is grade seven and above.
The trend toward finding alternatives to traditional high school for students is growing.
Many parents choose to continue to home school through high school though it used to be common practice to home school until high school, then find a more traditional approach to ensuring children were taught all the subjects required in high school.Many parents decide to home school using an online curriculum during high school because of the poor quality of the high school in their area. Many parents choose to continue to home school because they want to ensure their children stay excited about learning.
One great resource for navigating homeschooling though high school is Home School Legal Defense Association’s page “Homeschooling Thru High School” at http://www.hslda.org/highschool.asp. The site provides an overview of considerations and frequently asked questions about graduation and university preparation.
I especially appreciate the advice that parents might want to hire a tutor. As a tutor, I tell parents to be thoughtful about two things. When hiring a tutor, be sure that he 0r she is going to be responsive to your needs as the parent guiding your child, and be sure the tutor has the required knowledge of instructional strategies to meet the needs of your child. Referrals from other parents or from home school associations is a good way to find the right tutor.
Home school programs are no longer just about young children being taught by their parents, but now includes young adults learning the skills necessary to succeed in the larger world.
Another school district has decided to offer an online curriculum option (http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20120712/NEWS01/207120321). I’m all for online learning just as I am all for finding what works best for each student. As a matter of fact, I have applied for a grant for my public school classroom to purchase what is considered an e-course in writing. But this all reminds me of…
Many years ago, my husband, Bill, went to the doctor. He had been sick for awhile and kept thinking that it was a virus and if he rode it out, it would go away. It didn’t so he finally got an appointment with a doctor to see what was up. When he got home, he was a bit concerned. He had a prescription and planned on taking it, but he was still a bit worried.
“The doctor had this book, like the encyclopedia of medical symptoms.” Bill’s eyes narrowed before he continued. “I told him my symptoms. He flipped the pages and would ask questions like, ‘Is it a dry or wet cough?’ then flip some more until he came up with a diagnosis, wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way.”
He held up the prescription bottle like it was snake oil.
And isn’t that what an e-course does? At least the smart ones. You do some work. It has a program which will diagnose where you are having trouble and it sends you on a path to practice those problems until you “get it”.
The trouble is the program is flipping through a book, its program. Bill could have looked up his symptoms and diagnosed himself, like many of us do today on the internet. But we still end up going to the doctor to get confirmation and a course for getting better. Only a person trained in the field is able to do this.
As I said, I think on-line courses are great, but not a complete picture. To really improve in any area, you have to go to someone who knows more, who can diagnose what is going wrong with your writing.
This week I am attending the Tin House Writing Conference because I need help. Some of my essays are not getting accepted for publication. Something is wrong, and my workshop leader – Stephen Elliott – pointed it out to me immediately. Okay, many things were wrong, but the major thing – he saw it right away and told me the course to take to make it better. (He didn’t solve my acne or my aching back.)
If you are going to use an online curriculum with your child, student, learner – be sure to augment it with a tutor, someone who is an actual audience reading your child’s writing, someone who has enough experience to see exactly what is ailing a writing project, and someone who can send the writer on a path to making things better.
Improving one’s writing is always what we want, as writers and students. A tutor or writing teacher will always send you on the path to improvement.
Today in the Star Tribune, Asha Anchan examines the approach of some home-schoolers to “unschool” in her article, “The DIY Approach to Education” http://www.startribune.com/local/161685515.html. It’s an interesting look at the idea that children do not need a set curriculum to be able to “learn”.
As a public school teacher, I recognize that the reason we work with a curriculum is to be sure that we have met the needs of all students through exposure to key concepts the powers that be have deemed important for future success. Remember, in the public arena, teachers are no longer in charge of their curriculum. Instead state standards and common core standards dictate what we need to teach and curriculum companies put together books to ensure that we teach these concepts. Then students are tested to be sure teachers have taught these concepts to our classrooms full of 30 – 40 students… but I digress.
As a tutor for students who are homeschooled, I do not work through a set curriculum. I basically use the technique of”unschooling” my pupils. Does this mean I let them write what they want? Of course. As a writer myself, I get to write what I want. Granted, sometimes what I want to write is something that will earn me money – and it’s important for students to write sometimes for a grade, but still, I tailor all my writing to projects I want to complete, money or no money.
Yet, I do have goals in mind. As a trained public school teacher, I know that if my home-schooled pupils ever transfer to the public school, there will be certain expectations for them. I also can’t shake the notion that all students should have certain aptitudes, especially when it comes to writing.
So, how does this translate into “unschooling.” The student and I discuss what he or she is interested in and then we craft a writing project geared toward helping the student further explore the topic. I set up the parameters by guiding the student to selecting the type of writing which would best fit his or her interest and skill level.
One of the key elements of making a writing project successful is choosing the right genre for the project. The expectation is that younger students understand narratives (stories) because they are used in so many other genres of writing. Writing a narrative requires that students be able to summarize and describe, both essential elements of all other genres.
Once the student has mastered narrative, we work toward mastering persuasion and compare/contrast essays. These types of essays require that students analyze subjects and explain their ideas. Finally, we move onto complex essays which include literary or research analysis.
And this is where a writing curriculum fits in. Following a curriculum for writing a persuasive essay is so much easier than attempting to muddle your way through it. Setting up clear expectations for the assignment using a grading rubric http://www.rubrics4teachers.com/writing.php, using specific examples for models, providing ways of thinking about drafting an essay with graphic organizers or outlines http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/, and reviewing key transition words or vocabulary used in the genre is the curriculum. It’s possible for anyone to hobble together this curriculum, but it makes more sense to use one already thoughtfully put together – hopefully by an expert.
Does using a curriculum contradict the idea of unschooling? That’s like saying using a GPS contradicts driving.
In the online New Zealand newspaper, “Nelson Mail,” the topic of whether or not home schooling children is effective was raised and answered in the article, “Fear home school can’t make the grade.” http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/7226245/Fears-homeschool-can-t-make-grade
Though in New Zealand there are no government checks on home schooling and the curriculum, the discussion boiled down to the same thing – learners got individualized curriculum and attention meeting their needs and interests.
I especially liked the example of the parent who had hired a tutor for his son to learn Danish before his trip to Denmark. According to the dad, “Once you get to a certain level of knowledge where you can’t provide those resources… that would be the time that you get somebody else in.”
As a writing tutor myself, I have appreciated being able to individualize instruction for students who are learning to articulate their opinions and ideas in writing, but have also appreciated the parental involvement.
The other interesting idea was that home schooled children fail to be exposed to other cultures would lead to a “narrow world-view.” This struck a chord with me because I used to also believe this as a public school teacher. But, what I have found while working with home schooled students is that they are no different from their same age peers in trying on different identities and finding their place in the world. If anything, in my experience these students have a stronger sense of self than students in the public school arena. Students in the public school arena often give in to negative peer pressure, whereas home schooled students are not faced with this negative pressure to conform.
The article points out many of the misconceptions about home schooling and makes us realize that home schooling faces the same misconceptions beyond the United States.
writingforhomeschoolers 