funnygirl Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 It took two hours and 40 minutes of encouragement (and arguing :glare:), but the keys on the computer are finally clicking for today's free writing assignment. It is unbelievable how much anxiety dd has about writing. And I just read the "college" thread and feel like we'll never get the amount of output we need to even come close. I've been VERY relaxed about writing...there is absolutely NO pressure. In fact, she hasn't done any free writing in at least a month. So today I came to her with a FUN assignment, based on her latest obsession, American Girl dolls. Of course she found a way to throw it in my face. :angry: I stayed cool and waited it out, and she's finally doing it. Homeschooling may kill me. Anyone else?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 :grouphug: I feel your pain, my dd (11) is the same way with writing. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) It took two hours and 40 minutes of encouragement (and arguing :glare:), but the keys on the computer are finally clicking for today's free writing assignment. It is unbelievable how much anxiety dd has about writing. And I just read the "college" thread and feel like we'll never get the amount of output we need to even come close. I've been VERY relaxed about writing...there is absolutely NO pressure. In fact, she hasn't done any free writing in at least a month. So today I came to her with a FUN assignment, based on her latest obsession, American Girl dolls. Of course she found a way to throw it in my face. :angry: I stayed cool and waited it out, and she's finally doing it. Homeschooling may kill me. Anyone else?? Yes, I wanted to pinch my son's head off last Tuesday. DH was gone for a week and Koopa had a five paragraph essay due. He wrote one paragraph every two days until the rough draft was completed. Please don't be discouraged by the college thread. I just met with an O-G tutor today that specializes in teaching kids with learning differences and is certified to teach IEW. I observed her teaching three kids today and secured her for tutoring next year. Maybe you can do the same. I'm relieved to have her teach DS and never believed such tutors were possible. Edited April 23, 2012 by Heathermomster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gisele Marie Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 My girlie has such a hard time writing she protests writing more than 1 paragraph :(. I'm curious to learn what writing programs others use! Hang in there!! Gisele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gisele Marie Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Not sure why this posted twice!! Sorry- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Uh, just as a suggestion, I don't try to make the assignments fun and I don't try to connect them to her interests. It's just this "throw it in your face" kind of age unfortunately. So if I have her outlining, I had her the magazine and tell her she may chose an article from that particular magazine. Or I pick the actual article, if the level of difficulty matters to me (making sure it's an easy starter). And actually, I would suggest you go in the opposite direction, writing MORE, not less. But don't make it so personal or trying to be so fun. Make it short, do-able, and with something where she can have SOME measure of choice or interest. Short, small doses so they get in the habit of expecting it. It's not like *not* doing it makes it any easier. This isn't something she's going to grow into. It's going to be something she does in little doses till those little doses get a little easier. None of that is to say I'm picky on WHAT they write. We've done Anti-Coloring books and journal prompts and dictation and all sorts of stuff over the years. I was just looking at this List-making journal that was absolutely positively the coolest thing ever. I think others have talked about the value of list-making for developing channels in the brain. At this very moment I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy it! Rainbow Resource had it, and it was VERY cool. But a little bit of effort like that every day, just 2-3 minutes, can really get the juices flowing. A little bit of dictation a day or copywork, just one or two sentences, can build up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) We've done Anti-Coloring books and journal prompts and dictation and all sorts of stuff over the years. I was just looking at this List-making journal that was absolutely positively the coolest thing ever. I think others have talked about the value of list-making for developing channels in the brain. At this very moment I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy it! Rainbow Resource had it, and it was VERY cool. But a little bit of effort like that every day, just 2-3 minutes, can really get the juices flowing. A little bit of dictation a day or copywork, just one or two sentences, can build up. Would you please link to these resouces? I'm looking at RR and don't quite see what you are talking about. Edited April 23, 2012 by Heathermomster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funnygirl Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 I've tried fun, no-fun, interests, non-interests, one sentence, five sentences, outlines, you name it. She just DOES NOT want to write. Boo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 DS wrote a couple of book reports using examples from this book...I found the ideas while a member of the teacherfilebox site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I've tried fun, no-fun, interests, non-interests, one sentence, five sentences, outlines, you name it. She just DOES NOT want to write. Boo. Then it's time to outsource. We outsourced to a co-op class this year, and it was HUGELY motivating to her. Thing is, the teacher still wasn't making sure she was really getting the structure. So if I could suggest, outsource to a one-on-one situation with someone who is experienced with SN who will make sure it's really clicking. I'll just throw out a couple misc. ideas. Sometimes it's a working memory problem, like they just have trouble holding all those thoughts in their head and getting them out. (work on working memory) Sometimes it's an output problem, like the handwriting isn't automatic and is taking up part of her mental RAM or the typing isn't fast enough and automatic enough yet. (work on typing and handwriting) Sometimes it's that they don't really have a FOUNDATION of thought to word and word to written. (back up and do oral narration that builds to you writing the narration that builds to her taking over, do dictation) Sometimes the problem is they aren't very motivated to do what mom says. (outsource) Sometimes it's that the expectations are very VAGUE. (Writing Skills by Diana King or IEW) Sometimes it's that they don't know what to say (start with a source) Sometimes it's an initiation hump. (have to sit there a while in agony, staring at the paper till blood flows from their forehead, then the stuff comes tumbling out) If any of those resonate with you, sometimes it means there's things precursor skill that you need to work on. And you don't necessarily work on it via WRITING. When you play a board game that uses working memory and TALK about what you're doing (Ticket to Ride is awesome for this), you're building skills that will carry over to writing. Yllek has talked about some list-making activities her SLP does with her ds that can help with the initiation and thought organization. The Linguisystems workbooks and whatnot can help you work on working memory and mindmapping. You're not overtly WRITING or making her hate writing, but you're coming at those skills other ways, kwim? Keep playing detective. Hopefully you can figure out where the hole is. It's also just an ugly age. That's why I think it's *ok* to work on these skills any which way, even an odd way (board games and the Toontastic app and...), because they're going to get past these hormones in a couple years and be ready to blossom. At least that's what people are saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funnygirl Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 because they're going to get past these hormones in a couple years and be ready to blossom. At least that's what people are saying. PLEASE let it be true!!! I am using the Bravewriter approach, which starts with a VERY relaxed approach to writing. Anything that she writes down on paper counts (lists, instructions, etc.) Then we do one free-write per week for 8 weeks. That's the part that's tricky...as I said it's like pulling teeth. BUT, I'm not ready to give up on it yet, as we need as few battles as possible at our house. Also, I really like the BW approach to writing (from my own perspective as a writer it makes a ton of sense). And to my great surprise, today dd got right onto the computer to continue what she started yesterday, and she has been willing to tweak the exercise to include more of her "own" ideas (rather than copying from a source). So, back to the title of my post, I just have to be patient. I need more chocolate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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