No more Writing Blues..

He can read like a 2nd grader, does math like a 5th graders and writes like a hummmmm…a kindergartener!

This is my J-man.  And it was very evident that he needed some help in writing.  I knew from classroom experience, as a public school teacher, that writing is really an art.  And kids flourish, in writing, when they are given the opportunity to write and share with their peers.  But how in the world was that going to work as a homeschooler?  I knew that the 5 year old and the 2 year old in the house were NOT going to help me this time!

Well…this was my solution.  Let's form a weekly Writer's Club (notice it's not a class, because a CLUB is much cooler)

As a classroom teacher, I was NEVER given the option or opportunity to hand-pick my own students.  I had emailed a few moms about this idea of a “Writer’s Club” and they were in!  I had writers that were proficient and I had writers that barely knew their letter sounds.  And that was just what J needed!

So I rounded up my students and we began Writer’s Club.  The purpose and goal of this club was to embrace and enjoy writing.  To celebrate and share ideas and collaborate as a team of young writers.  

And I can proudly say that is just what happened…and it was beautiful.

Every Monday, for 4 weeks, I would walk these amazing kids down to our local library.  The other moms (being the saints that they are) would commit to staying and playing with all the others back at our house.  It was the perfect set-up!  J got time doing some purposeful learning with his friends (and away from his brothers) while N and MiniM got to socialize with kids of their own ages. 

While at the library, our Writer's Club would learn and write for about 1 hour, walk back to my house and then have a GIANT playdate and picnic.

Turning and talking to our writing buddies about our writing topics and ideas

J planning his Kylo Ren book out on chart paper

The crew doing a round table share of their homework before class started.

The littles enjoying their picnic!

Every kid deserves a light saber fight after their writing lesson, right?

After everyone had played and ate lunch, each writer would share.  They would proudly share their work...not with their peers, but with their parents and even better their siblings.  Smiles were shared, applauds were given and proud writers beamed as their took their bow for their hard-days work.

 

MiniM even decided that he deserved a chance to share his "writing".  This moment, seriously, brought tears to my eyes! 

 But the fun didn't end there!  The last day of our sessions were ALWAYS the Publishing Party!  This was end of the finish line, the performance after all the practice...this made it all worth it! 

Before our party, our class work would be preparing for THIS!  We brought my laminator.  We bound books using my binding machine.  We put the finishing touches on this young writer's work so that this moment could become a great memory for all!

During our 2nd session, we wrote a non-fiction class book titled "All About Animals"

So my Mommy Mission was accomplished!  J is writing independently now, creating his very own books (usually about Whales).  He even started sending emails to Daddy at work, just about every day...all by himself.

His confidence was lifted.  His attitude towards writing clearly changed.  

And it was ALL with the help of these...

AMAZING WRITERS!