Stay Consistent

Consistency is key. Establish a dedicated writing schedule and stick to it. Consistent practice reinforces learning and helps develop strong writing habits. With EIW, schedule regular writing sessions, whether daily or weekly, to ensure steady progress and mastery of writing skills.

Utilize Video Lessons

EIW’s instructional videos are invaluable resources. Led by experienced educators, these engaging lessons provide clear explanations of writing concepts and techniques. Encourage your child to watch and rewatch these videos to reinforce learning, clarify concepts, and deepen understanding.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Writing is a skill that improves with practice. Encourage your child to apply what they’ve learned in EIW’s curriculum by writing regularly. Assign writing prompts, journal entries, or creative projects to provide opportunities for practice and application of writing skills. Regular practice not only hones writing abilities but also fosters creativity and confidence.

Provide Constructive Feedback

Feedback is essential for growth. Offer constructive feedback to your child as they progress through EIW’s curriculum. Focus on praising their strengths while gently pointing out areas for improvement. Encourage them to revise and refine their work based on feedback, fostering a growth mindset and continuous improvement.

With Essentials in Writing’s comprehensive homeschool writing curriculum, your child can build the foundation for lifelong writing success. By staying consistent, utilizing video lessons, practicing regularly, and providing constructive feedback, your child will develop into a confident and proficient writer. Shop EIW’s homeschool writing curriculum today and unleash your child’s writing potential!

Credits for Math, Science, and Social Studies are easy to calculate. You take one class for the year and it counts as one credit respectively. For English, reading and writing are required. To earn one English credit students need to complete both composition and literary analysis.

Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature together would be considered a high school English class. Most English classes in public/private education consist not only of composition but also literary analysis. However, many states have different requirements for homeschooling. If the requirement is English I, II, III, and IV for each grade of high school, then students would need to complete Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature for that level to earn 1 English credit. If the state requires a composition course AND a literary analysis course separately, then each would count as 1 credit each.

Here is a suggestion on how to count for credit hours:

Essentials in Writing = 1 credit for English Composition
Essentials in Literature = 1 credit for Literary Analysis
*Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature Together =1 Credit for English.

*most common

Title accordingly for transcript purposes: Essentials in Writing can be counted as English Comp or Composition I or Composition II, III, etc. Essentials in Literature can be counted as Literature I, Lit II, III, etc. Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature together can be counted as English I, II, III, or IV. An important suggestion we give parents is to keep your planner and workbook, copy of tests/assessments and examples of work.

Please note that while levels of Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature are indicative of grade level, students can complete 1-2 levels above or below current grade level and still earn one credit of English. See example below:

9^th grade student earning ONE English credit:

Essentials in Writing Level 9

Essentials in Literature Level 9

9^th grade student earning ONE English credit:

Essentials in Writing Level 8

Essentials in Literature Level 9

9^th grade student earning ONE English credit:

Essentials in Writing Level 10

Essentials in Literature Level 9

Stay tuned for an in-depth blog post related to what high school students study in composition and literary analysis respectively. 

Lack of rigid grade levels is one of homeschooling’s perks, but this same lack can also cause confusion and worry when choosing curricula for the year. After all, a homeschool student may be old enough for sixth grade but read at a third grade level, or vice versa. Or maybe you’ve never used Essentials in Writing before and aren’t sure what each level holds in store. Are the grade levels accurate? What if your student’s reading comprehension doesn’t match their current grade? How do you know which one to pick? Well, we hope that the following information will help solve your curriculum concerns.

1. Know that each Essentials in Writing and Essentials in Literature level is evaluated by an expert for grade level accuracy.

That’s right—Essentials in Writing employs a Senior Consultant who evaluates each level of writing and literature for accuracy pertaining to the given grade before the level goes to publishing. That way, teachers and parents can know with a glance that “Essentials in Writing Level 2” or “Essentials in Literature Level 9” are indeed appropriate for second or ninth graders. As a result, if your homeschool student’s grade level is fairly standard for their age, then you can choose the right level for writing or literature with confidence and ease.

2. Ask Customer Service for more information if you’re unfamiliar with the curriculum’s content.

What if your student’s grade level isn’t standard for their age? Your homeschool student may be the right age for seventh grade but read at a high school level, or perhaps the student is ten years old but reads at a third grade level. How do you know which level to choose without actually seeing the level’s content? Just reach out to our Customer Service team with your questions, and they will then check with the Curriculum Team in order to provide you with answers of which level is the best option for your student based on the information you provide. Customer Service can even schedule an appointment with Matthew Stephens, the company’s founder, to help you decide which level is best. We want to help you find the best fit, so never hesitate to contact us with your concerns!

3. Check with other homeschool parents who have used Essentials in Writing or Essentials in Literature.

Experience is key! Just hop over to the Essentials in Writing or Essentials in Literature Facebook groups to explain your situation to fellow homeschool parents and EIW customers and then ask for their recommendations as to which level will be best. Many of them have been in your situation before and are happy to help a fellow customer find the right fit for a student! Then, in the future, you can keep the line moving and help someone else who’s in the same predicament based on your own experience. Bonus—once you’ve joined those groups, you’ll find all kinds of helpful resources and discussions that will further enhance your Essentials in Writing or Essentials in Literature experience.

4. Remember that each Essentials in Writing or Essentials in Literature level builds on what the prior levels have taught.

If your homeschool student does read (or even write) at a higher level, then automatically choosing a higher level of curriculum can seem like the right choice. However, no two levels are the same when it comes to assignments, and each level is designed and written under the assumption that the student has completed the prior levels (or an equivalent of them). As a result, in each level, the student not only learns new concepts but also continues to practice and use concepts that were learned from previous levels. This does not mean that your student must use the level designed for their age or grade, but it’s an important fact to keep in mind as you choose a level for your student.

Overall, trust the process as you choose a level for your student. Contact Customer Service with your questions. Ask fellow Essentials in Writing parents for input. No matter which level you choose, your student will receive excellent instruction for writing and literature—and that’s what we’re here for.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing

Journals—the hip, gender-neutral cousin of the diary—have risen in popularity over the past few years for several reasons. They’re a private place for self-expression. They serve as a catchall for anything in the writer’s mind from to-do lists to poems. And, of course, they’re great for recording the events and thoughts of each day.

The summer scaries may still encroach upon your peaceful summer, and if so, consider suggesting journals as a fun and low-risk writing activity to your homeschool student. They’re private, they’re portable—and sure, you can’t exactly check or grade this kind of writing unless your student wants you to. Regardless of what your student is writing, however, they’re writing—and practicing this skill over the summer is the goal.

As journals have grown more popular, more types of journals have been created. Below are several types that will appeal to different personalities of students. Hopefully, your homeschool student will be intrigued by at least one and spend the latter half of the summer beginning their new writing experience, maybe even continuing it as the year progresses.

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored by any kind of journal. These are just great examples that I have found or used!

1. Bullet Journals

The appeal of the bullet journal is its inclusion of symmetrically-organized dots (or bullets) that fill each page instead of standard lines. These dots can then be connected to create boxes, charts, tables, lists… anything that you can think of! The dots themselves are fairly faint, so plain old writing is still an option as well. The bullet journal is a great option for the homeschool student who enjoys structure but may feel constrained by ordinary journals or planners. Name-brand bullet journals run a bit pricy, but no worries—you can find cheaper options that are exactly the same thing.

2. One Line A Day Journals

The One Line A Day journal provides one page for each day of the year, from January 1 to December 31. Each page is then divided into five spaces—one space for a different year, resulting in a total of five years of comprehensive journaling. Each space is small, designed for (you guessed it!) roughly one line detailing the events of the day. This journal is my personal favorite and is perfect for homeschool students who may feel overwhelmed by the large, blank pages of a less-structured journal or by the need to write copious amounts about each day. Plus, it’s fun to see what you were up to in previous years!

3. Sketchbook Journals

I’ve seen various layouts for this kind of journal, but the basic idea is that, for each entry, the student can write in the lined portion and draw in the blank portion. Inspired by old-fashioned fieldbooks, in which the writer would both take notes about and sketch what he or she saw, this type of journal enables the student to pair writing and drawing together in order to create a comprehensive entry. This journal is an encouraging nudge for homeschool students who can readily express themselves through art but may struggle to do the same through the written word. By putting art and writing together, the student has a brand-new product.

4. Classic Journals

There’s always the tried-and-true option: a lined journal, perhaps with a space for writing the date, that is ensconced within an appealing cover of anything from Batman to inspirational quotes to incredible amounts of glitter. Many homeschool students want the pages, length, and space to express their thoughts, recall the day’s happenings, or jot down some creative ventures with no fuss and no muss. For these students, the classic journal is the way to go—plus, there’s no shortage of fun covers that appeal to the student’s interests.

Your homeschool student may show zero interest in journaling, and that’s totally fine. These four types are simply suggestions to help you explore the world of journaling and perhaps include your homeschool student in that exploration as well. The ultimate goal here (as it often is within my blog posts) is to show your student that writing is more than paragraphs and papers. It can be fun, personal, and individualized—and journaling is a great way to discover this.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing

Growing up, I was homeschooled from 2^nd grade through 12^th grade. When I was twelve years old, my mother had her third child and only son, Elijah. I had always wanted a little brother, so from the very beginning, I had a special love for the little guy. Being so much older than him created a unique relationship between us—making me something of a mixture between an Annoying-But-Loved Sister and a Cool Aunt.

As my brother has grown, I’ve done my best to meet him on his level and connect with him through play. One particularly dear memory I have is when I unintentionally introduced him to creative writing before he had even learned to write words on his own.

Creative Writing Before Writing Words?

One day when my brother was around three or four years old, I cleared a space on the floor of his bedroom for the two of us, pushing all the toys and shoes and blankets to the side. Elijah and I opened a new box of crayons and drew together, holding those one-sentence-per-topic conversations that happen with young kids.

“So, Bub, what’s your favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“That’s a nice color.”

“Velociraptors are my favorite dinosaur.”

“That’s cool. I like stegosauruses.”

“Uh-huh. I saw a dog eating a bug.”

“That’s gross.”

“I like baseball.”

And so on.

The previous Christmas, I had given my brother a little homemade storybook about a knight who saves his sister, a princess, from a dragon (starring ourselves because I’m adorable and sentimental like that). That must have been what brought the idea to our minds, for before long, our random colorings became a project to create a new storybook. I told him that he could come up with the story and draw the pictures, and I would write the words.

The project was on. He’d draw a picture, and then I’d ask him to tell me what it was. (After all, I knew his markings meant something, but I couldn’t decipher them whatsoever without his explanation.)

“Okay, so what’s happening here?”

“These are pirates!”

“Wow, that’s really cool! What else?”

“Um…they like PUPPIES! They love puppies.”

“So they’re nice pirates. Gotcha. I’ll write that down.”

I labeled the picture according to his description, then asked him, “What do these puppy-loving pirates do?”

“They…go on an ADVENTURE!”

“Brilliant! Draw the picture of their adventure.”

Back and forth we went. I kept asking him what happened next. It didn’t matter if it didn’t make sense. It didn’t matter if Elijah told me something that wasn’t in the picture he drew. No matter what, I wrote down what he told me for the story.

I wish I still had that collection of pictures we amassed, or at least remembered more of what we came up with. The only other details I remember of that afternoon are one particular image and my brother’s description of it.

The page had four small, clumsy squares drawn at the four edges of the paper. Lines connected the squares to a circle in the middle of the page, inside of which were several squashed and deformed figures I knew to identify as puppy-loving pirates at this point.

“What’s happening in this one?”

“They’re down a hole.”

I decided that we didn’t really need to know how they got down the hole for the sake of the adventure.

My brother continued, “And there’s smashing things.”

“Smashing things?”

“Yeah, smashing things.”

After scrutinizing the page, it dawned on me. “Oh! The squares! Those are the smashing things?”

“Yes!”

“And they are going to smash the pirates who are down the hole?”

“Yes!”

“Oh no! How do they escape?”

“They…They get away.”

In spite of this rather anti-climactic description of the dire escape, I knew without a doubt that the scene playing in his little pre-K brain was of Indiana Jones-level epicness.

What about you and your homeschool student?

What does this matter? How does this story affect homeschooling and writing at all? After all, my brother didn’t actually write anything that day.

Or DID he?

Even though my teenage-self was not trying to teach my brother a lesson, I realize now that I did. I not only encouraged creativity (“Let’s write a story! You tell me what happens.”), but I also demonstrated how you can express what is in your mind in a shareable manner. Elijah’s ideas became pictures. At my promptings, he had to explain the pictures to me verbally. That verbal explanation became written words at the bottom of the page—words that he couldn’t even read yet but still knew somehow communicated what he was thinking.

He wrote the story, even if he never picked up the pen.

Writing is one way to clarify and to express your ideas in a sharable format. Creative writing and story-telling are ways to learn to express what is happening in your brain. And in this form of writing/expression, you don’t have to worry about having “the right answer,” because there isn’t one.

Try it yourself! Whether your homeschool student is physically writing yet or not, you can teach them to be creative and put their thoughts into words!

Pull up a carpet and create a story with your young student. They don’t have to draw pictures if that’s not their thing. They can tell whatever story they want. They can tell the story of the Lego build they’re constructing, or the frog they caught on the driveway, or the plan they have to clean the kitchen. (That last one sounds strange, but I have a friend whose toddler is very, very scrupulous about keeping things tidy and loves to tell people about his processes.)

Write down what they tell you, and let them see you do it. Show them that writing is thoughts put into words put onto paper, and it’s as simple as that.

And have fun with your kid! That’s what I did with my brother on that random day when we wrote the story of the Puppy-Loving Pirates and the Smashing Things.

Athena Lester

Head of Curriculum

Gone are the days of proofing papers for spelling mistakes! Banished are the never-ending lists of spelling words in homeschool curriculum! Dictionaries? Who needs them? Just rely on the squiggly red line for all your spelling needs, and you’ll be golden, right?

Well, not quite—at least, not according to the papers I grade as a scorer for Essentials in Writing. Sure, some of the spelling errors I see could have been fixed with a quick click of “Spelling and Grammar” in the toolbar, but there’s an entirely different subset of spelling errors that, even if spellcheck had been utilized, wouldn’t have been caught.

The reason? They were spelled correctly—but the word itself was wrong. That’s right: we’re talking about homophones.

Homophones, as a quick refresher, are words that sound alike but have different meanings and are spelled differently, such as “plain” and “plane” or “beet” and “beat.” Mixing up homophones when writing is a fairly common problem for everyone, including homeschool students, and can also lead to some funny mixups, such as “pier pressure” and “barley paying attention.”

If your homeschool student tends to fall prey to sneaky homophones, we’ve got you covered—and no, you don’t have to memorize every single homophone pair in the English language. Below is a list of some commonly confused homophones—and how to remember the difference between them.

Affect vs. Effect

This pair is particularly nasty because, from your second cousin’s Facebook post to a news article, it can start to feel like nobody knows the difference or which one to actually use. “Affect” is a verb, and “effect” is a noun.

Verb: Rain affects plant growth.

Noun: The vitamins caused a positive effect.

To help distinguish them, you can associate the “a” in “affect” with action and the “e” in “effect” with end—that is, the end result.

(Disclaimer: “affect” can be a noun, and “effect” can be a verb, but these cases are rare, especially for the topics homeschool students tend to write about.)

Board vs. Bored

Unless you happen to be made of plywood, you’re probably not board on a rainy afternoon inside. “Board” can be a noun or verb, and “bored” is an adjective.

Noun/Verb: The ninja kicked the board in half.

Adjective: I was bored after my phone died.

See that “oar” in the middle of “board”? Picture a wooden oar and associate it with that wooden board to help you remember the difference.

Brake vs. Break

If you don’t brake when driving, you might break something! These words can be both verbs and nouns, and their spellings are so similar that mixing them up is easy.

Noun/Verb: Brake the car gently when stopping.

Noun/Verb: Don’t break the window!

For this pair, just remember that if you’re not talking about a car, “brake” is probably the wrong option. “Break” is much more versatile.

Its vs. It’s

Here we have another incredibly common offender! “Its” is a pronoun, and “it’s” is a contraction.

Pronoun: The dog wagged its tail.

Contraction: It’s so nice to finally meet you!

Just remember—a contraction always includes an apostrophe. If you want to say “it is,” you need the word with the apostrophe.

Their vs. There vs. They’re

Whew, a triple homophone! Fortunately, each of these words is a different part of speech: “their” is a pronoun, “there” is an adverb, and “they’re” is a contraction.

Pronoun: The cows munched their grass.

Adverb: The treasure is over there!

Contraction: They’re bringing the trophy out now.

Let’s get “they’re” out of the way first. We know a contraction must have an apostrophe, so we know “they’re” must be the contraction—the word that includes a verb.

“Their” and “there” are more difficult, but check out that “here” in “there.” Both words refer to a place or position, which leaves “their” as the pronoun.

Than vs. Then

Like “affect” and “effect,” this homophone pair can trip up even the most careful of homeschool writers! “Than” can be either a conjunction or preposition, and “then” is an adverb.

Conjunction/Preposition: I’d rather have chocolate than vanilla.

Adverb: Read the book first, and then watch the movie.

“Than” is most commonly used to compare two things, so just remember that if you are compAring, you should use thAn. That leaves “then” as the adverb (and also a common transition word).

To vs. Too vs. Two

Another triple threat! “To” is a preposition, “too” is an adverb, and “two” is a number.

Preposition: We headed to the concert at seven.

Adverb: I would like the steak too.

Number: Two birds built a nest.

“Two” can be pretty easily discerned—if you’re not talking about a number, you’ve got the wrong homophone. As for “to” and “too,” just remember that “too” often notes an addition of something—and “too” has the addition of one “o” to make it different than “to”!

Your vs. You’re

Finally, we end with a pair that’s often mixed up but can be easily discerned. “Your” is a pronoun, and “you’re” is a contraction.

Pronoun: Your necklace is beautiful.

Contraction: You’re going to win the contest!

Once again, we know that a contraction must include an apostrophe, so if you need the verb, “you’re” is the one for you! That leaves “your” as the pronoun.

But more than anything else…

Overall, the best way for homeschool students to conquer homophone mishaps is to simply be careful, both as they write and especially as they proofread. Take the time to look up a word. Make sure the word means what you’re trying to say. After all, spellcheck is helpful—but it’s still no match for the human brain.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing

According to Postman, the decline of writing began as early as the nineteenth century with Samuel Morse’s invention of the telegraph and continued on with radio, movies, and television. This resulted in a society that is heavily dependent on pictures and has become even more so with computers and smartphones, devices that grew popular after Postman wrote his book.

If the prominence of wavelengths has surpassed words in Western culture, then why does education, particularly homeschool education, place such importance on writing well? Why is composition so important for homeschool students? Why does so much homeschool writing curriculum exist?

The answer is that, despite our reliance on visual media and Postman’s pessimism, writing hasn’t quite died out—but the ability to write well is certainly dwindling.

Colleges and universities used to assume that a student would meet a certain standard of grammar and composition. Now, however, introductory courses for grammar and writing are offered by the same institutions and are often required for many students who don’t quite make the grade when starting their higher education.

In the Age of Typography, writing well was a fact of life; now, it’s a talent that sets one apart because the Age of Show Business rewards visual media over the written word. Print hasn’t been buried completely, so good writers rise above and make themselves heard—which is where homeschool students come into the picture.

A student does not need to be homeschooled in order to write well, but homeschool students have a few built-in advantages that enable them to learn how to write with more ease. Below are some of the reasons why homeschool students have an edge in this subject.

• Writing can be difficult, but homeschool curriculum is up to the challenge.

This one is pretty much a no-brainer—if writing is difficult, and your homeschool student is able to write well, then they’ve already risen above their peers in this area. Homeschool writing curriculum like Essentials in Writing breaks down the writing process to make it digestible for students. It’s been created by teachers and experts who know how students struggle with writing and have therefore made the process as painless as possible.

• Writing takes time, and homeschool students have more time.

My husband teaches sixth-grade English, and while he does the best he can with the resources he has, the simple fact is that he cannot devote the same amount of time to each student that a homeschool parent can give to their student. Homeschool students have their own schedule and can take more time to focus on writing whereas other students must follow a schedule that has been laid out for them. Additionally, homeschool writing curriculum is tailored for homeschool students to help them learn how to actually write quality content such as paragraphs and papers, not just regurgitate concepts for a test.

• Writing is influenced by reading, and homeschool students often read more.

One of the biggest influences on a student’s writing is how much they read—and again, homeschool students have the advantage here because they can devote more time to reading than the average non-homeschooled student.

I was homeschooled for most of my life, and to me, one of the best parts of being homeschooled was how much I was able to read or listen to my mom read. When I was older, I even had a timeslot in my day devoted to reading for fun. Not every student loves to read, but for those who do, the books they consume are influencing their writing—even if they don’t realize it.

• Writing is a big part of homeschool curriculum.

Because homeschool curriculum is generally geared toward the individual rather than an entire classroom, it tends to include activities that utilize writing—personal responses, workbooks, special projects, and more. A classroom setting, in a public or private school, relies more on verbal responses from students, but homeschool students are usually working by themselves and therefore provide their responses in written rather than verbal form.

The ability to write well is one that becomes less common with each passing year, but your homeschool student has several built-in advantages that enable them to write better than the average student, even if they don’t realize it. Focus on these advantages, and build on them in your homeschooling program. We may live in the Age of Show Business, but writing is still around—and so are homeschool students who do it well.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing

Writing the narrative can be easier as well, for the homeschool student is usually describing a series of events (hopefully not unfortunate) in the order that they occurred. The writing is fun; the construction is simple. As long as transitions are included between events, what could go wrong?

Well, narratives often lack a primary ingredient. And that missing ingredient is a theme.

Theme, in literature, is the central idea of a work—a main idea that everything in the composition is centered around and gives structure to the work overall. Check out the following themes from famous pieces of literature:

• Shakespeare’s Othello: jealousy leads to distrust and sorrow.
• Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit: love has great and mysterious power.
• Lois Lowry’s The Giver: having honor is not the same thing as having authority.

“Why is theme so important, especially in narratives?” a student may ask their homeschool instructor. “Can’t the events of a story be told without one?”

They can. And many homeschool students write narratives and stories this way—relating events as they happened—without some kind of overarching theme. But here are three reasons why narratives of any kind should include a theme:

Narratives are literature.

If a narrative is literature, and literature must have a theme, then it follows that narratives must have themes as well. Themes, along with their earlier definition, can also be described as the purpose for writing.

What is the author trying to say? What might the author want their reader to learn? How does everything in a story fit together? The answers to these questions can usually be found in the theme, and a piece of literature often includes multiple themes (though just one is sufficient for a narrative).

Homeschool students, when writing, may not make the connection that their composition is also literature. Once that connection is realized, however, the idea of a theme often comes more naturally.

Narratives are guided by a theme.  

The idea of a theme as something essential to the narrative may intimidate the student, but on the contrary, knowing the theme before writing a narrative is quite helpful. If the student knows their main idea before writing the narrative’s events, they can pen each event in a way that specifically points back to that main idea.

For example, if the student is writing about their first time on a rollercoaster, their theme could be how overcoming their fear led to something fun. If the student has chosen to write about when they moved to a different city, the theme could cover how change is easier when one is surrounded by family.

The final result of writing a narrative like this is that each part of the narrative is essential to the whole. Nothing is random or out of place; instead, the theme is supported by every included event. Knowing the theme beforehand, then, is beneficial to the student as they write, and the events themselves can help guide the student toward a theme.

Narratives are incomplete without a theme.

Several strings of events without some kind of knot to pull them together will remain unconnected, and that’s exactly what a narrative without a theme is. Narratives are stories, and stories are interesting because every element is connected to something bigger—the theme, the main idea, the overarching message.

Narratives without themes are basically lists of events, and very few people enjoy reading lists. If a narrative is fun to write and fun to read, then, the student needs to make sure that their final product is enjoyable, and a theme does this by keeping the reader interested and intrigued.

Narratives without themes leave the reader lacking.

A simple fact of the human condition is that we want reason and meaning in whatever we do. Whether it’s playing a video game, working at a company, or even reading a personal narrative, one question guides us: Why?

“Why must the game’s adventurer complete quests? Why is the company’s mission important? Why am I reading this narrative, and why did the author write it?”

A narrative without a theme cannot answer those final queries but will instead pose additional questions. A narrative with a theme, however, explains why the included events are important. It also leaves the reader with something to ponder after they have finished reading, which is another important function of theme.

Themes are vital in literature, and narratives are literature; as a result, the homeschool student’s narrative must include a theme in order to be complete and satisfying. As you write, let the theme appear naturally. During the events you plan to describe, how did you feel? What did you learn? Who was affected? Let the theme guide your narrative, and it will guide your reader as well.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing

Now, some people communicate best when they use their voice. They prefer giving presentations to writing essays. They will answer a text or email with a phone call. They need to meet face to face with whomever they are trying to contact, otherwise everyone will be confused in the end and nothing will get done.

And there’s nothing wrong with this! Everyone needs to have skills in verbal communication, to be able to hold a conversation with someone or present an idea to a group and clearly share your thoughts on the topic at hand. It’s a life skill!

Do you know what else is a life skill?

Communicating through writing.

Yes, it is essential. The fact is that face to face, verbal communication won’t always be an option. In the 21^st century, no matter where you go in life—whether professionally or socially—you need to be able to express yourself in writing in order to communicate with other people.

That’s why it’s important to learn to write well. The goal of writing is to communicate, and if you write well, you will communicate well. Many homeschool families get caught up in the rules of English grammar and how to diagram sentences and using SAT vocabulary words. All of those things can be incredibly frustrating! I repeat, English grammar is the worst! But the good news is, rules and diagrams and the SAT are NOT what learning to write is about! Neither is it about meeting minimum page requirements or regurgitating the opinions of teachers.

Writing is about expressing your ideas clearly! About making yourself understood and bridging the gap between you and someone else.

Did you see what I just did? Alert the Grammar Police, Athena just used a fragment sentence in a writing blog! “Booooooooooooo!”

I did use a fragment sentence, but I care more about getting my point across than being a stickler for Da Rules.

Now, I’m not calling for anarchy. The rules are in place to aid in communicating. If I chucked the rules out the window and wrote “til that tl;dr mean 2long;didnaered,” most people would have no idea what I meant at all. Communication would be null. The rules and requirements of spelling and structure help people understand each other. The problem is that many homeschool families think writing is ONLY about the rules, when it’s not.

Writing is about expressing and being understood.

It’s okay to struggle with writing if you’re more of a verbal person, just like it’s okay for a good writer to struggle with an in-person conversation. Know that just because you struggle doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. At the same time, just because something is hard doesn’t mean that it’s not important.

So as you approach learning or teaching to write—whether you are a homeschool parent or a homeschool student—keep a few things in mind.

• Write to be understood, not impressive.

Big words, long essays, fancy grammar—these aren’t the goal. Expressing your ideas in a way that other people can connect with—THAT is the goal. It doesn’t have to be magnificent, just effective.

“I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request” means the same thing as just plain “No.”

• You’re the writer, but think of the reader.

If you struggle with writing and find yourself just trying to finish the assignment so you can be done, step back for a moment. Change your perspective. Don’t think, “What can I write?” Think, “What will another person need to read in order to understand what I mean?” If the goal of writing is to communicate, then what you put on the paper is only half of the story. The reader also needs to understand what you write in order for communication to happen.

This is a reason why grammar rules and providing adequate explanations of your topic are important. They help the reader understand, even if they feel like a pain to the writer.

“I love my parents, Clark Kent and Audrey Hepburn” could confuse the reader. They may think that Clark and Audrey are your parents, when what you really mean is, “I love 1) my parents, 2) Clark Kent, and 3) Audrey Hepburn.”

#commasareimportant

• You don’t have to be the best writer to be a good one.

It’s okay to struggle with writing, and it’s okay if others write better than you! Just keep writing and developing that skill so that you can communicate and connect with others. Again, you don’t have to be the best to be effective.

By Athena Lester

Head of Curriculum and Scoring Services

The year is 2016; the month is May. I have just turned in to my professor a ten-page paper discussing Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, a paper that will eventually be submitted and accepted by the Sigma Tau Delta Review. This paper utilized many sources, seven of which were cited. It also followed MLA guidelines and has been formatted precisely. Did I write this paper in one sitting, in order, with perfect grammar and formatting?

Of course not!

One of the major frustrations for homeschool students (and homeschool parents, tangentially) when writing is the felt need to make everything perfect all at once. A simple fact of writing, however, is that perfection is unattainable—at least on the very first try.

Even if the student accepts this fact, though, the assigned composition may loom large and menacing, still frustrating or even frightening the student to the point where any writing at all seems impossible. The student slams the notebook shut or turns away from the computer screen. They berate not only the composition for its difficulty but also himself or herself for their supposed inability to just write.

What’s the solution?

Focus on one thing at a time when writing.

Saying such a thing may seem simplistic or even obvious, but it’s a guideline that is often forgotten when one sits down to write. Focusing on the big picture is necessary when planning a composition, but if the student focuses a little too much on the size of that picture, they’ll likely feel intimidated or even stifled. Therefore, remembering to focus on one piece of the puzzle at a time takes away the student’s anxiety toward the composition as a whole and makes the entire writing process more accessible.

This solution may be simple, but it’s not always easy, so here are three specific steps to help the homeschool student zoom in when writing:

Create an outline for the composition.

This step is required for Essentials in Writing’s research papers, but it’s also a good tool for any and all compositions the student writes. Working from an outline ensures that the student knows exactly what they’re writing about, and it also enables them to focus more easily on one step at a time. Instead of worrying about writing everything at once, the student knows that they’ll eventually reach every step and can therefore devote their attention to the current step.

An outline also provides a place for students to jot down ideas that occur to them when writing. If the student is writing one paragraph but suddenly thinks of a good example for another, they can simply write that example on the outline and keep going without having to worry about remembering or losing their idea.

Use a personalized checklist when writing.

One of the aspects that makes Essentials in Writing so effective for homeschool students is the way in which every part of writing is divided into steps, and the checklists provided for each assignment are a good reflection of this. While the checklists in the textbook are generally intended to be used after the composition is complete, the student can create their own personalized checklist that includes areas they struggle with.

For example, if a student knows that they often write fragmented sentences or forget to indent paragraphs, these things could be included in their personal checklist. This way, the student doesn’t have to keep in mind their common mistakes while writing—instead, they can check for them later. Concrete visual aids like this are a great way for the student to rein in their mind and focus on just one thing at a time.

Remember that writing is not always linear.

No rule in writing exists that says the student must write the opening paragraph, then the body paragraphs, then the closing paragraph. If one paragraph is giving you trouble, move on to another section of the composition. Sitting at your desk blankly staring at a blank page does you no good, so leave that section be and try a different part of the paper.

In fact, leaving certain areas for last—like the thesis statement or even the entire opening paragraph—can be helpful because you have a better idea of what your composition is about. You can then write that paragraph or the thesis statement more accurately to better reflect the topic and content of the composition. I’ll even tell you right now that this blog post wasn’t written in order because some ideas occurred to me before others. Writing each sentence or paragraph in order is a good place to begin, but overall, the order in which you write them does not matter.

The Final Result

When I wrote that ten-page paper in college, I didn’t write it in one go, I didn’t write all the paragraphs in the order they would be read, and I didn’t expect perfection from the first draft. Instead of thinking about the finished product, I focused on the paragraph—even the sentence—I was currently writing.

Create outlines, utilize checklists, write as you feel inspired—but most of all, remember to focus on one thing at a time when you write. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your paper.

Danielle Nettleton

Curriculum Editor

Essentials in Writing