How much writing for a 6yo boy?

[diaperjoys]

We're just getting back into the school routine. My oldest turned 6 over the summer, and is an avid reader (~3rd grade level). However, he still finds writing very tedious. How much writing is reasonable at this age? We want to help him exercise and develop those writing muscles, but not push him to the point of permanent hatred of schooling!

 

He does okay with his Writing With Ease assignment if that is the only writing during the day. But if I have him write out every math answer, and give him a couple BJU English worksheets it becomes quite a chore for him.

 

How much writing did your students do at this age?

 

Thanks!

[NavyWifeandMommy]

My almost 6 year old does handwriting for both letters and numbers three times a week. Everyday when we do something that is history/social studies and science. He has a journal book for draw a picture and then he writes a sentence or two about that. He's not writing on his own, I write and then he copies it. When Awana starts up he will be writing his verses a few times a week.

As soon as I started writing down what he says, it's been exciting to him. He's just amazed by it. He says something, I write it and then he copies it. I hope this excitment stays with him for the rest of the year. Then again we just started school this week and he's sort of excited to be doing big kid school now :)

[1GirlTwinBoys]

My daughter was 6 in March. I use the Startwrite program and type up a key idea from the HOD Bible/History lesson which is usually 2-3 sentences. There is space at the top of the paper for her to draw a picture depicting it. She also does her CLE 1st grade math. This is all the writing I have her do for now.

 

Her letter formation is very good so I need to move on to having her copy the sentences vs. tracing.

 

As soon as I started writing down what he says, it's been exciting to him. He's just amazed by it. He says something, I write it and then he copies it.

 

I love this idea too. :001_smile:

[FriedClams]

My 6 yo boy writes all his own answers in CLE LA (includes penmanship exercises), CLE Reading, Horizons Math 2, and filling in the answers in his Animals book (usually 2 pages per day). He also does any coloring and map work for MFW ECC (labeling, etc). The only thing I don't make him write in full is a mapwork book we're working through with ECC, but that's because it's an extra and fun (and for 3rd to 6th grade). I do have him rewrite anything horrid, and our rule is "if I can't read it, it's wrong" (mostly for math). I am a stickler because I have read so often that HSers are terrible writers and it's one area that so easy to let go. I also think kids get a lot from writing the answers and thinking about what they are doing - it just reinforces things in a way talking about it doesn't do.

[Testimony]

with the mom who said to have the child copy what he narrates. I believe that is a WTM approach.

 

The CM approach is to have the child copy from good writing. I would take a sentence from an excellent chapter book and have my sons copy that sentence. That is all you need for a six year old.

 

I would use a sentence from the Bible, or an E. B. White book (Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and Trumpet of the Swan) and have him copy a sentence. If he spells, anything wrong correct it immediately. I use the same sentence for a week. At the end of a week, on Friday, I dictate that sentence to them. So, he is learning copywork and dictation.

 

This is how I did it. I know my children spell well because we did a lot of copywork. So, by fourth grade, they should copy and entire paragraph.

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

Edited August 14, 2009 by Testimony
grammar

[Pretty in Pink]

My son copies a few lines (one to two lines, depending on length) of prose daily from whichever selection we are memorizing.

 

He completes one side of a math worksheet every day and sometimes a fact sheet as well.

 

He does 2 pages of ETC daily. I try to give him one page where he has to write words and another where he just has to X pictures.

 

He usually does a few pages from HWOT as well though I let this slide about once a week when he is tired of writing.

 

I write his narrations down and he does not trace or copy them yet.

[SilverMoon]

That sounds like both of my boys at that stage. My second boy is just starting first grade. He does copywork twice a week, whatever writing FLL1 assigns (also twice a week), spelling words, and a math page. The one day he has neither copywork or FLL is the day his spelling requires the most writing. I like to start my first graders slow to increase their confidence in themselves, then slowly ramp it up over the year. I expect by the end of first grade he'll be doing larger copywork assignments daily and FLL will be up to 3-4 times a week.