Creative Writers-Who Knew?

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pjdobro
Posts: 1491
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:45 pm

Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by pjdobro » Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:03 pm

I am so amazed all my dc are learning and the skills they have acquired over the last several years with HOD! When I saw that this year we were going to be doing some creative writing with the poetry in Preparing, I was a bit worried. I'm not much of a creative writer and I didn't think my dc were either. We have faithfully been doing the poetry activities in the previous guides and learned about rhyme and meter, etc. We have done very little creative writing except what is done in the guides. So many of the public schools around here stress writing from kindergarten and their friends were doing much more than they ever did. Sometimes I was concerned that maybe we should be doing more, but I decided to trust HOD and just follow the plans. Now today, my dc blew my socks off with their writing assignment in Unit 4. Our poem for the week is "To Any Reader". It's a neat poem, and we've been enjoying it. We did the activity today where we picked out phrases that helped us visualize the setting then they were to write either a paragraph or two or a poem to retell the poem. After we did the picking out phrases, I left them to write their poem or paragraph. When they brought their work to me to see, I was thrilled! They both chose to write a poem. I can't help but share their creations here. Here is dd's:

The Book

I was playing in the garden trees,
And sat down to read a book,
And there behold was a boy,
On the page where I happened to look.
I turned the page and asked him,
"Do you want to play?"
But he had already grown up and gone away.

Here is ds's:

In This Book

I look in the window of this book,
And find another child in the garden play,
But he won't be lured out of this book,
Because he has grown up and gone away.

I love how ds used some of same phrasing that the original poem had...very CM like. :D I was really impressed, and I can very truthfully say that this is nothing of my own doing. I never would have thought to include poetry or know how to incorporate it to learn new skills. I've just followed the plans and did what the guide told me to do. I can't help but be amazed at how wonderfully they are learning this skill and many others bit by bit by just following the guides. Thank you HOD! :D
Patty in NC

b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

LynnH
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Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: OH
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Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by LynnH » Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:51 am

Those are fantastic! I have such fond memories of the Poetry writing assignments from Preparing. That was when my ds stopped hating to write and saying that he couldn't and started believing that he could.
Mom to:
dd 22 college graduate and employed as an Intervention Specialist
ds 18 US2, Loved Preparing, CTC , RTR , Rev to Rev, MTMM ,WG, WH and US1
http://www.graceandfur.blogspot.com/

BrooklynsMom03
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:40 pm

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by BrooklynsMom03 » Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:01 pm

Wow that is awesome!! I am hoping to see some things begin to gel up for Brooklyn this year in Bigger.....Beth
Married 25 yrs on June 14
Two sons Chad and Jared both have graduated from college
Blessed with daughter
Now...8 ....starting BHFHG Oct 1...
2nd year of home schooling...

Kathleen
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:23 pm
Location: NE Kansas

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by Kathleen » Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:15 pm

Patty,

Your kids are doing GREAT! :D We had the exact same experience here at our house. I wasn't real zipped about the idea of poetry (not having done it at all the way HOD does in my growing up years), but we dove into Bigger and followed the plans. Then the creative writing assignments in Preparing ended up being an absolute FAVORITE of my son's through the year!! And, I had the same reaction - WHO KNEW?! that my outdoor-loving, nonstop talking, 9 year old boy would love writing poetry?!? :D :shock: :D I'm so glad that he did. I ended up making a shutterfly book with his poems for him for his next birthday. What a special keepsake that he is so proud to look back on. Enjoy those poetry lessons! We sure did at our house!

:D Kathleen
Homeschooling mom to 6:
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger

Halle - 4 LHTH

pjdobro
Posts: 1491
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:45 pm

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by pjdobro » Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:32 pm

Thank you all. Kathleen I love that idea of a photo book. I bet that is something that you ds will treasure always. I think the poetry times are going to end up being one of our favorite things too. Amazing! :D
Patty in NC

b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

my3sons
Posts: 10702
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by my3sons » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:21 pm

WOW! Patty - I love your dc's poems! :D They both did such a great job - I felt like I was leaning over their shoulder gazing at their open book and seeing the story within their words unfold. :D I agree - VERY CM-like! :D I have found the same thing to be true for my dc, and I have become a poetry lover myself through our years with HOD (and from quite unsure beginnings) :wink: . I have come to realize that Charlotte Mason was on to something pretty spectacular with poetry study. I've also come to realize that HOD incorporates that method beautifully within its poetry studies from year to year. Whoever thought about 5 minutes a day with classic poetry could impact dc's creative writing so dramatically?!? I wouldn't have believed it if you'd told me. I guess I've had to live it myself to see it and believe it. I cannot believe how my oldest ds can incorporate what he's learned through poetry study within his writing and his speaking. His written narrations are full of poetic devices, and even his talking often includes metaphors, alliterations, and vivid descriptions - it is just like listening to short bursts of poetry. I can't wait to see what else your dc come up with in PHFHG! What fun lies ahead! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Carrie
Site Admin
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Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by Carrie » Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:32 pm

Patty,

Thanks so much for sharing these. I am enjoying the glimpses of your kiddos growing up too! :D They did a wonderful job on their poems. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

pjdobro
Posts: 1491
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:45 pm

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by pjdobro » Tue Oct 11, 2011 1:29 pm

Thank you so much Julie and Carrie for your kind words. My dc are continuing to blow me away with their poetry writing assignments. I am so impressed with how writing is taught in HOD! I can't say enough good things about it. It amazes me how much my dc are learning about how to become good writers all in little chunks that aren't at all overwhelming. Between the bits of writing instruction in Rod and Staff and the writing assignments throughout the guides, everything is covered. It is such a gentle approach to writing, but it is so effective. Thank you! :D
Patty in NC

b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

3sweeties
Posts: 430
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:00 am
Location: GA

Re: Creative Writers-Who Knew?

Post by 3sweeties » Tue Oct 11, 2011 3:05 pm

Those are both WONDERFUL!!! :D I, too, have enjoyed watching my DS's creative writing blossom with HOD!
Jessica~married to my sweetie for 21 years!
[DS17]~U.S. HISTORY 2~2019-20
[DS14]-World Geography~2019-20
[DD12]~ RTR, DITHOR 6-8~2019-20
[DS9]~Bigger~2019-20
Enjoyed LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR, RevtoRev, MTMM, WORLD GEOG, WORLD HIST, US HIST 1~LOVING HOD!

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