When I first began teaching literature and writing at the College of William and Mary in Virginia fifteen years ago, my freshmen were not exactly polished writers. Out of every class of thirty freshmen students, four or five would turn in grammatically correct, coherent, clean papers. Of those, perhaps two would show a real grasp…
Choosing a Curriculum
It is fun to go to an eatery where the tables are covered with drawing paper and a pile of crayons. Not many people can resist grabbing the bright colors and decorating the blank space. That desire to decorate may seem like an amusement, but it is also a significant expression of our nature as…
Remember those artsy/craftsy, musician kids in school? The other kids were told to just humor them in hopes that the artsy/craftsy kids would filter into society as they got older. Oh yeah, they dressed a little differently, often forgot their homework and lunch money, and acted a little weird, but if we smiled and encouraged…
Just when we think we can finally see the light at the end of a school year, the thought of fall rears its ugly head. We are home schooling mothers; therefore, we must do all things perfectly. We must have the right curriculum next year; we must have it planned out, for each day, ten…
The November 2008 issue of the Texas Home School Coalition REVIEW included an article I had written, “What Motivates Your Child?” In this article I encouraged parents to pay attention to what their children noticed or indicated as needing to be done differently and to be alert to that about which their children commented and…
