Top 3 Reasons To Use An Online Writing Course.

Have you ever thought about doing an online writing course or using online tutoring in writing?

I am learning there are all kinds of benefits to doing taking an online writing course or even using an online tutor for writing.

The top three reasons I have come up with are…

1. Someone else is teaching. Yes, I know I homeschool. It is the choice I make. But sometimes there are just some subjects that need an outside person to show my child a different way of doing things. I am okay with that. I still get to be part of the process.
2. Fresh perspective on what is being written. Sometimes my child gets into a rut of writing a certain way. With a writing course/tutor he is challenged more to step out of his comfort zone in his writing style. 
3. Feedback is amazing. To get feedback from someone other then "mom" is a wonderful thing. It teaches my child to accept criticism from an outside source. This will help him in his future being in the working world. 

Have you ever used an online writing course/tutor? Have you ever used a in person writing tutor? Share your experience in the comments below. 

Lil Momma Strouse

Persuasive Argument Writing

I am not a fan of teaching writing and Biggun has all kinds of writing assignments. Not just for me but sometimes for co-op, too. He needs all the writing homework help he can get.

In co-op he has to write something on a General from World War II.  He is excited about this as he loves history, he wants to learn more about General Patton and says it should be a breeze.

But his curriculum also has another assignment that is a little more challenging. His other writing assignment is to write a pervasive argument paragraph on something he feels strongly about. That should not be hard as he is a teenager and feels strongly about a lot of things that he does not want to do.

In brain storming here are some of the ideas he has come up with are...

"Why my cell phone should not be taken away from me"
"The reason for NOT wanting to clean my room."
"Why do I have to mow the yard when the grass is not that tall."

I am not sure what his subject is going to be yet but it should be interesting.




Lil Momma Strouse

Time4Writing.com High School Writing

With school starting there are all kinds of classes homeschoolers are looking to take. I want to tell you about one that will come in handy for your high schooler.

Time4writing.com has a Essay Writing course that will help with essay writing for standardized test or for collage applications.

Time4writing.com has a total of 5 classes offered to high schoolers. I have listed them below.

• HS – High School Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
• HSp – High School Paragraphs
• HS1 – High School Essay Writing
• HS2 – Essay Writing for the SAT
• HS5 – Writing Research Papers

Lil Momma Strouse

Pinterest Win!

Pinterest WIN!

I was going to try to figure out how to print out alphabet and number writing sheets as part of our language arts curriculum but I did not have to. Instead I went to the Dollar Tree and purchased a book of alphabet practice and number practice. I separated the book and put them in sleeves of page protectors. Also at the dollar store I purchased dry erase markers. Add a cloth or paper towel and you have an eraser. I love it!!!! The top of each page has a great activity, like puzzle games, to do with recognizing upper case and lower case letters or counting numbers. But the main thing is to get the practice in on writing out the letters. 

Lil Momma Strouse

Essays

I am not a big fan of write an essay.  Teaching a child to write an essay is not a picnic for me either. My son, Biggun, has tried over the past two years or so to really improve on this.  In the fall he took a writing course at the co-op we went to.  I was so relieved to have someone else try to teach him how to write an essay.  Mrs. Betty did a great job. She got better results from him in 11 weeks then I had in the past few years. It could also have been having someone else is expecting greatness from my son instead of just plain ole mom. Then a few weeks ago Mrs. Betty assigned another paper for my son.  This time he had to go research things out. The assignment was to write a 2 page paper. (front and back)

• Laws on damaging public property
• Consequences for damaging public property
• What does God think about this
• What has he learned

He had one week to write this paper. He did not wait till the last minute. He got right to it. He (with a little, very little me) found the laws and consequences online for our area. The next day he looked all through the Bible for what God thinks about this. I was so impressed he found a great verse. (I did not help at all) and he shared what he had learned by doing this paper. All of it was done in very neat hand writing and 2 pages (front and back).  Even Mrs. Betty said it was the best paper he had ever written for her. I am so proud of him. I think I might ask Mrs. Betty to assign him a writing assignment once a month. I know that sounds mean. But if I can get him to write, I don't care who he writes for. Or maybe get him a writing tutor. 

(This assignment writing assignment was just that a writing assignment and NOT due to anything my son did.)


Lil Momma Strouse

Helping out a friend.....

I have a friend who wants to learn how to write a blog. Char is the sweetest friend. She has even started a blog The Slaughter House Mom , yes that is a play on her last name Slaughter, but has not gotten very far with it.

 Between being busy with her own kids (both in highschool band),working part time, and helping support her husband in school for his bachelors in Nursing. She has not had much time to really devote to her blog. I recommended to her to take a blog writing course. To help her along.

 I am also trying to get my son to take the same course. So that he can use it for his writing curriculum.  Do it as his daily journal writing. I have mentioned that before but I am still working on convincing him.

Lil Momma Strouse

Co-Op Homework

We have done co-op for the past 3 or so years. We have always done fun classes not that all the classes are not fun but this is the first year we have done a co-op class that has the big " HOMEWORK" assignments. At first Biggun hemmed and hawed over the idea of a class with homework.  This ment it was a "real" class to him. Not that all the classes are not real.  But to him homework means real school. A writing class to help him improve his writing standards.

As you can see he is not giving me a heard time doing his "homework"  This made my life so much easier this week.  We have also checked out the some homeschool fiction for reading.  Still trying to figure out what we are going to use. Thanks Ms. Betty you are making "homework" fun. Well at least that is what he said this week. (smile)

Lil Momma Strouse

Ideas to keep your kids brain alive in the summer

As I talk to friends who are in public school, I had one who took a reading camp and one who took a math camp.  This helped them stay on track and even get ahead during the summer months.

I want to recommend creative writing help with a great course time4writing.com.


This course helps kids learn or even remember

"It all starts with writing a sentence."
"Developing a thought through a paragraph writing"
"Essay Writing and Making a Case."
"Holding it all together : Grammar, Usage, and Writing Mechanics."
"Creative Strategies for for writing enhancement."

Even

"SAT Essay Prep"

So if you want to keep your kids brain awake during the summer check out this great program on creative writing help.

Lil Momma Strouse