Writing Tips for Educators

Writing can be one of the most difficult initiatives at home, especially in homeschooling. Here are my best tips to make the battle easier:

Cultivate an interest in writing:

Click on image for pdf.

• Write with your child.
• Let them see you writing notes.
• Create lists.
• Celebrate all writing attempts.
• Be excited about writing notes and receiving messages.
• Encourage storytelling and story recording.
• Use finger paint.
• Be a good reader.
• Read aloud what was written.
• Go to a book store. Talk about the writing process used by authors.
• Meet an author.
• Let your child keep a private blog or add to a family blog.
• Share ideas with your child about how you may change the ending of their favorite book.
• Self-publish.
• Create family histories as gifts for family including family lore and stories written by your child.

Set up a writing workshop at home:

• Dedicate a specific area for writing.
• Include all the tools needed:
• Variety of paper
  • Markers
  • Crayons
  • Pencils
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Erasers
  • Sticky notes
  • Rulers
  • Folder to contain work
  • Stapler
  • Paper clips
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Glue sticks
  • Highlighters
  • Note cards
  • Dictionary
  • Colored pencils
  • Envelopes
  • Stamps
• It doesn’t need to be expensive. Just make it organized and fun.
• Hang the written work around the area.
• Let your child develop ideas.
• Look at the writing center in your teacher’s classroom.
• Keep books nearby.
• Search online for your favorite ideas.
• Decorate it with pictures of family and favorite items.

Teaching Tips:

• Create shopping lists.
• Put your child in charge of the shopping lists.
• Sound out items as you write them down.
• Have a family message center.
• Send notes to others.
• Get the mail together.
• Create a journal and record often.
• Have your child keep a journal.
• Collect writing sample into one space.
• Put writing attempts prominently displayed.
• Make labels and put them up.
• Encourage illustrations in the work.

By Tracy Atkinson

Tracy Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education and a master’s in higher education. Her passion is researching, studying and investigating the attributes related to self-directed learners. She has published several titles, including The Art of Learning Journals, Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.