What is your favorite room in your home and why?
Tuesday Teatime!
Time for tea. Get out those poetry books.
Here’s what a few of our moms are saying about poetry teatimes:
I am currently reading ‘The Writer’s Jungle’ and introducing some Bravewriter Lifestyle elements into our day.
We had tea-time today and I was so impressed. I told the kids we would be doing some copywork as well but that they could choose their own. So we had and tea/chocolate, cakes and biscuits. I read some poetry and dd16 read a poem. Then, everybody started working on their own choice copywork. My kids are 16, 15, 13, 11, 9 and 7 and they were ALL engaged in what they were doing. We had a variety of copywork from Pride and Prejudice, and Jane Eyre, down to Green Eggs and Ham. Ds 7, who was writing from Green Eggs and Ham, kept asking for more paper so he could write more. Dd9 went back to her copywork twice more during the day because she wanted to. Dd13, who doesn’t ‘like’ writing was happy to write one of her favorite scenes from Farmer Boy. Even dd15, who I thought would be the one most likely to dislike the copywork idea, wrote over a page copied from a scene that amused her from Pride and Prejudice. We had such a good time and I felt that we really achieved something (as did they, considering I excused them from grammar for the day…..).
I have to say that reading TWJ is revolutionising the way I am approaching writing and language arts in general. I’ve finally found something that I feel will help my children develop the ability to enjoy writing and to ‘write from the heart’ and have a voice, not just write stilted pieces that follow a set of rules that some book or program sets out. I don’t know if I’m making sense, but *I* know what I mean I’m really excited. (Linda in Oz)
Tea, check. Oreos, check. Poetry books, check. Loving it, check. (Janet)
Dear Julie- I just want to say thank you. We are entering our 12th year of homeschooling, and I’m tired! I have a senior, a kindergartener and everything in between this year. And I am truly looking forward to our Teatime Tuesdays! It may be the ONLY thing that gets done regularly and I’m ok with that…my kids are turning out just fine. And by the way I had to tell you that my son BJ who has taken several BW courses scored amazingly well (98%)on his written/language admissions exam for our local JC. This is the same boy who only 3 years ago could not spell “girl”. I had faith in the BW philosophy even when he didn’t. THANK YOU!! (Laura)
Just wanted to say thank you for being a part of our world! Although we are only a month into our school year, the boys (ages 8 & 6) look forward to tea every Tuesday! Who would have thought the would enjoy poetry so much? This is what home schooling is all about! (Michelle)
Join the movement! Time for tea and poetry!
When your kids are happy, they write. When your kids write, you’re happy.
Win. Win.
Friday Freewrite: In hiding
Write about a time you hid from someone. Why? Where did you go? What happened?
State Slogans
My daughter (21) and I got into a little chat this morning about state slogans. Oh my gosh, how we laughed! If you’re looking for a great way to foster discussion around word play or if you want to expose your kids to the various cultural associations with each state, be sure to Google the list. Here are our favorite top ten:
10. Texas: It’s Like a Whole Other Country (Sometimes, it seems they wish they were!)
9. California: Find Yourself Here (If there were ever a state where finding yourself rose to the level of imperative, California would be it!)
8. Delaware: It’s Good Being First (If you say so…!)
7. Indiana: Restart Your Engines (Home of the Indy 500)
6. South Dakota: Great Faces. Great Places. (Can you name both?)
5. Illinois: Mile After Magnificent Mile (Look up Chicago’s shopping district to understand this one.)
4. Kansas: There’s No Place Like Home (Used to be “The Land of Ahhs” – can you identify the irony in this one?)
3. West Virginia: Wild and Wonderful (Awesome! I want to live where people are wild and wonderful!)
2. District of Columbia: Taxation without Representation (snort)
and finally, drum roll please…….
1. New Hampshire: Live Free or Die! (I ask you: who enforces that?!)
These slogans give you a great chance to discuss word play, the history of various states, their selling points and how advertising is a vital part of any state’s economic growth (is the state emphasizing travel? business? historical importance? shopping? buying a home and staying put?). Here’s a link to the Wikipedia page: State Slogans.
Enjoy!
Friendship
Last week, I got to skinny dip in the Pacific ocean halfway around the world on the North Shore of Oahu. My four best friends from high school and I celebrated our half century mark together! 1961—President Obama’s birth year and ours.
People who’ve known you your entire life are especially valuable as you get older. One way to stay young is to value your friendships with those who knew you when you were young. (I remember reading that.) It’s true! I felt like a kid while we had dance parties in the kitchen and laughed until our sides hurt remembering the ridiculous antics of our high school days.
It was also nice to have some time off after an especially hectic summer for Brave Writer. I did spend the entire flight over putting final revisions on the Jot It Down writing program. We’ll put those final edits in next week with a release date of September 20 pending. It’s looking beautiful!
I returned to rain, cloud cover and temps in the 60’s. Fall is here in the northern hemisphere. I hope to be back in the blogging saddle as well. What topics would you like me to cover? Post them in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.
🙂
Aloha!
