Writing overkill? (3rd grade)

[jenL]

As a former 8th grade Language Arts teacher who has seen what has happened to writing in schools, teaching writing well is extremely important to me. However, I'm worried about overkill and causing my boys to hate it. Could you help me sort through this?

 

This year, we've done WWE and R&S English 2 (some exercises ds writes, most are oral). Ds also does copywork 2x/week for Bible. He's begun writing narrations for history and science, and he will continue this for 3rd grade.

 

For next year's writing, I am planning to use WS 3 and R&S English 3. Since R&S 3 introduces diagramming and paragraph writing, ds will be writing for more lessons than he's done this year.

 

Will this be too much? I'm worried about burnout, but he needs to know how to write well.

 

Fwiw, ds does not enjoy writing, but he will do it with little resistance (at this point).

 

Suggestions are welcome too! :001_smile:

[mom2boys030507]

:grouphug:

I stress more over figuring out writing than anything else.

 

My son is currently in Unit 3 of R&S Grammar 3. I have not found the amount of writng to be much more than in 2. I have him do most things orally with some written practice. Mostly, when he is given an assignment to put in Capitols correctly. He can tell me orally correctly everytime but if he is required to write them the get forgotten. Anyway, my son also writes narrations in history and science about one for each per week. Also his bible is all narrations after declaring that he knew the entire bible. This was our middle ground and now he feels like he is learning bible again.

 

Burn out, yes it is a scary thing lingering in the unsettled school book dust. I am slowly learning that I up the amount of writing required very slowly. If I know on thing is going to be more writting then no other subject can increase in writing for at least two weeks preference would be four. This might seem a long time but then it is all second nature and the next assignment is almost embraced because it is something new.

 

I hope this makes some sense, it is late and I feel like I am rambling.

[PeterPan]

Jennifer, you're going to structure the R&S3 paragraph writing so it becomes the natural, logical step up, a single step up, from what he's already doing with his subject narrations. When you do that, he'll be fine.

 

Now, wanna come over to the Logic/Middle grades board and play? I'm BEGGING you, come over and talk 8th gr LA! I'm going to start a thread over there, specifically asking you to come. Pretty please... :)

[PeterPan]

As promised, here's the thread on the LM board where we'd love to hear your comments. :)

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2740571#post2740571