New Products!
The Arrow and Slingshot Evaluation and Planning Tools for Writing (that’s a mouthful) are now available for purchase. These are the June and July issues of 2005 that were created for both the Arrow and Slingshot so that moms could evaluate where their kids were developmentally in writing and then plan/create writing projects that would suit those skills. We’ve had so many requests for these issues that we finally figured out how to make them widely available.
Each one is over 25 pages long and contains a wealth of practical information as well as processes that will put you in touch with both your kids’s unique personalities and learning styles. You’ll also find a wealth of specific suggestions for writing assignments that will be tailor-made to who your kids are as well as what they will be studying. Both tools use a similar process for evaluation and planning, but the specific examples and the developmental stages that are outlined in each one are particularly suited to the age groups that usually use the Arrow and Slingshot.
For the Arrow, your kids ought to be between 8 and 12. For the Slingshot, between 13 and 18.
These tools are digital downloads similar to the Help for High School book.
Here’s what one mom had to say about using the Slingshot tool:
I am working through Slingshot Writing Tool. When I read through exercise one on the plane returning from Las Vegas, I thought it was “out-there,” not very practical. Certainly not logical. 🙂 But I needed something to do and I do like following through the steps in order so I couldn’t do the second step until I did the first step. I drew a circle because my son could never be predictable or put in a box. Then I followed your directions and still thought it was a little …weird. The only tag sentence beginning that seemed to fit was “I found myself drawing…” I filled a whole page!! Using your instructions I contemplated my 16 year old son-who he is, how he learns, what he communicates non-verbally, what makes him happy, frustrated, sad, angry and wrote on each of those aspects. Wow! is all I can say. Your exercise allowed me to look at him and “see” him in a way I hadn’t done before. (By drawing what seemed like a silly doodle and then writing about it.)
I realized this son of mine is not passive or hesitant. He is very determined, tenacious, and enthusiastic. He has great energy. Definite likes and dislikes. Learns by doing it. He enjoys being with his friends. He is very driven internally. He is not compliant about going along with my program. Trying to fit him into my logical linear way of thinking and doing life won’t work. He is going somewhere-he is not sure where and it could change. Anyhow, it does mean something to me. I am moving on the exercise two.
Thanks for that eye-opening exercise.
Brave Mom in Ohio
