April 18, 20171Comments

Want to Harm Writing? Teach it the Traditional Way!

Frankly, we know, the more we teach kids to obsess on correctness in grammar and writing...the worse they write and the less motivated they are (oh no...did I end with

by Fred Ray Lybrand

Blog

Writing

September 14, 20160Comments

Good Essay for a Homeschooler? 6 Questions that Help

HERE'S A QUESTION ON ESSAY WRITING I RECEIVED RECENTLY: Hi, Firstly, thank you for answering all of my questions. After a careful look I was able to find all the downloads

September 5, 20160Comments

At Least Don’t Teach Grammar Before Age 11

As you may well know, I have been an almost-lone-voice in how rediculously useless teaching grammar (to grow writers) is as homeschoolers. Honestly, it's the same with mass education as

July 28, 20161Comments

Just Admit It – Learning Involves Frustration

July 27, 20160Comments

One Word Explains Why Some People Are Learners and Some People Are Not

In the last letter we looked at the fact that FRUSTRATION is a big part of learning, but becoming a good learner isn't just about overcoming frustration. There is a

July 23, 20160Comments

What Can We Learn from A Public School President Who Says He Cannot Write a Sentence?

Detroit Public Schools (DPS) president, Otis Mathis, admits he can’t write a coherent sentence. He further argues that he is a role model as a leader who can’t write. He’s

by Fred Ray Lybrand

Blog

Writing

July 22, 20160Comments

Myth: Grammar Study Makes Your Child a Better Writer

In a recent conversation about grammar and writing, I made the following point. Hope it is helpful.Often I hear it posed that ‘grammar study is useful’— and, the reason they

July 20, 20160Comments

How to Teach Children to Edit Their Own Papers

Think about editing for a moment. All it involves is going back through something written and looking for two things: 1. Any mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. 2. Any ways to say

July 19, 20160Comments

The Importance of Feedback in Teaching Children to Write

I want to encourage everyone to avoid underestimating the value of feedback in learning anything (especially writing). It is so important that you can simply rest on the fact that

July 17, 20160Comments

SAT Grammar Secret

Here's a posted conversation that may help:Great question about the SAT.The SAT is timed, so no one is going to operate effectively by recalling and applying a matrix of rules.

by Fred Ray Lybrand

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