Everyone likes to argue, especially when they get to be about 12 years old. “No, Dr. Lybrand, I have a quiet 12-year-old.” Well, maybe you have the exception, but something is wrong. Quiet people just argue in their heads, while other-than-quiet-people...
One of the big challenges I face in teaching kids to write is getting mom and dad to chill out about writing well. Most of us lock up when too much is on the line! The Ugly Truth is that no one can learn much of anything without practice (especially...
It’s always nice to find out you are not alone 🙂 I ran across this article recently and felt like I wasn’t alone for a moment. Of course, you are not alone either! Writing requires a million different skills all at once We underestimate or are unaware of...
How Do You Grow A Good Reader? As one who spends lots of my time promoting writing (see The Writing Course), you might wonder about the connection. Well, there isn’t much of a mystery; the more we read, the more possibilities flow toward our writing! I realize...
After being challenged on it, I sat down and made up this process for a book report. I wish I had put this together for my kids, but basically we did something similar as we homeschooled. 1. Keep the goal in mind: You want the child intelligently interacting with the...
Does Learning Have to be Fun to be Successful? So, clearly fun in-and-of-itself is not the aim of education in most of our minds. And yet, if we can make it fun, good. The problem (in my own way of thinking) is that FUN as too high of a priority works like salt...