Comments on: 10 stumbling blocks to writing http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/ From the Desk of WriteShop Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:52:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kim http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1157 Kim Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:15:31 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1157 Emily, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Though most of the 10 Stumbling Blocks articles are aimed at junior high and high school, it's good to think about the things that turn children off to writing when they're younger. For a five-year-old, writing down her words as she dictates is a perfect way to let her express herself! Her limited vocabulary and newly aquired handwriting skills will prevent her from putting all those wonderful ideas on paper, but by dictating to you, she can prattle on to her heart's delight knowing her stories will be preserved for her. Keep it up! Emily, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Though most of the 10 Stumbling Blocks articles are aimed at junior high and high school, it’s good to think about the things that turn children off to writing when they’re younger.

For a five-year-old, writing down her words as she dictates is a perfect way to let her express herself! Her limited vocabulary and newly aquired handwriting skills will prevent her from putting all those wonderful ideas on paper, but by dictating to you, she can prattle on to her heart’s delight knowing her stories will be preserved for her. Keep it up!

]]> By: Emily http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1154 Emily Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:05:58 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1154 She has so many marvelous story ideas in her head and her handwriting and spelling ability is still so limited at age 5, so the real stumbling block is probably me taking the time to encourage her more by translating in print what she's written in her own 'begining to spell' version of English, or to take dictation for her when her words come out faster than she could write it all down yet. She has so many marvelous story ideas in her head and her handwriting and spelling ability is still so limited at age 5, so the real stumbling block is probably me taking the time to encourage her more by translating in print what she’s written in her own ‘begining to spell’ version of English, or to take dictation for her when her words come out faster than she could write it all down yet.

]]> By: Kim http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1118 Kim Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:19:12 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1118 Glad you discovered our blog, Amy! I think you'll find lots of encouragement and help here. Please know that it's never too late to inspire your kiddos to write. When we were teaching homeschool writing classes, our students ranged from 11 to 17 years old. It was not unusual for us to teach students who'd never had any formal writing exposure prior to our class, yet they all improved through simple things like short assignments, incremental instruction, objective input, and a great deal of writing practice. Follow the helpful advice you find from resources like Jimmie's Collage, In Our Write Minds, and others, and it won't be long before you see results! Glad you discovered our blog, Amy! I think you’ll find lots of encouragement and help here. Please know that it’s never too late to inspire your kiddos to write. When we were teaching homeschool writing classes, our students ranged from 11 to 17 years old. It was not unusual for us to teach students who’d never had any formal writing exposure prior to our class, yet they all improved through simple things like short assignments, incremental instruction, objective input, and a great deal of writing practice. Follow the helpful advice you find from resources like Jimmie’s Collage, In Our Write Minds, and others, and it won’t be long before you see results!

]]> By: Amy http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1116 Amy Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:50:02 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1116 Sadly, I think that I am my child's biggest stumbling block! So sad. I haven't inspired them to write nor even required it. However, writing has been on my heart over the last few months, not only to teach my kids, but myself as well... so, your posts are more than timely! One of my sons is just born to write I think. The ideas are always just spilling forth! I need to know how to guide him. I'm really glad to have found you through a link from jimmiescollage.com! I'm looking forward to reading each post in the series... and commenting of course! Thanks so much! Amy in Peru http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com Sadly, I think that I am my child’s biggest stumbling block! So sad. I haven’t inspired them to write nor even required it. However, writing has been on my heart over the last few months, not only to teach my kids, but myself as well… so, your posts are more than timely! One of my sons is just born to write I think. The ideas are always just spilling forth! I need to know how to guide him. I’m really glad to have found you through a link from jimmiescollage.com!
I’m looking forward to reading each post in the series… and commenting of course!
Thanks so much!
Amy in Peru
http://fisheracademy.blogspot.com

]]> By: Kim http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1026 Kim Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:25:31 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1026 You’ve all expressed such common writing struggles. Thanks so much for taking time to share your thoughts, frustrations, and small victories! And if you haven't posted a comment yet, it's not too late to join the fun! You’ve all expressed such common writing struggles. Thanks so much for taking time to share your thoughts, frustrations, and small victories! And if you haven’t posted a comment yet, it’s not too late to join the fun!

]]> By: Claudia http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1023 Claudia Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:24:09 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1023 Our daughter has always loved writing but now finds advanced high school materials leave little time for writing as often as she'd like. I still have problems explaining how to improve; looking forward to reading this series. Our daughter has always loved writing but now finds advanced high school materials leave little time for writing as often as she’d like. I still have problems explaining how to improve; looking forward to reading this series.

]]> By: CE http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1008 CE Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:26:23 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1008 A huge stumbling block for us is grade-level marks. Our child insists on looking and/or asking what level a resource is for. This goes as far as determining the age a sibling was when s/he was when using it from the year written inside! We avoid comparisons rigorously, but this child is caught up in them anyway. Somehow a multi-grade co-op has worked out by the grace of God, a wonderful teacher, AND a tutor all working together - WHEW! A little progress for a non-writing high schooler! A huge stumbling block for us is grade-level marks. Our child insists on looking and/or asking what level a resource is for. This goes as far as determining the age a sibling was when s/he was when using it from the year written inside! We avoid comparisons rigorously, but this child is caught up in them anyway. Somehow a multi-grade co-op has worked out by the grace of God, a wonderful teacher, AND a tutor all working together – WHEW! A little progress for a non-writing high schooler!

]]> By: Susan http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 Susan Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:32:38 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1003 My daughter's biggest stumbling block is to stay on track. No matter what she is writing about, the story ends up having a horse in it, often where it doesn't belong. My son is excited at first, but doesn't write enough in his stories. He just wants to get it finished. My daughter’s biggest stumbling block is to stay on track. No matter what she is writing about, the story ends up having a horse in it, often where it doesn’t belong.
My son is excited at first, but doesn’t write enough in his stories. He just wants to get it finished.

]]> By: Stacy http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1001 Stacy Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:25:34 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-1001 The whole list sums us up! My child's biggest stumbling block is ME! We've been unschoolers up until now (he's 14) and we're starting a more layed out highschool curriculum and we're both lost! Frustated and unprepared...lack of motivation, panic, etc... The whole list sums us up! My child’s biggest stumbling block is ME! We’ve been unschoolers up until now (he’s 14) and we’re starting a more layed out highschool curriculum and we’re both lost! Frustated and unprepared…lack of motivation, panic, etc…

]]> By: Tammy http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2009/10/26/10-stumbling-blocks-to-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-950 Tammy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:28:49 +0000 http://www.writeshop.com/blog/?p=815#comment-950 The point that really resonates with me is that my son does not want to do something more than once. He wants to write it down and be done with it, even eschewing checking for spelling and punctuation. He has this mentality in all of his work; it's a difficult thing for a child to understand but accepting this as the new "norm" will help him in alot of things as he grows older! The point that really resonates with me is that my son does not want to do something more than once. He wants to write it down and be done with it, even eschewing checking for spelling and punctuation. He has this mentality in all of his work; it’s a difficult thing for a child to understand but accepting this as the new “norm” will help him in alot of things as he grows older!

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