What you can expect from Brave Writer
Brave Writer instructors are top notch. When you sign up for an online writing class with them you can expect help in finding your own natural writing voice. These are not classes where you are taught to write to a formula. Instead they help you find the writer within you. How they do that I don't really know, but I can tell you that the results are good, even for reluctant writers.
The range of writing products
I don't have personal experience of the full range of products from Bravewriter.com, but they have offering which go right up to college prep. Here's a quick guide to what they have:
- Online Classes - Kidswrite Basic is the foundation class which is suitable for ages 9-18 years and actually involves training you, the homeschool mom, on how to develop writing abilities in your children. If you'd rather your child work directly with the instructors take a look at Just So Stories for 9-12 year olds or Kidswrite Intermediate for 12-17 year olds. Kids and teens who've not taken an online class before will likely need some support on the home side of scheduling to get their assignments done. If they are familiar with forums they'll likely be able to handle the other aspects independently.
- Home Study Courses - while I highly recommend the online classes, they are pricey and need the commitment of a fairly intense 4-6 week period of work. This fall I will be trying out one of the home study courses from Bravewriter.com. Home study courses come in the form of a printed manual and access to an online support forum. They are designed to allow the homeschooling parent to learn and apply the skills to nurture writing in their kids. You can read all about the main home study course The Writer's Jungle at BraveWriter.com.
- Full Language Arts Program - if you need a full language arts program which includes spelling, dictation, copywork, grammar and punctuation take a look at Bravewriter.com Language Arts Programs. I have no experience of these particular products, but I can only imagine that they are top notch like the other offerings from BraveWriter.com.
2 comments:
After we found out that Boo had Dysgraphia, I took a brief mental trip down our experiences with writing and it was painfully obvious in hindsight that there had been a problem all along.
I love to write, therefore it's ironic that she will likely only love to learn to write by taking painful baby steps. Lucky for us, computer use is pretty standard in college, so she will have every opportunity to write without the pain and struggle of handwriting.
As far as becoming a better writer, as in content, we have barely touched this concept. First we have to work on those ever important typing skills!
In my experience the desire to put thoughts down on paper and the real drive to master typing can appear spontaneously during puberty.
That's not to say that youngsters don't play around with words and write little stories, poems, lyrics etc, but the kind of drive needed to get through assignments and pore out words seems to appear much later.
I think it's important that any approach to writing before about age 13-14 yrs be very nurturing so as not to have negative effects, especially on sensitive kids who may have the most creative potential.
I was listening to Julie from Bravewriter's audio last night, the one I provide a link to here. Wow! I really love what she has to say. She says that kids are interesting people and have interesting things to say. Love it.
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