I need some ideas...again

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
I need some ideas...again
8
Wed, 01-26-2005 - 9:50pm

My 7 year old dd is struggling with writing. Her teacher has asked that we have her write at home to help her improve. However, when I ask her to write something she gets really grouchy and nasty about it. I give her a phrase to start with and ask her to add at least 5 sentences to it. Today was "If I were a butterfly..." She wrote about flying away from this house and never comming back and being happy about it. I was shocked and hurt, but decided to praise her for writing and ignore what she had written. So I guess what I need is 2 things.

1. Does anyone have any ideas about how to make writing fun?
AND
2. Does anyone have any ideas on how to help her overcome this tendency to lash out in frusteration.

My ds struggled with writing too, but he was not angry about it. My oldest dd has never had a problem with writing and infact is quite the opposite of my 7 year old. She is always happy and bubbly.

Jody

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Wed, 01-26-2005 - 10:59pm

First off I wanted to praise you for not getting upset with her. She should be allowed to express her anger in writing...that is completely healthy.


With writing it is unfortunelty a lot of repitition to learn well. The first website is a great tool for practice. You can put the pages in protector paper and let her use her favorite color markers to write with. Then just erase and start over again.


http://penmanship.donnayoung.org/


This next website is also free. You can make customized worksheets. I would use words that would engage her, like her name and sentences about her pets and the people in her family. A good thing to do with handwriting words is to give the word a peice at a time for instance the work sheet would look something like.


s


p


i


spi


d


e


r


spider


Are you a M.O.M-Mom of Many? Find other M.O.M's

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-24-2005
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 11:46am

Jody~


I am just wondering if giving her a journal/diary would help also. So she could practice her writing and then she could write private thoughts as well. I know she's 7, but my 8 year old niece enjoys writing in her journal. Maybe with more freedom to write she wouldn't feel as frustrated.


Props to staying strong and not turning to dust when you read that! You are an awesome mom and I'm sure you'll figure it out!

Becky and Archie 3/1/04

Becky and Archie 3/1/04

and baby due Jan 26!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 12:22pm

Jody,
Before I list ideas for you, Did you mean her actual handwriting, or her ability to creatively write stories etc?
I taught kindergarten for 6 years, but I trained in many writing workshops. I will see what I can come up with for you.

Holly

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 12:30pm

Thanks so much, I think I will make her a special jorunal that she can write in and give her a set time to do that every day. That way she will know it is a part of her daily schedule and hopefully she won't fight it as much. I think I'll also use my printer to specialize her paper with pictures of things she likes (the pets, family, friends, etc.) I think part of the problem is she feels like the older kids are good at everything and she can't do anything very good. I'm going to try some things to increase her self esteem too. Hopefully that will help, it certianly won't hurt.

Thanks again ladies, I knew you all would have some ideas for me.

Jody

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 12:42pm
I ment her ability to write creativly, she is a little bit behind because of her medical history, and I don't think we helped her at all by not pressing her when she didn't want to do things. She has been through 3 surgeries to correct reflux from the bladder into the kidneys. The first was when she was almost 4, and then twice last year in Feb & June. She turned 7 last May. The constant kidney infections & UTIs have made life a challenge for her.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 1:07pm

Here are two ideas that might help.

1. get a special notebook or journal to use between the two of you. Write her a little message about your day or something mice for her and leave it for her on her bed or somewhere just for her. Have her respond to you the same. It will probably start out short, or given her earlier writing sample she might write that this is dumb. In this journal you can ask each other questions, daydream or just get to know each other a little bit better. Anything goes, just keep it fluent. Try to switch off at least once a day etc. The point is just to get her writing anything.

2. A lot of writing problems come from planning or gathering of ideas. This may be where she is uncomfortable. A lot of the ideas that I am going to give you here can/should be done orally with you modeling it a lot at first. When ever you get magazines or newspapers, collect a few of the pictures. I always love to use the big colorful Ads in magazines with a lot going on inside them. (I wish I had a visual here for you.) Sit together and talk about the picture. What is happening, Why, What do you think will happen next, What will happen if, What do you think they are feeling, Are they happy etc. Then together (you at write at first with her help providing story and adding to it, or you write 1 sentence, ahe writes the next) Write about the picture. In the beginning it may just be a description. Start there. As you progress, she should start to do more of the writing.
On idea: Don't make it a writing lesson everytime. Just talking about the pictures and modeling ideas and questions will give her ideas on how to come up with things on her own.

I will poke through my old education sites and see if I can find any links or websites that will help you.

Hoopefully some of this will help.
Let me know how it goes.

Holly

PS Since you are just trying to get her to write, focus only on that. Now is not the time to focus on spelling or grammer, that could also be something that is holding her back.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 1:43pm
Great ideas, thanks a bunch! I'm looking forward to working with her on this instead of dreading it now. You are all wonderful!!!!!
Jody
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 1:52pm

I also found this...lots of lesson plans. Some of it is for

Are you a M.O.M-Mom of Many? Find other M.O.M's