Looking back, most people wouldn’t say that writing essays and term papers was even in their top ten favorite memories of school.  But I would.  But I just happen to enjoy writing.  As a homeschooling mom, I figured teaching my own flesh and blood to write would be a piece of cake.  I mean, a love of writing is surely a trait passed down in the DNA, right?

It would appear not.

My kids are more of the math & science type, like their dad.   Since we do much of our homeschooling online anyway, I started looking online for suggestions on how to teach reluctant writers.  I had my daughter do the online lessons, and she learned about writing business letters, and the differences in storytelling, creative writing, expository writing, etc.  It was all great stuff, but eventually you’ve got to just bite the bullet and go for the big one….writing a paper!

She chose a topic based on a class for homeschoolers we attended at a local park.  It was about the terrible flood our city endured a century ago, and it really caught her interest.  So she spoke to the instructor when class was over, got some recommendations for additional reading, and headed to the library.  We also toured one of the dams built to protect the city from another severe flood, and she had a great time.

She followed the steps she learned in her homeschool writing class, and soon she was engrossed in the task of writing, proofreading, editing, revising, and making a bibliography.  I sat by and watched, amazed.  It was working!  She was writing, and she learned it online!

I think the key was that she not only chose a topic that interested her personally. (No kid wants to write a paper on some boring, assigned topic…and neither did you!)  She was also able to get out and about, touring the dam and interviewing some of the volunteers there.  Learning how to write online worked for her because I was able to help her make the transition to real life.   She learned the skills online, and then applied them in a practical way in her world.

Of course, I feel completely relieved.  My child can write!  But does it work the other way?  I wonder if my daughter can teach me some math & science?