Okay, here are my disorganized thoughts on what to do for writing for my girls. I need to stay away from sites like The Well Trained Mind, and maybe I'd be alright. I think I am doing fine, and then see what others are doing, and start looking again. So here is what I am thinking at this moment.
I really lean toward Charlotte Mason's ideas, with a bit of Ruth Beechick thrown in when it comes to education. I believe, and have actually seen, that reading good literature does indeed produce great vocabulary, good thinking skills, and natural writers. I tend to waffle back and forth on whether kids make their own connections though, but again, only when I read about people using more classical curriculum like study guides, Veritas Press materials, etc. I actually do see my girls making their own connections, and need to remember that!
So, back to the writing thing. The main educational goal I have for my girls is that they be able to think and learn for themselves. If I even used a writing curriculum, it would be with the goal that they learn to think through what they are learning via writing. The writing, in other words, is not the goal itself. But rather, a means to get to that goal. I do think writing things out helps us to think, which is why I am writing this out. :-)
Big Girl, as I have said, is a natural writer. She has never actually done any reports or essays, but I think she could if she had to. She has a wonderful "voice" from all the excellent literature she has devoured over the years. I am not sure about her organizational skills though, but I don't really see much need for such things right now. At this point, I think I will just continue having her write something every day, and go over it with her. I may start assigning something in particular once in a while, instead of letting her choose every day. Maybe I will do that with literature. Perhaps a written narration of what she has read. I think, in case she does ever need the skills, we will use Jensen's Format Writing in 11th and 12th grades. I really like the looks of it, and it includes a lot of practical skills that will be useful in life. I have also been considering re-instituting dictation with her once a week, since I already have the Spelling Wisdom 3 book.
Now for Little Girl. I was thinking of including some Beechick-style writing exercises with her, but the more I think about it, the more I don't think it is necessary. Both girls are writing in journals now, so that covers free writing. Little Girl will be doing dictation from Spelling Wisdom book 1 for her spelling and whatever else we can pull from the passages. She will be using some of it for copywork, and we will discuss such things as how a piece is organized, its purpose, etc. I think that will be enough for her for a couple more years. Then, at about 12, I will start having her do daily writing like her sister does. I will be sure to include excellent books in her assigned reading. I also am going to start requiring narration. Not exactly sure where to implement that though. Maybe with whichever her current assigned book is. Or maybe I will switch. But I definitely need to start having her do it regularly.
This is mostly for me to come back and read when I start thinking I need to use a writing program.
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