[Podcast #255] Brave Writers Thriving in College

Brave Writer Podcast

As homeschooling parents, one of our biggest concerns is ensuring our children are ready for college when the time comes (if they choose that path). Today, we’re joined by Elizabeth Christie, homeschooling mom of six, who tells us about how her Brave Writers are now excelling in college.

Tune in to hear how:

  • Elizabeth’s kids sailed through college application essays,
  • her daughter was recruited to be a well-paid student writing tutor,
  • and her son has excelled as a technical writer. 

If you’ve ever wondered about the power of read-aloud time or chunk writing, this is the episode for you.

Show Notes

The Writing Tutor

When Elizabeth’s oldest started university, she was almost immediately recruited by professors to be a writing mentor for other students. They noted how she had a writing voice and knew how to use it. She agreed to take the position and is now a well-paid student tutor.

The Technical Writer

Elizabeth’s second oldest is very interested in computers. That doesn’t stop him from using his Brave Writer skills, though. He’s an accomplished technical writer.

Both of Elizabeth’s kids sailed through their college application essays without breaking a sweat. She anticipates her younger four children will also be competent and confident when their turn comes. She credits Brave Writer read-aloud time, chunk writing, and the beloved book reveals.

Resources

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Produced by NOVA Media

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The Power of the Concept

Brave Writer

Are you struggling to achieve an idealistic version of home education?

Maybe “idealistic” is the wrong word. Perhaps we struggle with an unrealistic, inaccurate view of what homeschooling is. After all: the one key value that ought to be the minimum requirement is that what our kids learn is at least as interesting as watching Moana or playing in the woods.

Flip the Script

Provoke a new relationship to what your kids are learning!

For instance, if when teaching commas you start by breaking the rules, you give your kids a chance to experience the power of a comma. Try this:

  • Find a sentence with a comma then insert additional commas after every word.
  • Next, read aloud the sentence with all the extra commas.
  • As you or your child pauses each time there is a comma (even if it doesn’t make sense in the intonation), your child will begin to understand how and why we use commas at all!
  • Finally, read the original sentence with only the one, well-placed comma.
  • Your child will now have a felt sense of the power of a comma. It will be known, not just practiced for a worksheet.

A key question to ask yourself, then, is:

How can I demonstrate the POWER of this concept, idea, skill?

That will move you in the right direction. 

This post was originally shared on Instagram.
Watch the accompanying reel for more.

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Friday Freewrite: Superstitious

Friday Freewrite

Today’s freewriting prompt:

A definition of the word “superstitious” is believing that a certain thing will bring good luck (like finding a four-leaf clover) or bad luck (like walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, or simply existing on Friday the 13th!). Are you superstitious? Why or why not?

New to Freewriting?

Freewriting is that wonderful key that unlocks the writer within. It’s the vehicle by which we trick our inner selves into divesting the words and ideas that we want to share but are afraid won’t come out right on paper if we do. So, read the freewriting prompt, set the timer for 5-10 minutes then write whatever comes to mind. Just keep the pencil moving!

Need more help? Check out our free online guide.

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[Podcast #254] Book Parties!

Brave Writer Podcast Book Parties

“Structure” might be one of the most anxiety-provoking words for a homeschooling parent. If you feel like you’re always struggling to achieve structure in your household or if you don’t even know what level of structure is best for your kids, this podcast episode (was a previously-recorded webinar) is for you. Yes, structure and parties are one and the same in the Brave Writer world!

Let’s Party!

Parties are, in fact, highly structured events. And this episode is full of examples of how to use the party-structure lens in your homeschooling:

  • snacks,
  • candles,
  • games,
  • movement,
  • decorations,
  • music,
  • and more!

You’ll be surprised how much easier learning happens with this structure, even if you have to put up with a little more confetti on the floor.

Show Notes

Parties as Structure

Parties have indicators of beginning, middle, and end stages. They have the clear purposes of reducing stress, increasing interactions between people, and making memories– which happen to be the foundational pieces of deep learning. 

Examples of Using the Party Structure 

So, does this mean you have to host a chaotic neighborhood party every week with sugar-crashing kids and mass home destruction? No. The idea is to apply a party lens to your everyday homeschooling.

  • It can be as simple as allowing your kids to have a snack during their least favorite subject.
  • It can be decorating a corner of your house as a reading nook based on their favorite book.
  • Another Brave Writer favorite is Poetry Teatime, which can just be some Gatorade in a cheap pitcher.

Using a party lens to build your homeschooling structure might sound like additional work, but it actually introduces more ease and joy into your homeschooling. Plus, lowering your child’s resistance to learning activities and creating embodied, deep learning is a powerful way to increase their retention and critical thinking.

Resources

  • Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention.
  • Find “Becoming a Critical Thinker” in the Brave Writer Book Shop.
  • Check out all class descriptions here. 
  • Take a look at the Braver Writer fall class schedule. 
  • Sign up for Brave Writer 101. 
  • Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
  • Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684

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It’s All Learning

Brave Writer It's All Learning

“The more learning is like play, the more absorbing it will be—unless the student has been so corrupted by institutional education that only dull serious work is equated with learning.” (William Reinsmith)

See the images of my kids when they were young? It’s all learning.

What were they learning?

  • Baking, reading and following instructions, dexterity, patience, mathematical concepts for measurement & temperature, letting dough rise, joy at eating!
  • The value of being outdoors; immersion in the season; play.
  • Shopping for ingredients or meals. A little exposure to nutrition or measurements or prices, following a list, learning categories of food groups.
  • Crafts, creating a tea party for a friend (hosting), applying lessons about Japan, being responsible for a complete activity.
  • Visiting a museum, reading placards, learning about painting and sculpture, being affected by beauty, meeting artists through their art, history.
  • Creating a centerpiece for the season—exploring a natural space, identifying natural items, arranging them artfully, appreciating design and color scheme.
  • Cooperating with friends, competition, reflexes and response times, calculating, dexterity, immersion in a story, gracious winning and losing.

This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!

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