Going into November.....

Today in class we went over use of adjectives and adverbs and reviewed grammar terms.  In computer lab students edited and worked on their "Letter to New Immigrants."  Then we shared those letters out loud in class and talked about writing tone/styles that different students have. We ended with the essay, "Find Your Compass with your Roots" as food for thought.
We also got into a discussion about the Compass Test:  Very useful information can be found at: Student Services.
We have been working mostly on narrative writing this quarter. The next few weeks we will switch to persuasive writing.  Please refer to your handout about the basics of different writing styles. Other places to look for information are:
Persuasive Essay Map (Try this! You can use just your first name.)
and take  a look at this page:
Writing the Persuasive Essay
THIS WEEK:
Because of the nature of this topic, I am going to give you some EXTRA TIME to write this.  By Wed. night this week (Nov. 3rd) please post a BASIC OUTLINE of what you want to write about. We will spend part of class time working on it on Friday.
The finished version should posted to your blog by TUESDAY NOV. 9th.

IT IS EASIEST TO WRITE A PERSUASIVE ESSAY IF YOU REALLY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT SOMETHING.  If you have an idea of what you'd like to write about, please EMAIL ME a couple of sentences about it so I know what you plan to do.  Or, please choose from one of these topics:
1. Schooling (For example, what kind do you think is best? Why?)
2. Texting (For example, should it be limited? What age should kids start? Is it necessary?)
3. Television (For example,should kids be limited? How much should people watch it? What kinds of impact does it have?)

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN OUTLINE:

TOPIC: Homeschooling: The Benefits

Paragraph One -  Introduction: My own experience for 10 years
Supporting examples:
1. Social Skills are main argument against it; but more variety of social development opportunities for homeschoolers
2. Travel - time to do things on own schedule; able to do a wider variety of activities; able to take advantage of free admissions and fewer crowds.
3. Freedom - Learn more because of greater flexibility - more reading, more working on individualized projects and learning.

Final paragraph - Conclusion: Can be very rewarding if situation is right. Can use the experience in other areas of life.

Here is a sample essay:
THE BENEFITS OF HOMESCHOOLING

Many people shake their heads in disbelief when I tell them I homeschooled our kids during elementary school, but I still think it is one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Their understandable response is to think that the kids "missed out" on something very basic in our culture: the classroom with the teacher at the blackboard, the school bus rides, and the playgrounds. Whenever you do something unusual, it is hard to see the benefits. But there are many.

The first question invariably is, "What about their social development?" Frankly, I think my kids had a lot more time for social activities than kids in the school system.   Our backyard was the favorite play area for the whole neighborhood, because everyone knew our kids were around and at least one parent was home.  They learned to interact well with adults and kids of all ages, because their world included a wider variety of people other than their own age group.  Socially they were impressive,  and when I think of all the hours they got to spend actually playing outside, I don't feel a bit bad about their missing out on 20 -minute recesses on a school playground.

Then there's the opportunities for outings, even travel. When you homeschool, your free time is not limited to weekends. You can go to museums on free days midweek, you can go to movies when they are not crowded, and you can enjoy all the parks and libraries of your area at whim.  Like many homeschoolers, our family was able to drive across the United States  together and even go to other countries, taking our lessons from the world around us. We decided it should more realistically be called "Worldschool" instead of "Homeschool."

Last but not least is the overall feeling of freedom.  You can study what intersts you. You can read as many books as you want, and at your own speed. My kids devoured books, and - simply by the sheer number of hours they were able to enjoy books -   were testing at high-school level reading when they were in the 6th grade. Other basic skills such as math, science and social studies can be incorporated into everyday living, and I came to realize that much of the basics are part of a developmental cognitive growth that happens whether a child is in school or not. They could stay up late without worrying about getting up for school the next morning, so we were able to take them to evening events such as concerts (we have many musician friends); this freedom of time use allows many homeschoolers the chance to hone the natural tendencies of their kids in a more focused and meaningful way.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone; if both parents work outside the house it is nearly impossible. But it could be something to take advantage of during the current economic climate. Now, years later, working as an ESL teacher in multi-level classrooms, I can easily grasp the idea of various levels being in the same room and having everyone effectively learn.  It works! I know this because I took the first step away from the bus stop, toward the world beyond, with my kids. Now I'm living it, in a different form, with my adult students.