advice

[wingedradical]

okay, a have a 2xE child. She just finished her junior year. She is already all the way through calculus, she has done Biology and Chemistry, Child Development (her choice since she wants to go into social work. 10 grade we did World History, this past year gov/ec. Next year we need to do American history and finish statistics, which we started after finishing calculus. She also had 4 years of Spanish and has some opportunities to use it.

 

Now the bad news.

 

She had trouble writing papers. She has great grammar. She knows the parts. She just freezes and can't do it. She says she can't think of anything. She has never really written a satisfactory paper for her age, imo.

 

However, I am very torn. She is bi-polar. She is doing very well in that respect since getting on the right meds. She also has a history of abuse and I'm not sure the damage from that is healed yet. I think she is terrified of writing her opinions. In the past, they were criticized and she felt she was stupid. Obviously, she isn't stupid but she is still afraid she is. And finally, she is socially immature and had problems sometimes with working memory (and severe distraction - distraction is how she protected herself against abuse -- she just shut it out. Now she shuts things out from habit, sometimes, i think.

 

Anyway....this is new for me. My sons, whom I schooled, were both natural writers.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience at a similar age who can offer some advice on what book/curriculum I might use this las year? I have both The Elegant Essay and I have the Lovely _______of Writing (sorry, can't recall the name but the one from the 50's or 60's that people like. We have used EIW in the past, but only the intros, not the subject ones. 

 

This child (okay, young woman!) has ability -- i just don't know how to draw it out in time.  I am of the opinion that if you know how to write and learn, you don't need anything else for college. Yes, lab sciences and calculus are nice but if you know how to write and learn, you can and will learn them if you want to. But I do fear what is going to happen on her college papers if things don't get much better in the next year. She will be going to the community college at first (9th grade, before she came to us, pretty much put an end to any thought of a scholarship) - actually, she is already accepted there - she had to take their entrance tests to take a choir class she took - but I want her to write like a first year college student in any school -- or better!

[OneStepAtATime]

:grouphug:

I do not have direct advice.  My children are younger and while they do have writing issues, their situation is different.  We will be using IEW in the fall, along with Fix-It Grammar and some other sources.  Not sure if any of that would help your situation.  But I did want to send you hugs.

 

Your DFD sounds very bright.  She has made it through quite a few hard courses.  Yeah to her and to you!  Congratulations to you both on getting this far and doing so well.

 

Is your DFD in therapy?  And has she had an evaluation to determine if there are other underlying issues?  Like through a neuropsychologist?  This may not be necessary.  Just shooting in the dark, really.

 

And I was wondering if you and she had considered delaying going to college a year to give her more time to adjust and heal and catch up in areas that she is behind?

 

Hopefully someone else will respond that is coming from a better knowledge base.

 

Best wishes.

[Laurie]

okay, a have a 2xE child. She just finished her junior year. She is already all the way through calculus, she has done Biology and Chemistry, Child Development (her choice since she wants to go into social work. 10 grade we did World History, this past year gov/ec. Next year we need to do American history and finish statistics, which we started after finishing calculus. She also had 4 years of Spanish and has some opportunities to use it.

 

 

 

Has anyone had a similar experience at a similar age who can offer some advice on what book/curriculum I might use this las year? I have both The Elegant Essay and I have the Lovely _______of Writing (sorry, can't recall the name but the one from the 50's or 60's that people like. We have used EIW in the past, but only the intros, not the subject ones. 

 

 

If she is already familiar with IEW, maybe you might want to try their theme-based lessons for US History since she'll be studying that next year.  I would take a look at the sample lessons on their website and see what you think...and you would need to begin with the first book.

 

I would also check out the website for the community college she'll attend.  My ds is just finishing his AA degree, and I've been really impressed with the amount of support that's available for students at his school.  They provide free tutoring in a variety of subjects.   My ds got A's in both of his composition classes,  and they did a lot of "peer editing" during class.   From what he told me, not all college students are ready for English 101...but thankfully the college also offers a variety of English classes to help those students.  I would definitely find out what resources are available.    

[Heathermomster]

Maybe look at IEW.  I believe they sell an essay writing intensive.  IEW also has an IEW Yahoo Group.  Maybe go there and ask about options.

[PeterPan]

My dd is a year younger than yours, but my dad is bipolar.  I celebrate with you getting her stable on meds!  That's a life-altering accomplishment.  

 

As far as the writing, I would say those things you're considering are very vague and open-ended.  IEW is structured and nasty (personal opinion, not a statement that no one on the planet should use it).  If she has had IQ testing, how were her verbal scores?  That math is crazy strong, and is her verbal also strong?  If she is, if I could humbly suggest, you might go over to PA homeschoolers and pick an AP English Lang class that looks like it could handle her.  You'd really need a teacher with her head on her shoulders to moderate stuff, but it could actually be a really good dynamic.  She's clearly bright enough, and it would be short, frequent, clearly defined writing tasks.  Not only would she get practice receiving criticism, but she'd get the chance to GIVE criticism, which might be really good for her.  It would be a social dynamic with clear structure.  You might need to explain the social rules for that (the unwritten ones) and how that works, but it could actually be really confidence-building for her.

[SadieMarie]

Have you looked at Bravewriter? I just purchased and am reading it and like it. I have talked too others who love it.

http://www.bravewriter.com

[Pen]

If you can afford it, an online BraveWriter online class  (or 2) might be a help. Probably Kidswrite Intermediate or the Essay class for high school students if that is not too advanced.

 

Our Kidswrite Basic class actually had some 16 and 17 year olds who were writing phobic in it--but I think it was at too low a level for them. Most of the kids were around 10 to 12 and there was relatively little writing compared to observation exercises and the like.  

 

I think sign ups for summer classes may be right now!