A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

Recently on Brave Learning…

The Power of Talking

Why talking is so important to writing.

We want words, lots of them, churned out on reassuring sheets of lined paper, with curlicue cursive ‘r’s and proper punctuation reflecting both the demands of syntax and emotion. When the words fail, we try to coax them out.

What sometimes gets missed in this process is the power of talking. Speaking leads to writing more than any other skill. Getting words formed in the head and then out through the mouth leads to better writing. It doesn’t even matter if they are organized or concise or logical. What matters is the process of dredging them up, giving them room to develop in the mind and then speaking them through the lips by way of the tongue. [More]

Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)! 

Recently on Brave Learning…

How Learning Comes Alive

And why a “felt sense” in learning matters to your homeschool.

The one thing I wish every home educator knew is that learning and schooling are not the same thing.

Once you embark on homeschooling, the temptation is to figure out a style of school instruction.

• Will you use workbooks and textbooks?
• Will you follow a literature-based program or organize history through a classical model?
• How many hours a day will your kids be expected to work on math, handwriting, and grammar?
• What sequence will you do the subjects?

Certainly part of homeschooling is envisioning what an ordinary day will look like. Super important to have a routine so that you can function without panic!

However, sometimes what gets lost in all that planning is thinking about how you will help you child understand what you have slated to learn.

For instance, it’s not enough to think about which math program to purchase or how many problems per day to solve. What matters infinitely more is asking: “How can I ensure my child understands the principle of addition?” [More]

Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)! 

Recently on Brave Learning…

Micro-schools, Hybrids, Co-ops, and Charter schools

The shift in home education is outsourcing.

Does the vision of homeschool draw and repel you at the same time?

You want this idyllic seeming education for your kids, but the thought of being in charge of it is daunting (and frankly, overwhelming). So you put your ear to the ground and find out that there’s a co-op in your town for homeschool families like yours. You discover that you can drop off your kids for a few hours and someone else will do the “homeschooling” a couple days a week. All you need to do is keep up with homework and do a little extra on the off days.

The idea is that your kids will get the friends they crave, predictable lessons, and you’ll get the support you want to ensure you don’t make mistakes or leave something un-taught.

For many families, this feels optimal! But I also hear some of the frustrations with this model as well. I am going to do a series on this topic for the next few weeks. I hope you’ll join me. [More]

Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)! 

Recently on Brave Learning…

Do Students Need to Study Literature?

And if so, how do we make it as painless as possible?

The study and analysis of literature is intended to give students a lens into the ideas and stories that shape society (present and past) as well as to expose them to the complexity of human development, through time.

All sorts of fiction genres create scaffolding for:

• philosophies,
• ideologies,
• the politics of relationships,
• the exploration of the logical end of imagined scenarios,
• the psychology behind particular actions and events, and more.

Literature also exposes students to uses of language not available in nonfiction, and creates a series of cultural touchstones for shared understanding that transcend mere fact.

In short, literature provides an avenue of expanded imagination and language for the sake of both appreciating beauty and human depths, while sharing the experience with other readers (creating a kind of connection and community through shared story). We consider the reading of literature to be one of the ways we create societal cohesion! But do students HAVE to study it? [More]

Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)! 

Recently on Brave Learning…

The Brave Process of Teaching Writing through Literature 

Trust the process. I promise you! It works.

What I’ve noticed over the years of home educating five kids myself as well as the thousands of students we’ve now taught through Brave Writer is that the best education for the mechanics of writing is reading real writing.

Some parents complain, however, that their kids read a ton and aren’t making the connection between what they read and what they write. It worries them! And of course it does! These are your kids.Subscribe

That’s why it’s important to feature language arts elements in the context of great writing! Your kids naturally come to adopt the mechanics of writing in English through the soothing, repetitive practices of:

• reading,
• pondering,
• and copywork. [More]

Watch our FREE webinar Make Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling Stick—with Books!