SWB's Audio re: writing in High School

[Julieofsardis]

I just downloaded and listened to this seminar. I loved it and we are basically on track and actually doing a lot of what she suggested.

She recommended the student write 2 persuasive essays a week pulling from the content areas of the curriculum. She said that you may only do a few in science, so I think I can figure that out. I also think I can figure out the literary analysis type papers, but to come up with an entire year's worth of ideas in history is overwhelming to me. I think History Odessey has a lot of good suggestions, but unfortunately they do not have the last two cycles written for high school level and we're ready to begin the third cycle - Early Modern.

Does anyone know of any good resources for ideas of the type that SWB recommends? She gave some parameters for these, but I am just not good at generating the ideas.

I think TOG may include some of those type assignments, but I'm really not a fan of TOG because of the reformed theology.

[Cadam]

Is there more information about this in the new edition of WTM? I just listened to that lecture as well and I remember her talking about 3 questions to help create a thesis statement. Maybe you can just start there?

[Colleen in NS]

but to come up with an entire year's worth of ideas in history is overwhelming to me. ...She gave some parameters for these, but I am just not good at generating the ideas.

In my notes from that lecture, I have written down six topic-generating suggestions. I wonder if you could talk with your child, say, each time he/she reads a history book or section of a history spine (or whenever you want him/her to write a history paper), and ask the child what he/she could write about...maybe those topic-generating suggestions will give *him/her* ideas, and you wouldn't have to come up with them yourself all the time.

[Julieofsardis]

Man, I wish I were that good, but I'm just not. I know myself too well after 10 years of homeschooling. If I don't have it all planned out, I won't do it. Maybe I shouldn't be a classical homeschooler, but I love the idea of it.

I get the how of generating ideas, but I would rather have someone else have already come up with them and I just use them. I know that's lazy, but it is what it is.

[Rhondabee]

Man, I wish I were that good, but I'm just not. I know myself too well after 10 years of homeschooling. If I don't have it all planned out, I won't do it. Maybe I shouldn't be a classical homeschooler, but I love the idea of it.

I get the how of generating ideas, but I would rather have someone else have already come up with them and I just use them. I know that's lazy, but it is what it is.

LOL! :iagree: LOL!

I always think of the *best* ideas...about two weeks *after* we've moved on to another topic. ;)

[Colleen in NS]

If I don't have it all planned out, I won't do it.

I would rather have someone else have already come up with them and I just use them. I know that's lazy, but it is what it is.

I don't think that sounds lazy. :) I just thought that gradually transferring some of the thinking work (though I realize that's work for you at the beginning) to your student might make things easier for you. But I understand wanting to have things all planned out, too.