Laura Bourdo

> Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 23:51:23 -0400
> From: "Laura Johnson" <lauraj2@...>
> Subject: a question about formal writing & unschooling
>
> I'm wondering, is it possible to help a child prepare for college or even
some standardized test they may have to take in regards to formal writing in
an unschooling way.


I'm answering this two days late, and I don't know yet what others have
suggested (as I still have a lot of reading to catch up on), but here's how
we've been approaching this situation.

First and foremost, I waited until Liam expressed an interest in critical
reading and formal writing. For the first three years that he was at
home -- I pulled him from school in 8th grade -- he showed no interest at
all, so I left it completely alone. He read for pleasure, but not a lot.
School had pretty much driven that desire out of him, and I knew that he
would have to rediscover that desire in his own way and time.

Second, I honestly didn't know if he would regain that desire to read or
would develop the desire to write formally before he went off to college
(which he has always stated he wants to do), so I was prepared to have him
take remedial courses if necessary. Don't forget that this is always an
option. It is a myth that high schoolers graduate ready to read and write
at a college level. Many, many don't, in my experience. Almost everyone
from our district's schools needs some sort of remediation, and for
homeschoolers to be on equal footing, a single course at the community
college level can work wonders for these skills.

Once Liam did come to me and express his wish to develop these skills prior
to college entrance, however, I told him that it wouldn't take long at all
for him to fine-tune these skills. Once the internal motivation is there,
it doesn't take much. It's really very simple.

We began by reading together. He chose books from an online list of college
prep literature -- _To Kill a Mockingbird_ was the first. Great book.

I did my own research about critical reading, and explained to him the
concepts of symbolism, metaphor, themes, foreshadowing, etc. Just basic
stuff. I asked for him to keep these concepts in mind as he read.

We meet once a week at a nearby coffee house with his favorite 'cool' aunt,
who also loves literature, and we then discuss the book over lattes. Very
cool. I have reviewed in advance the online SparkNotes for the text, and
keep these ideas in mind as we talk. I keep it as natural a discussion as
possible. I don't think he's even aware of the preparation I've done, or of
the ways I gently direct the conversation at times.

After we finish the book, we try to watch a movie treatment of it. That was
easy with _Mockingbird_. Great movie, too.

He had really surprised me by asking to be shown how to write a formal
paper, but he knows how he'll be asked to do that in college, so I showed
him. I asked him to think of the major themes he found in _Mockingbird_,
then we narrowed the list down and I helped him to write a strong thesis
statement from these ideas. Then I let him run with it after explaining the
basic essay structure of five paragraphs, three points, etc.

I did encourage him to do a rough draft, then a second, corrected draft,
before producing a third. He went along with it, but I could tell that he
wasn't sure why it was necessary. The next one we did, I didn't ask for the
rough drafts, and he saw that his final product wasn't as well-developed.

I also asked him if he wanted me to get involved with his grammar, spelling,
and punctuation. He said no. He wanted to do it his own way. That was
fine. I did tell him, though, that college professors wouldn't be so easy
on him, and that if he wants direction in this area too, I'm available.
He'll make his own choices there, and that's fine with me.

This is the first time since he came home that I have been so directive, but
I console myself that it is at his request.

If your kiddo hasn't started asking for this stuff yet, I would simply wait.
How old is s/he? Are you even certain that s/he wants to go to college?

However, as I've seen myself, it doesn't take long at all to get the hang of
it once the internal drive is there.

Laura B.