Caitlin did it! She completed her first essay of this school year. This is not her favorite subject at all. She told me that her friend Dacie (we miss you Dacie!) once told her that "the hardest thing about writing was staring at the blank piece of paper" and she told me that she now knows this is really true!
Fortunately, K12's curriculum carefully guided Caitlin through each lesson and made the writing fun. She even wrote a bit on her own!! In order for you to really appreciate the finer points of getting the reluctant (and that is probably putting it mildly) writer to complete an essay - take a look at the evolution.
The first few lessons helped Caitlin chose and focus on a topic. By mid-September we were on Lesson 3 and we STRUGGLED through the first draft. It went like this:
My cat is funny. She likes to chase pillows. She likes to snuggle. She likes to sit in leather chairs. She also sits in the sink. She rides in our car with me best. When you pet her she stretches her paw out. When you get in the shower she will go in and lick it.
Yep - that was it. And I cleaned up the spelling and capitalization for you! It was a messy, messy paper - but she told me that Mr. Inn (her teacher last year!) called the first draft the SLOPPY COPY. Let me tell you - he nailed that description.
Fast forward to October 16th - it is the big proofreading and publishing day. Caitlin's final copy goes like this:
Silly PJaye
Wow! My silly tabby cat Pjaye entertains us with a lot of funny things. She enjoys chasing baby doll pillows. She likes to curl up in our black leather chairs when we are trying to use them during school. She also likes to huddle in the damp bathroom sink. When you get out of the shower in the morning, she jumps in and licks the bottom of the shower!
There are also many things Pjaye does that are my favorites. My cat rides in our blue Honda Pilot with me best. If I am not in the car with her, my Mom says that PJaye meows for at least twenty minutes. My cat always likes to snuggle when you are on the couch. When you scratch her softly on her belly, she stretches out her white paws.
Fortunately, K12's curriculum carefully guided Caitlin through each lesson and made the writing fun. She even wrote a bit on her own!! In order for you to really appreciate the finer points of getting the reluctant (and that is probably putting it mildly) writer to complete an essay - take a look at the evolution.
The first few lessons helped Caitlin chose and focus on a topic. By mid-September we were on Lesson 3 and we STRUGGLED through the first draft. It went like this:
My cat is funny. She likes to chase pillows. She likes to snuggle. She likes to sit in leather chairs. She also sits in the sink. She rides in our car with me best. When you pet her she stretches her paw out. When you get in the shower she will go in and lick it.
Yep - that was it. And I cleaned up the spelling and capitalization for you! It was a messy, messy paper - but she told me that Mr. Inn (her teacher last year!) called the first draft the SLOPPY COPY. Let me tell you - he nailed that description.
Fast forward to October 16th - it is the big proofreading and publishing day. Caitlin's final copy goes like this:
Silly PJaye
Wow! My silly tabby cat Pjaye entertains us with a lot of funny things. She enjoys chasing baby doll pillows. She likes to curl up in our black leather chairs when we are trying to use them during school. She also likes to huddle in the damp bathroom sink. When you get out of the shower in the morning, she jumps in and licks the bottom of the shower!
There are also many things Pjaye does that are my favorites. My cat rides in our blue Honda Pilot with me best. If I am not in the car with her, my Mom says that PJaye meows for at least twenty minutes. My cat always likes to snuggle when you are on the couch. When you scratch her softly on her belly, she stretches out her white paws.
I know it isn't long - but gosh - the improvement is noticeable and very exciting. Measured success can be a great thing! I've heard that some people's endorphins kick in when they check something off of their "to-do" lists! Sounds like an easy way to get your kicks....much easier than 4 weeks of teaching creative writing!
1 comment:
I love the story, I think it is cute.
:)
Jenn
jennifer_l_cox@yahoo.com
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