Writing Isn't Just Writing

Experimenting with Magnets

Handwriting instruction is supposed to take no more than ten minutes. Most days it takes half an hour. Not because Builder Boy's fighting me. He's gotten over that for the most part. But because he's talking.

I've written before about a theological discussion sparked by a handwriting prompt. What I didn't know then was that sort of a thing was going to be a common occurrence. And it's been frustrating me because I keep thinking this is only supposed to take ten minutes!

But this morning I finally realized: this isn't just copying letters like a drone. This is supposed to prepare him for creative writing. And that's what he's doing: being creative. If I'm constantly shutting down his creative thinking when he's writing, aren't I hampering his ability to connect the two? I don't want him to get the idea that when he's writing he needs to shut down his brain.

Like yesterday. Builder Boy likes to fiddle and play with things when he's supposed to be listening to the story. But as long as he can answer the questions about the reading, I let him. Yesterday's fiddlings with the new white board's magnets turned into an impromptu experiment with magnets, seeing which items found on the table blocked the magnetism and which didn't, and talking about how electromagnets turn a motor. I ended up having to re-read the passage. But you know what? I'm not going to stress about it. Isn't this one of the advantages of homeschooling over public school? Setting our own schedule instead of being a slave to the clock. Going off on rabbit trails and not killing the love of learning.

I'm going to accept that handwriting is going to take thirty minutes instead of ten most days. When it is just ten I'll be pleasantly surprised. That's part of teaching a child with an enthusiasm for learning that hasn't be squashed by constantly hearing "we don't have time for that now."

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