Writer's Workshop Update

As you all know, this session we started incorporating writing curriculum from the Institute for Excellence in Writing once a week in the Elementary studio. So far, it's gone swimmingly. The book "All Things Fun and Fascinating" serves up paragraphs on topics that cater to kids' curiosity, and they're either adopting or honing the skill of making Key Word Outlines. I've enjoyed seeing children who are a bit farther down the road with this skill help those to whom it's brand new.

One of the Writing Badge requirements for Level 3 and higher is a certain number of "polished papers." We've been using the last couple weeks of this session to hold their hands and gently guide them toward a polished paragraph. Today, nearly everyone chose their favorite Key Word Outline from the past few weeks and worked for about 15 minutes to transform it into a simple paragraph.

At the end, I handed out checklists which will be their rubrics for spiffing up those rough paragraphs and turning them into polished work. This process can occur at any time of their choosing, but paragraphs are due next Thursday. This assignment is optional, but strongly encouraged for anyone working toward their Level 4 or 5 badge. Completing a paragraph each session at the suggested time means no one need scramble to crank out paragraphs in July!

If you want to help your writer at home with revising his or her work, feel free to email me a request for the rubric so you can have a backup copy. Oh, and one more thing -- now that we have sixteen children in the class, I've started running two shifts of Writer's Workshop, each with eight children. Group One meets at 10:30 and Group Two at 10:50. The children prefer it this way, and I see the effect on their level of focus.

Onward and upward!

A Jar of Jellybeans

You know what's great about jellybeans? Yes, they're candy. True, they do contain sugar and food coloring. From a nutritional standpoints, there's nothing to love there. BUT: they're tiny! One or two little beans can give a child an instant happiness boost, and it's not like you're handing them a Snickers bar. Also? They're colorful and fun to look at. Ergo, I find myself using them for illustrations with some regularity.

(Image source here.)

This past Wednesday in morning launch, I introduced to the children the idea of the Emotional Bank Account. I told them that in every one of their relationships ("look around the room and meet every pair of eyes"), there is an account where they make deposits and withdrawals. We discussed some ways we make deposits, demonstrating by putting jellybeans into a jar: Giving compliments. Sharing our things. Helping with math problems. Keeping promises. Apologizing when we do wrong. Offering forgiveness.

Of course, we can also make withdrawals: Teasing. Touching each other's things without asking. Being rude. Singing loudly after being asked to stop. Lying. Excluding.

With their permission, I used two of the children as an example. Let's call them B and C. :-) Last week, B had teased C during closing when she admitted to not cleaning up her project area properly. I reminded the kids that C had said she wasn't offended by that teasing. (It wasn't malicious, but with different children, it could have felt hurtful.) I asked them why they thought B was able to tease C without C getting offended. Pointing to our two jars -- one full of beans, one almost empty -- I asked, "Which jar represents B and C's relationship?"

Since B and C have been friends for several years and have many "deposits" accrued, the teasing withdrawal didn't even register. However, if over those years B had made fun of C's choice of outfits, and C had broken one of B's toys and then blamed him for it, and B had tried to boss C around, and C had formed a club that excluded B ... well, with such a low balance to start off with, that teasing incident would have gone a lot differently, no?

Cyrus came up with the fun idea that during that day, each child would have a cup and would come to me each time someone made a deposit in their relationship, asking me to put a jellybean in that classmate's cup. There was some discussion about whether rewarding kind behavior creates impure motives, but it was ultimately agreed that doing this for just one day would be fun, harmless, and potentially motivational.

I enjoyed having the children approach me all day with good reports of one another, lobbying unselfishly to have each other's cups tended with jellybeans. "Abigail deserves a jellybean. She shared her Hershey's kisses with me." "Milam and Reed persevered on their project all the way through free time. That inspired me." "Hope made a deposit when she gave me a hug." Why does this matter? How does it relate to reaching higher in math, spelling, and economics? Well, don't we all learn more easily in an atmosphere in an atmosphere of love and kindness?

I hope this illustration may be useful around your homes in the days and weeks ahead. Asking "how can you make a deposit here instead of a withdrawal?" is a great calibration. If your house is anything like mine, balances in the jars among siblings fluctuate more than the stock market!

That's Generosity

As you probably know, every session at AI we zoom in the lens on a different character trait. This session, in tandem with our Entrepreneurship Quest, we're highlighting generosity. (Why do we seek to make money and succeed in business? To get rich and chase the American Dream, or to glorify God by sharing freely our newfound resources? How can we be generous with everything we have -- not only with money, but also with compliments, with encouragement, with time, with skills, with ... um, candy?)

Last week in one of our morning launches, I shared with the kids the very moving story of Rachel Beckwith, a 9-year-old girl who wanted to raise money for charity:water in lieu of birthday gifts. Initially disappointed at not meeting her goal, she soon afterward was the victim of a terrible car accident. As she lay in the hospital in critical condition and eventually passed away, her small campaign for charity:water went viral. In the wake of her death, over one million dollars was raised for wells in Africa. This sweet girl was responsible for bringing clean drinking water to over 37,000 Ethiopians.

Many of the children's hearts were obviously touched by the story of a girl their age whose life and death inspired generosity in so many. And without any prompting, Josiah remarked, "You know, I think we should stop complaining about the way the water in the schoolhouse tastes funny. [And that, my friends, is a whole 'nother saga!] For the people she was trying to raise money for, our water would probably taste GREAT."

Hear, hear.

There was much excitement last week over Thursday's Snack Mix Wars, which is just one of the challenges along the way to each project team's creation of a mini-company. Some of you may have wondered, what happens to the profits that the kids made off of all the kindhearted mamas (and dad, and a few siblings)? And what about all the points they're earning along the way by completing challenges and (ouch) documenting their work?

The answer is that we're so passionate about encouraging generosity that each team is going to use their funds to choose a gift from the World Vision catalog to send to others! All that snack mix hawking, diligence with the dreaded paperwork, and initiative in completing bonus challenges means pigs, goats, chickens, a mosquito net, or maybe a well, sponsored by each of the project teams. In fact, the team with the most points from ES and from MS gets to have their contribution DOUBLED. Moms and dads, feel free to join with us at home in building excitement for this opportunity to be generous!

Treasure Hunting

(A role-playing moment from the Entrepreneurship Quest, kicked off this past week.)

This week, we've been pondering gratitude. Last weekend my family and I had the privilege of attending a concert of the African Children's Choir, where it was brought home to us just what a priceless privilege it is for the children of the choir to attend school and receive an education. Scarcity breeds appreciation, and they realize that education is their ticket out of poverty and into their dreams of becoming a pilot, a pastor, an accountant, a mechanical engineer or a midwife. Yet our own kids are chauffeured to school each morning in comfortable cars, laden with healthy lunches and snacks. Education is not scarce. So can we blame them if they sometimes fixate on what's missing (the project teammates they would have preferred, the seat assignment they would have wanted, etc.) instead of what's there?

So Wednesday morning during launch, I handed each of the children a marker, pencil or pen. There was no rhyme or reason to who got what. And what they got was what they got. We went around the room and each expressed something to be grateful for about the particular gift they had received. For some, it was easy ("I got a pink marker and it's my favorite color!"). For others, the muscles of gratitude and imagination got to stretch a bit. Abigail dug deep to point out that her gray marker reminded her of God being light in the darkness. Meg thought her brown marker could be useful should she ever want to draw a dog!

Then we practiced a bit with other scenarios. How could we be grateful for a disappointing team assignment, or something else that falls to our lot, unwelcome? I challenged the children to "treasure hunt" during the day. And what do you know, during Core Skills my extremely fizzy bottle of kombucha made a big mess when I tried to open it, foaming all over my jeans and the carpet. As some of the children leaped to the rescue and we sponged up the mess, Josiah remarked that we could be grateful that the kombucha didn't explode on my Chromebook!

I've noticed an unfortunate tendency in myself as a guide, which is that I am affected easily by the emotional and relational fluctuations in the room. If something has gone awry in the afternoon, I go to the staff meeting wanting to vent about it, or go home feeling defeated. I allow that one thing to cloud the truth and beauty of the rest of the day, and forget the good that God is bringing out of even (especially?) the harder moments. Just like the children, I need a conscious reminder to give thanks in EVERYTHING, and to turn my eyes away from what is missing to what is already there.

So here are a just a few reminders to myself -- some of the many moments this week that deserve my real focus -- that may bless you as well.

• Caroline telling me, "Mom, ever since the break when I was missing my classmates so much, I've really started seeing them more as Stradivariuses." [A reference to a launch about how each of them is more valuable and precious than a Stradivarius violin.]
• Ben explaining to our visiting child what a session is: "It's six weeks of school." Me: "And Ben, what happens at the end of the six weeks?" Ben: "We have to take a break. It's horrible." (!) Murmurs of general assent from the class. Genevieve: "I know, I was SO BORED without you guys over the break!" [I can't imagine too many schools where a conversation like this takes place!]
• The loud cheering and big hugs when Cyrus and Milam walked into Thursday morning launch a few minutes late after being out sick for two days after the break. 
• Aliya and Abigail mentioning our visiting child being a highlight of the week for them. 
• The rush to fill the jar of Character Call-outs on Thursday afternoon. 
• Gage running to check on a younger boy who was hurt during GaGa.

The math, spelling, grammar and writing are happening. But perhaps more importantly, they are learning through ups and downs to love one another, and for that I am truly grateful. 

(DEAR time reading buddies)

So Much to Talk About

One thing I love about the Elementary School students is that they're never at a loss for words. I can't think of a single time recently when I've asked them a question and gotten crickets chirping. Usually the problem is that we run out of time to get to everyone who wants to chime in! This is a wonderful time of life, when their minds are basically doing the opposite of what happens every time my family tries to plant a garden in Texas. In other words -- growing and expanding constantly. They have thoughts, they have opinions, and what they don't have much of yet is self-consciousness. Golden.

Last week at school, we had several juicy discussions. In Tuesday launch, I showed them a YouTube clip about Eric Liddell, the famous Olympic runner and missionary to China whose story is dramatized in the movie Chariots of Fire. In the movie, Liddell tells his sister, who's concerned that his running hampers his ability to follow his missionary calling wholeheartedly, that "God made me to be fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure." I asked the children when they have experienced "being in flow" which they defined as "when you work hard but it doesn't feel hard because you're having fun," and "not wanting to stop." We considered that when we get into a state of flow, we are tapping into the way God made us. When we express Him in the way He has designed us to do, we feel His pleasure.

On Wednesday, we re-visited our previous discussions of our four God-given needs: love/belonging, power, fun, and freedom. We brainstormed different ways that each of us fills our power "cup," from learning new things to helping others who aren't as far along in a skill to beating Mrs. Diller in Khan Academy energy points! We also talked a bit about what happens when our God-given need for power and capability is taken to an extreme. Ben reminded us of Lord Acton's quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

On Thursday, at their request we brainstormed the ways we fill our fun "cup." They were fairly popping with ideas! As a Guide, I felt heartened to hear of how many things at school feel fun to them. Having special things on the schedule like Pajama Day and Secret Santa clearly delights them! It was also interesting to notice as a group an overlap between Love/Belonging, Power, and Fun. The more capable we become in math, the more enjoyable it is (just ask Miles!). Helping others who aren't as good at math is a way to show love, but it also makes us feel powerful in a healthy way because we're using our skills for good. And it can be fun!

Of course, it's also worth considering what happens when needs collide. What if it's fun for me to sing "Drops in the Ocean" at the top of my lungs during studio maintenance, but that steals others' peace and makes them feel unloved by me? (Purely hypothetical, of course?!)

Looking forward to another bracing week ahead, learning alongside your children. See you at Exhibition!

From the Trenches of Writer's Workshop

... or would that be Writers' Workshop? Since there are writers, plural, in the workshop? Hnmmm, something to ponder.

Anyway, that's an excellent segue to the topic at hand, which is the question "What the dickens is my elementary-aged child doing every day in Writer's/Writers' Workshop?" (Henceforth to be abbreviated as WW.)

Every day after P.E., we assemble for WW. I rarely ever make participation mandatory, although it is strongly encouraged for Level 4 and 5 learners, and we warmly welcome younger learners as well. It heartens me to see that nearly all of the children choose to participate, even if they're more quietly absorbing. Because when I say "participate," I really mean it! WW is not student-directed, but it is extremely interactive.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I usually throw a sentence up on the board for them to chew on. Sometimes it's their copywork sentence for the week. I gather the copywork sentences from "The Arrow," which is a literature-based series of units published by Brave Writer. So for four weeks each session, they're copying sentences from a single piece of literature, which helps them practice grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence mechanics in a natural setting. The two remaining weeks, I pull copywork from other sources -- so far, it's been Bible verses.

So, back to the sentence(s) on the board. These sentences become a springboard to talk of many things. Some days I write the sentence fraught with errors, which they come up and correct ("Sentence Doctors"). Usually on one of the days, we do a bit of grammar work, identifying subjects and verbs, clauses, etc. Here I rely on those who have previously had some exposure to Essentials of the English Language to remind their classmates of the definitions of various parts of speech, sentences, clauses, etc. Other times we've discussed similes and metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole, and the art of naming characters. We've brainstormed quality adjectives and verbs to replace "Banned and Boring" ones, and we've looked at how renowned authors leverage those kinds of words to spice up their writing.

In planning these conversations, I'm guided by teaching helps from Brave Writer's "The Arrow," and also by my own love of grammar and language. Oh, and lately the children have been enjoying and requesting contests -- simile contests, alliteration contests, etc. I believe a poetry contest is in the offing.

(Full disclosure: Sometimes -- but not all the time! -- jellybeans make an appearance at WW. But surely that is not the reason so many students choose to participate. Surely not. It must be their untarnished and unquenchable love of learning!)

On Thursdays, we typically do free-writing. Everyone gathers 'round with Chromebook or journal in hand, and I give them a prompt. The only rule is that they keep writing. Worrying about grammar, spelling, and choosing the perfect word is out of bounds. We (yes, we -- I participate) just WRITE. We've written about pineapples, gratitude, letters to book characters, and the siege of Jericho, to name a few topics. After 5-10 minutes, anyone who wishes to may share.

What I love is that despite the wide range of writing ability, most kids are eager to share their work. I love that they don't seem to feel abashed by the roughness of what they've produced. We try to create a positive atmosphere that encourages everyone, because my main goal here is convince every child that he or she can enjoy writing and not fear it. Underlying that, of course, is the deeper desire for them to find beauty and pleasure in words, and ultimately, in the Word Himself.

The next step is to teach the revision process, starting with the oldest children. This feels experimental to me, since I've only done this one-on-one with my own children before. Please pray for me to have wisdom in how to carry this out with several students at a time. Hopefully as they grow, they will prove to be great editors for one another!

A Thanksgiving Memorial

“In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b]when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:21-24

In our history readings recently, both Middle School and Elementary School have covered the story of Joshua leading the Israelites across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. In that story, Joshua directed the people to take twelve stones from the river and to make a permanent, mobile memorial of God's provision, power and faithfulness to them during their years in the wilderness. 

On the day before Thanksgiving break began, the whole school gathered during lunchtime in the parking circle. Each person brought a stone, collected from the beautiful wooded land God has provided for us. We took it in turns to share one thing God has done for us that we're thankful for, and then piled up our stones as a memorial. 

Many of the kids and staff expressed thankfulness for the community God has given us, and how He's using it to shape our hearts and help us grow up into Him. Of course, one person thanked God that UT's football team beat OU this fall. Gotta love the way kids can keep it real!