“What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children’s growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn’t a school at all.”
— John Holt
When learning is the goal, our environment is everything. Dedicating space for learning is critical to the outcome: a small writing table under a sunny window, a bean bag chair in a cozy corner with a reading lamp overhead, soft slippers, healthy snacks, good lighting, and gentle music. These things combine to create a haven for enriched creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
But how to get those giant, juicy thoughts on paper?
“When atmosphere encourages learning, the learning is inevitable.”
Elizabeth Foss, author of Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home
When I first set out to teach writing to my kids, I found them to be mini-researchers. They could look up a topic and tell me the details of a thing, but their writing lacked imagination or original thought. I knew I needed to find a way to get from regurgitation writing to creative thinking on paper. I hunted desperately for outside help. What I found was an overwhelming number of inflexible grammar and rules-based English courses. Not what I wanted.
Then, I found Julie Bogart; her book titled The Brave Learner was a homeschool game-changer for me. Focusing on the 4th “R” in reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic, she emphasizes, most of all, relationships. By way of The Brave Learner, I realized that being my kiddos’ teacher did not make me their boss, and if I wanted them to learn, I needed to sign up to learn a few things myself. The Brave Learner provided some of my best homeschool a-ha moments, which had everything to do with physical space and finding joy in not teaching but co-learning.
We read often and also use lesson plans, workbooks, and outside courses. There are many great writing programs out there, and over the past decade, we have tried quite a few.
I had to work hard to bring my reluctant free-writers out of their shells. Do your students sometimes get stuck when asked to write research papers or essays? Both Julie Bogart and writing specialist Sharon Watson suggest not bothering with it. If they are staring at a blank page, stop. Don’t have them write that paper or essay.
“Your students do not have to write a whole essay every time they put pencil to paper. One of the best ways to unplug the fear of writing is to do some of the prepare-for-writing tasks but stop before writing the whole paper or essay.” (Watson) Imagine brainstorming or freewriting on a topic for a time, nothing more. Or, consider writing poetry about a prompt before outlining it on paper. If we have time, I might set out an art project relating to our writing lesson, opening up the right side of the brain to join in the fun.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
William Butler Yeats
“It’s called practice,” says Sharon Watson, “similar to when members of a basketball team practice dribbling or passing. The team does not play a whole game every time they get together.” They practice pieces of the game, then, when they feel ready, they play.
Remove the rules, and make space for learning.
I learned that when the kids write, so do I. Then, when I ask them to share what they have written, I also share what I wrote. This system creates a level playing field of vulnerability and allows us to celebrate our ideas and opinions in a safe environment. Brave Writer writing courses teach not only students but also their parents. We learn to appreciate genuine thought over mechanics in young writers. When minds are encouraged, they will choose to pursue structure and grammar, and it is exponentially easier to teach the rules of writing to a willing and confident student.
I also learned to take dictation. When my students are stuck on where to start writing, I have them tell me their thoughts out loud instead. I type out every single word they say, and they then edit their own thoughts. This is an enormous time-saver, especially when getting an idea on paper is the goal. Do you think this is cheating?
Professor Stephen Hawking was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author of many renowned books on physics and the universe. In the early 1960s, he contracted an incurable degenerative neuromuscular disease. While disabled, he was the Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. He wrote and communicated the entire time without using his arms, hands, fingers, legs, or mouth. Does anyone question whether or not Stephen Hawking wrote his books, even though they clearly would have been dictated? If a student needs help getting thoughts on paper, there are many ways to assist without breaking the rules or stifling creativity.
Find your educational writing-learning path. Find the mad genius that sets your little group on fire; sit on the floor with your kids and teens. Pull up a beanbag and learn together; with time, patience, and mindful praise, their paragraph/essay/book will write itself!
Sources:
https://bravewriter.com/online-classes
https://writingwithsharonwatson.com/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephen-Hawking
©2024 Lynne Rey
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