Tag: writing

Writing mini-workshop

Last year I met Sarah through the writing of Jim Baumgardner and now he is helping others in their endeavor to write well or teach their children to write well. This is the third and final installment of the series ‘Fundamentals of Story Writing” by Jim Baumgardner of the Sarah Books Series, hosted over at Creative Learners.

Mr. Baumgardner, an award winning author, has shared with us over the last 2 months free lessons in story writing for our homeschool students of any age!  Thess articles have blessed my family, and many more! You can see the original articles by clicking here for #1 and here for #2.

For today’s third and final installment in the series, check out Creative Learners.

Writing programs

There are many great programs to help develop your child’s writing skills.

You may have heard of or used Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW), or Writing Strands, or Write Shop, or a number of other programs.

I also recently came across this website that shares lots of great writing tips, In Our Write Minds. (written by a Write Shop author)

Last year I had the privilege of reviewing a well-written book called Sarah’s Wish. The author, Jim Baumgardner, has started writing a short series of posts to help parents help kids write.

Since writing is an area we plan to spend some time on we enjoyed reading the first post for our group Composition time today. He focuses on how to come up with ideas for your writing projects and his ideas really helped the wheels start turning in our house.

Check out his full post at Creative Learners, and be inspired!

Institute for Excellence in Writing

If you already use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, are interested in learning more about this much sought after writing curriculum, or if you just want some general help in teaching writing to your children, there are a couple Webinars coming up that you might be interested in.

IEW has announced that they will host webinars twice each month on the 1st and 3rd Monday. You must register for these in order to participate, but they are free to registered participants.

The rest of the details came straight from IEW:

Monthly Webinars on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, 7:30-8:30 PM CST:

  • Monday, March 1: Assessing Student Writing for Experienced IEW Families
    Click here to register.
    Join Andrew Pudewa as he shares some salient points on this important topic and answers your questions on writing, thinking, and speaking.
  • Monday, March 15: Experience Excellence in Writing
    (Registration will open soon)
    Join Laura House as she shares on the value of incorporating IEW methods and materials into your home school

Midwest Creation Fellowship Writing Contest

MCF logo

Midwest Creation Fellowship, PO Box 952, Wheaton, IL 60187 PH: 847-223-4730

The Midwest Creation Fellowship is hosting their annual essay writing contest. Following are all the details taken from their website, as well as links to their website to answer any further questions you may have. They even refer you to an article on the Answers in Genesis site for more help in the actual writing of the paper.

Purpose: To encourage the development of skills in research, analysis and logical reasoning through preparing an effective presentation of a thesis in a creation-oriented paper.

Prizes: Senior High Level (Ages 14-18*)

  • $250 First Place
  • $100 Second Place
  • $75 Third Place

Junior High Level (Ages 11- 14*)

[NOTE: I think there is a typo on their site. The site lists both age categories as 14-18, but other material I have says Jr. High is 11-14, which I listed here. That makes more sense as well.]

  • $100 First Place
  • $50 Second Place
  • $25 Third Place

* Entrants 14 years old on April 30 may enter either Junior or Senior division

Topics: must strongly relate to the subject of creation vs. evolution, from a creationist perspective. Suggestions:

  • Why do cultures around the world…
    …have the same star constellations?
    …have very similar legends, such as a gigantic flood?
    …offer blood sacrifices to their god/s?
  • Reasons why I believe in creation
  • Vestigial organs: a vestigial argument
  • More topic suggestions

Note: MCF maintains a library-by-mail which can help supply resources for writing this paper! Join now to receive 1 year of access to over 600 titles of VHS, DVD, CD, print and audio media!

All entries become the property of MCF and will not be returned. Entrants will be notified by mail of their status, usually in July. Prize-winning entries may be reproduced and distributed by MCF. Winners may be invited to present their papers at an MCF meeting.

Rules:

  1. Entries will be accepted beginning January 1, and must be sent by April 30.
  2. Mail your entry to
    MCF Contest, P.O. Box 952
    Wheaton, IL   60187-0952
    OR email it as an attachment
    to info@MidwestCreationFellowship.org.
  3. If it’s an electronic document, send it as a .DOC, .WP, or . PDF file.
  4. Paper must be:
    • typewritten
    • double spaced
    • up to 1500 words for the Junior High or 2500 words for Senior High
    • graphics may be included
    • Give references to sources of ideas, quotes and graphics. (Footnotes, endnotes and title page do not count towards the word limit.)
  5. Entries will include the author’s:
    • first and last name
    • age
    • home address
    • phone number
    • email address
    • school
    • If you’re 14 on April 30, choose which Division to enter.
    Essays will be judged on:

  1. Biblical and scientific merit
  2. Ability to communicate ideas
  3. Creativity
  4. Technical ability (writing skills, grammar, etc.)
  5. Meeting all stated rules of the contest.

If you would like to see a sample of earlier winners, you can take a look at the 2009 newsletter.  Sounds like a great opportunity for a science and English assignment!

Looking for Phonics tutoring for your child?

Betty Davis, published author of How Jill Learned to Read Using Phonics and educator for more than ten years is offering resources and classes to children aged four through twelve in reading and writing. You may  check out her website at Funn with Phonics Tutoring.

She has designed this program that walk children through three main levels of reading mastery.

From her website
Level 1:

Students will clap , march, and sing as they learn the sounds of the alphabet. Art and other forms of media is used  to support the phonics concept that is being taught that  week.  Each week students’ are taught a new word family that is associated with a particular short vowel.

Level 2 and 3:

For students who are familiar with the word families associated with level one, level 2 focus on learning blends, while level three focuses on long vowels, digraphs, and diphthongs.

Based in McHenry County, Betty is available to meet at public libraries throughout the Northwest Suburbs.

For more information, feel free to contact her by email at: readingbooks52@comcast.net

Or see her website: http://www.funwithphonicstutoring.net/

Writing contest!

The following is from the HSLDA website:

This year, Patrick Henry College invites aspiring writers to answer the call – more specifically, A Call to Pens. PHC’s first short story competition for students ages 12-18 was set in motion last year by PHC student, Peter Forbes (now an alumnus of PHC) who wanted to support the college and give young writers an opportunity to create original works of fiction that thoughtfully reflected a Christian worldview. Over 250 students nationwide responded to the “call” with mature, well-written stories, and we eagerly await the response of participants this year.

A Call to Pens is a contest with a broader mission than winning prizes. If we wish to shape the culture, we must first engage it – in all aspects of life. Quality Christian literature engages the culture in a less direct manner than other vocations, but it is no less important.

For those interested in entering the contest, please visit www.phc.edu/acalltopens.php. There will be two separate divisions, each with a separate theme, based on age. Several cash prizes will be awarded to the top writers in each division. All proceeds of the competition will be given to PHC’s Annual Scholarship Fund. The entry deadline is December 30th, 2009; winners will be announced in March, 2010.

Homeschool Showcase

Another great edition of Homeschool Showcase is up over at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. As we gear up for another school year, check out some of the great posts for ideas to get your school year off with a bang.

One post that I noted includes 100 links to sites where you can buy, sell, trade, and even write books. So, if you are looking to expand (or clear out) your book inventory, you’ll want to check that out.

There’s lots more to enjoy so be sure to meander through the links.

IEW seminars coming up in the Chicago area

A Reminder…

Institute for Excellence in Writing
Announces events with Andrew Pudewa:

Elmhurst, IL (Chicago Area): August 4-6, 2009 – IEW Seminars
Hoffman Estates, IL (Chicago Area): 6, 2009 – Evening Event
Chicago, IL: August 7-8, 2009 – Chicago Homeschool Expo

Details and links below – Please forward this to friends and colleagues!

Elmhurst, IL (Chicago Area): August 4-6, 2009 – IEW Seminars
Details below, to register: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/events
Tues., 8/4: High School Essay Intensive
Wed. & Thurs., 8/5-6: Teaching Writing: Structure & Style

Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church
155 W. Brush Hill Road
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Hoffman Estates, IL (Chicago Area): August 6, 2009 – Evening Event
6:00pm-8:30pm No Registration Necessary!
Andrew Pudewa: Conquering Corrupt Culture by Raising Christian Communicators
& Classical Conversations’ Kim Cromer:
Going Beyond the Books–Practical Application for Classical Education

Korean Church of Chicago
1500 W Algonquin Rd
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

Chicago, IL: August 7-8, 2009 – Chicago Homeschool Expo
http://www.chicagohomeschoolexpo.com
Andrew’s Talks: ”Freedomship” Education Paradigm, Reaching the Reluctant Writer, Spelling and the Brain, Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day, Instant Improvement in Writing
Seminar Descriptions:

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style
A Two-Day Seminar for Teachers, Parents, Tutors, College Students
Cost: $89.00/participant (2nd family member ½ price)

The structure and style syllabus teaches models and techniques for English composition which logically build upon each other, allowing students to become familiar and competent with a variety of writing formats and styles. As opposed to many “creative” writing approaches, this more classical system stresses modeling and builds a firm foundation of specific skills.

Students first make a “key word outline” and then rewrite from their notes, thus being freed from the problem of what to write about, so they are able to clearly focus on how to write well. As they master each structural model and stylistic technique, they develop great confidence, and consequently great creativity. The syllabus then gradually moves the student from dictated content toward “the blank page” using:

Eight different structural models, including:
* Note making and summarizing from notes; limiting skills.
* Summarizing narrative stories with the story sequence chart.
* Summarizing references (without copying the encyclopedia).
* Library research reports using multiple references and fused outlines.
* Topic – clincher paragraph format, techniques for titling.
* Creative writing, letters and writing from pictures.
* Formal essays and critique formats.

The Syllabus in Style introduces specific techniques to help students:
* “Dress-up” each paragraph with six different tools.
* Use a variety of sentence “openers.”
* Judiciously choose literary “decorations.”
* Learn English grammar in the context of USING it, rather than just memorizing terms and identifying parts of speech.
High School Essay Intensive
A One-Day Seminar for High School age students and teachers
Cost: $50.00/participant (parents $25 if attending with student*)

The High School Essay Prep class is an excellent way to get immediate experience and inside tips on how to do your best on the timed, 25 minute response to a prompt required on the new SAT test. Participants will actually write two full essays, carefully study and then apply the College Board evaluation criteria to sample essays, while receiving a detailed booklet of resources and suggestions for continued practice.

Additionally, students will learn special structure and style tools for use in composing the college application “personal essay”an entirely different type of writing task. The complete process will be presented: choosing the question, creating the outline, and polishing a final version. Participants will leave with a clear concept of the task, their own outline for an actual personal essay, and several new tricks and techniques to add to their repertoire.

Although this seminar is specifically designed for those who will be taking the SAT or submitting college applications within the next 1-2 years (and especially those teaching such students), it is also useful for general writing practice, tools and tips. It is open to all students, regardless of their experience with IEW courses or materials. A lot of actual writing is done during this six-hour class.

*Parents who wish only to observe are welcome to do so, space available. Paying participants will receive a space at a table and a handout.

Institute for Excellence in Writing Workshops

Looking for help in teaching writing to your children? There are a number of workshops this summer that may be of interest to you.

A little about the teacher:

Linda Mikottis, a Special Education Consultant with the Institute for Excellence in Writing, offers writing workshops for students in grades 4-5, 6-8 and high school.  She also offers seminars for parents and teachers.   New classes are always being added.

Linda is an Accomplished Instructor with the Institute for Excellence in Writing and is a certified elementary education and special education teacher.   She has home schooled for the last 13 years.  She and her husband have graduated their oldest children and continue to teach their youngest son at home.

Teaching Writing: Structure and Style

Parent/Teacher Seminar

The only writing method you will ever need to teach writing to students in grades one through twelve!

July 10-11, 2009 in St. John, IN

Registration Deadline: June 26th, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Harvest Ridge Church Office Building (upstairs meeting room)

9495 Keilman

St. John, IN 46373

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

July 17-18, 2009 in Monee, IL

Registration Deadline: July 3rd, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30p.m.

Where:

Family of Faith Church

6645 W. Steger Rd.

Monee, IL

Cost: $89.00 Materials fee: $27.00

The Teaching Writing: Structure and Style two day seminar, gives you, the teacher, the skills needed to confidently model for your students how to outline and summarize, generate cohesive paragraphs, create stories, produce reports and critiques, develop essays, and put into writing the information hidden in their brains.

Writing Workshops
Registration Deadline: June 8, 2009

Classes available for various grade levels that cover outlines, note taking, narratives, “dress-up” your writing, and other useful tools and tasks.

Class size: Minimum 8, Maximum 15 per workshop

Cost: $75.00 (discounts for additional students in same family)

June 22-26th, 2009 in St. John, IN

For more information or to register contact Linda at linda@excellenceinwriting.com or 630-244-5735