How Do I Teach This Kid To Write?

Are you a homeschooling mom like me who struggles teaching the subject of writing in your homeschool? I hope I'm not alone. I don't know what it is about writing - physically writing - that frustrates my son so bad. Whenever I try to get him to write, it is such a battle! Honestly, I don't know how much I should be pushing him in this area.

Of course, I understand he needs to know how to write, and we have daily spelling and writing lessons. I even found a writing curriculum that is a good fit for him. I wrote a review about Essentials in Writing where I shared my excitement over finding this curriculum. I am still excited about it, and my son doesn't shed the tears that he used to, but there is still something that I cannot place my finger on in figuring out how to teach him to write.

I know I'm not the first homeschooling mom who has struggled with this subject. I'm calling out to all of you who have experienced this dilemma, and asking you for your suggestions. Special needs of Asperger's Syndrome and ADD are present in my son's situation. I'm still learning how these effect him in our homeschool. I need to find a way to work around these issues though so that I can effectively teach him in the area of writing. He has a very active imagination. When he was younger, I wrote and even typed some of his stories as he verbally told them to me. Since he is thirteen now, I feel that he should be doing his own writing.

So my question is: how do I teach this kid to write? What is it that I am missing and where do I find it? Just today I asked my son, "Why don't you like to write?" His reply was, "It takes too long. It's not fun, and it's boring." Now that I have his answer to my question of what is missing, I can begin my search to find out how to make writing less boring and more fun - which should solve the problem of it taking too long for him to do. I know that even as an adult I take longer completing a task that I don't particularly enjoy doing. So it is with our kids. It's my job as his teacher to find a way to make writing more fun for him so that this subject becomes more enjoyable for him in our homeschool.

So my task begins! I love to search on Google when I need an answer to a question, so that is where I began looking for ideas to help make writing less boring and more fun in our homeschool. I was not disappointed, and found some great ideas I can use in our homeschool to make writing less boring and more fun for my son. I want to share these fun ideas with you today.

Fun Ideas for Teaching Writing

1. Hamburger Writing 
2. Sandwich Chart 
3. Writing Prompts (There are lots of ideas on Pinterest for these!)
4. Use a tape recorder! My son will LOVE this! I can let him verbally record his writing assignment, and then play back the recording as he writes down what he spoke. Remember how I said my son has a very active imagination? Well, using a tape recorder will be perfect for him since he will be able to pause the recording to write at a pace that is comfortable for him while still getting all those fast-paced thoughts down on paper.    

I would love to know how you teach writing in your homeschool.  Please share in the comments below! I need more ideas and would love to hear yours!

Starting on Wednesday, you can read more from other homeschooling moms on the Schoolhouse Review Crew who are sharing about the subject they struggle teaching the most. Simply click on the image below. 

Facing Reality Head-on

When I began this blog in January 2013 it was a very emotional time for me. Facing reality head-on was not at all what I was ready to do. I was 7 months into what I described as "a less than desirable circumstance". Here are my exact words...

"Even now as I enter 2013 facing the unknown in a less than desirable circumstance, God is teaching me to trust in Him as He gives me the grace to walk through this."

Last June our son Caleb began experiencing severe anxieties which led us to seek Christian counseling for him. I won't go into the specifics of the anxieties, but I will say they were severe enough that they interfered with his daily life. The Christian counselor was wonderful and helped Caleb through his anxieties through a couple of different exercises we worked on together during the weeks at home. He also suggested testing for Asperger's Syndrome which the psychologist in the group administered. The results confirmed Asperger's Syndrome, OCD, and ADD. These diagnosis' were quite a shock and at the same time somewhat of a relief because my husband and I finally knew what we were dealing with.

We tried medication for the ADD, but Caleb had a negative reaction to it in December. We were at the beach for Christmas and toward the end of our trip Caleb began having trouble remembering things he had recently done. This was very frightening! I called our pediatrician as we headed home and told her what was happening. She told us to come by the office to get the medication in dosages to wean Caleb off of it which we did. We were seen in the office the next day and the pediatrician ordered an EEG and MRI with a child neurologist. The EEG wasn't so bad for Caleb and the results were good - no signs of seizures. Caleb had to be put to sleep for the MRI. This was hard for me as a mother. I was so scared for Caleb, but he was so very brave as they put the IV in him not only once, but TWICE because the first time on one arm didn't do like it was supposed to (forgive me, I don't know the terminology.) so they had to go in on the other arm. I cannot tell you how proud I was of him - he didn't cry at all! The results came back showing only a fluid-filled cyst that the child neurologist said had been there since birth.

We have continued taking Caleb to see the Christian counselor. There have been flare-ups with the OCD throughout this past year. These are hard times for us, but together with God's help we make it through each one. We pray through these flare-ups as I have come to call them and reassure Caleb as much as possible to ease whatever anxiety it is that he is struggling with. My husband and I have chosen not to use medication for the OCD. I am teaching Caleb scripture verses to help him during these times of flare-up such as "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7) and "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) Thankfully Caleb has been several months free of a flare-up. I believe in the power of prayer!

As for the Asperger's Syndrome, I don't really know enough at this time to talk a lot about it. I am trying to learn all I can about it so I can help Caleb. What I do know so far is Asperger's Syndrome is on the autism spectrum and that kids and adults with AS have difficulties with socialization such as reading and reacting to nonverbal social cues and how to participate in conversations. I am currently reading "School Success for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome" by Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D. and Rich Weinfeld. I've joined a couple of Facebook groups as well for parents of children with special needs and a Yahoo Group for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome.

I've always suspected ADD in Caleb. My husband and I have chosen not to use medication for this diagnosis since Caleb had the bad experience with it. We are trying to go organic, gluten-free, etc. with our food instead and learn other methods for dealing with the ADD.

June 2012 was the month it all began. I can't believe we are already a year into this journey! I have experienced many grace-filled-moments during this time and now it is time to face this reality head-on and speak to others about it. Hopefully in sharing my story, I will not only give hope to others who may be facing their own difficult realities of life, but someone with more knowledge about this than me will come alongside me to offer hope and encouragement. It has been hard for me honestly. I'm one who likes to feel like she is in control, but I'm not with this; I'm utterly dependent on God for His help and guidance in how to parent Caleb through these diagnosis'. I'm so thankful to have my husband who holds me up in my moments of weakness. I'm thankful to God for His grace that has been my strength through this entire time, and it's only because of His grace that I'm now facing reality head-on.

I've shed many tears over Caleb in this last year. I'm ready now to dig in deep to research and learn all I can for the sake of Caleb. He is my joy, so innocent and loving, and I thank God that He chose me to be Caleb's mother.

Walking in His Grace,

Laurie