www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
Check out free events hosted by your
library;that;fit;your;schedule;and;convic-tions.;Some;libraries;put;on;plays;based
on;children’s;classics;such;as;The Tale of
Peter Rabbit and The Wind in the Willows.
Taking;small,;everyday;steps;in;learning
your;child’s;interests;strengthens;family
bonds;and;your;child’s;personal;discern-ment.;Children;approaching;high;school
need;just;as;much;input!
As;you;unfurl;your;sails;a;bit;more,
provide;opportunities;to;dramatize;Bible
stories;you;may;read;for;family;devotions
or;in;Bible;class!;Seeing;the;Scriptures
come;to;life;allows;them;to;experience
narrative;flow;in;a;safe,;Biblically-based
point;of;view.;Island;hop;to;reading;a
poem;every;morning;or;evening,;and;at-tune;their;ears;to;rhyme;and;meter;and
how;these;elements;affect;language.;Fun-ny;poems;about;the;weather,;favorite;ani-mals,;trips;to;grandma’s;house,;and;other
whimsical;topics;abound;in;a;delightful
collection entitled Favorite Poems Old
and New, selected;by;Helen;Ferris. Sail
on;by;listening;to;pieces;of;classical;mu-sic;that;present;a;fun;writing;activity.;Sit
in;a;circle,;discuss;what;your;children
think;the;music;is;saying,;and;write;a;few
sentences;based;on;their;thoughts.;Every
swelling;tide;you;cross;with;your;young
writer is a lighthouse beacon, guiding
them;to;the;joy;of;writing.
A;lighthouse;stands;not;only;as;a;guide
along;the;shore;but;also;as;a;warning
light;for;voyagers;to;beware;of;the;rocks
lurking;beneath;the;surface;of;the;waves.
Three;potential;shoals;face;every;young
writer;and;his;family.
Perhaps;one;of;the;greatest;hazards
is falling into the mindset that your
child’s;writing;is;another;stack;of;pa-pers;added;to;the;load;of;grading;you
already have. When school days are
long;and;other;responsibilities;beckon,
it;is;easy;to;lump;writing;time;in;with
the;rest;of;a;typical;school;day;in;your
household.;Grading;may;seem;like;an
excellent incentive for proper spelling, grammar, and neat handwriting;
however,;the;sheer;joy;of;seeing;words
flow and come together springs from
a;confident;writer!;Confidence;thrives
in;an;environment;where;writing;time
is;kept;separate;from;English;class;and
enjoyed;as;a;family;activity.
Encourage;younger;children;to;tell;you
their;story;aloud;as;you;write;it;out;for
them,;and;then;allow;them;to;illustrate
their;work;with;pictures!
If;your;child;is;by;nature;a;poor;speller,
encourage;him;to;take;a;list;of;words;that
are;difficult;for;him;and;incorporate;them
into;a;story;or;a;funny;poem!;The;reality
is;that;an;abundance;of;writing;improves
spelling;abilities;and;grammar;issues;over
time.;In;my;personal;journey;as;a;writer,
this;philosophy;helped;my;spelling;great-ly.;Save;early;poems;and;short;stories;in;a
binder,;so;as;your;child;grows;he;can;look
back;over;the;happy;times;you;spent;cre-atively;together;outside;of;your;classroom.
Discuss what;your;children;are;writing
and;want;to;write;about;in;the;future.;Pos-itive;interaction;from;you;as;the;parent
blows;a;fresh;wind;into;their;creative;sails!
Another;potential;danger;is;a;total;lack
of;interaction;or;too;much;interaction
with;only;one;age;group.;Writers;need
people! How can your children accu-
rately;understand;human;nature;if;never
exposed;to;those;outside;of;their;own;age
bracket?;Safely;participating;in;a;commu-
nity;activity;will;add;depth;to;your;child’s
writing;;look;up;events;in;your;local;area
that;best;fit;your;personal;schedule;and
convictions.;Bring;others;into;your;home
by;inviting;older;couples;from;church;for
an;evening;of;dessert;and;table;games,;or
invite;other;homeschooling;families;over
for;an;afternoon;of;creative;play.
Spending;less;time;in;front;of;a;screen
and;keyboard;benefits;everyone!;Tech-nology;affects;most;aspects;of;our;every-day;lives,;but;taking;the;time;to;write;a
handwritten;letter;or;note;to;a;relative;or
friend;connects;our;hand;to;our;hearts.
Writing;is;most;relevant;when;you;reach
out;to;others.
Ephesians 4: 29 says, “Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth
. . . that it may minister grace unto the
hearers.”
;Set;the;sails;of;your;creative;jour-ney;today,;bravely;living;out;the;reality;of
a;creative;ministry!;No;matter;where;your
child;may;go;when;he;is;grown,;writing
from;a;“Godward” 1;heart;will;offer;grace
to;a;lost;and;lonely;world.
RachelAnn Rogish resides in North Wildwood, NJ. Homeschooled from age four
through high school, Rachel is excited to
give back to the mission of quality home
education through a creative ministry.
After her time in university studies, Rachel
is writing her first novel, helping in her
parent’s ministry, and preparing for her
wedding. You can follow her literary journey on Facebook.
Endnote:
1.;Kirk,;Daniel.;Writing from the Heart: Creative
Writing for the Godward Life; Ft.;Worth:;God-
ward;Ministries,;1999.
The;reality;is;that;an
abundance;of;writing
improves;spelling
abilities;and;grammar
issues;over;time.
