Brave Writer

[sditz1]

For those using Brave Writer with their child, would you share how you impilment it in your schooling? What you are using and how often?

Thanks

[Elfknitter.#]

:lurk5:

[Elisabeth in IL]

I'd like to know as well!

[Bula Mama]

Hum, will try to answer since no one else has! It's been a while since I've used it, though. Haven't been homeschooling the last couple of years but will start again soon with my youngest, so back on the boards. :001_smile:

 

When we started I had my then around 10 and 12 year-olds freewrite a couple of times a week (explained in the book). Then when we had a collection of their thoughts on paper I would have them choose one to work on towards a finished piece of writing. Julie gives a lot of advice in the book on how to do this but basically it's focusing on one skill at a time and not overwhelming the kid with everything all at once and moving on from skill to skill. We tried to end up with at least one piece of work that they had worked on polishing per month. They also wrote reports, etc, for their other subjects but this was just for writing.

 

With my then 7yo I would have him narrate something short to me and I would write things down for him. Basically we'd do the same process on a more elementary scale, but mostly focusing on him learning to express his thoughts in a comfortable way at that age.

 

We also did a weekly tea time where we'd read poetry, Shakespeare, do art appreciation that they would talk about, etc. This would often include them sharing their finished works with each other.

 

I have to say that my oldest who is now 18 and has just started college (in a different country from me, sniff!) sent me something that she wrote yesterday to look over for her. It was a subject that she is passionate about (our work in India) and I must say I was a proud mom to see what she expressed on the page! I think some of that credit at least has to go to Bravewriter!

Edited February 17, 2012 by Bula Mama

[tammyw]

I don't know if we are doing it correctly, but this is what we do:

 

- Freewrites a couple times a week. Mostly she chooses her own topic, but I did recently buy this and sometimes she will pick out a picture from this book and write about that. Sometimes she writes a story, sometimes a poem. I don't really set a timer - I just have her write how long it takes. Oh also, I tell her not to worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness when she is creatively writing. That's to worry about separately, and I don't want anything technical getting in the way of creativity.

- We haven't yet started the editing process. We will at some point.

- We do tea and poetry once a week (even ds loves this). Including baked goods is important :)

- I do The Arrow lessons once a week usually, though we're taking a break for a couple weeks on these because we're finishing reading The Penderwicks. I like how this incorporates reading of a good book!

- Library - we're huge library users, but honestly I order almost everything online and just pick it up. My ordering is across the board - living books (science, math, history), highly recommended fiction books, etc. Most importantly, I take the books she loves and order ALL the books like those. For example, she has read pretty much every single American Girl book, ever. She just finished up reading all the mystery books in the series, for example. Whenever a book is recommended here as a favorite, I usually order it. Classics or books I think we will read several times, I often order from Amazon. Well loved series, I usually order on Amazon.

 

In addition, though not Bravewriter focused, I have dd write all her own thank you cards, I encourage her to write letters to friends occasionally, and just write whenever the mood takes her. Nothing is forced though. If she says "don't read this", that's okay too.

[momto2Cs]

We're in the process of implementing this, mainly using suggestions from the Brave Writer Lifestyle while I read through The Writer's Jungle. Here's a basic rundown of what we do...

 

Poetry time - once weekly

Freewrite (just ds) - once weekly

Narrations: each child does two narrations a week, one for history and one for science. Ds10 does written ones, dd8 does oral ones, which I write down and have her copy.

Copywork: dd's narrations, so 2x weekly. I have them do poetry copywork a couple of times a month. Ds10 is working on his cursive with copywork a couple of times a week.

Other - ds is working on a report on dragons, which will take him a month to complete. We used the writing project suggestions for the basic format of how he tackles this project.

We also go to the library weekly, keep nature journals, ds keeps a personal journal off and on, we do art and music appreciation with oral narration, etc.

[sditz1]

I am so excited about this and so is my daughter. She is young, turned 6 in November. She is doing very well with copy work, narrations and dictation was just started this month. I will continue with WWE 2 because it works well for her. She loves to write and edit, so free writing will be great. I may wait til summer to start that, but who knows she may not let me wait. I hope to start tea time and movie watching in spring. Nature journaling is a wonderful idea, she loves nature. She already writes penpals around once a week. Oh, thank you and holiday cards are always being made.

 

What about Arrow? I would like to pick and choose past ones. And has anyone used Arrows fairy tales, myths and legends, or poetry?

Thanks