Starting James’s Winter Portfolio
Monday – Friday (11/16-11/20) — Stuff He’s Done This Week:
- Played loads of video games with his online friends (Strategic Thinking; Collaborative Problem Solving)
- We went to the park, forcing him to suffer through at least an hour of non-electronic entertainment. I remember how smug I used to be about those parents who allowed their kids to become addicted to excessive T.V. and video games — something that would never happen in MY bibliophilic, nature-loving household. :-/ He had some fun, though he wouldn’t admit it, playing with a shovel on levers. He is interested in building one at home, and took a bunch of photos of its parts. (Sensory Development: Proprioceptive; Strength; Bilateral Coordination; Science: Machines)
- He helped his dad build a model car which he’d bought at a deep discount at T.J. Maxx. His dad did most of the work, because it was difficult for him, but he seemed absorbed in the process. (Science: Building Stuff)
- Tuesday he participated in Family Writers Group, and beforehand, under duress, he did some writing. His story is about zombies. He’s composing it on the computer this time, instead of writing by hand, and I think the spell-check function is helping him a great deal. He has a rich vocabulary and fertile imagination, in my opinion: all the makings of a first-rate writer. What he struggles with is mechanics (grammar, punctuation, and spelling). And motivation. (“I don’t LIKE to write.”) He’s under enormous pressure here, being prodded to write a few paragraphs every week (*snort*) The hard part for me is having faith that this is ENOUGH. (Writing)
- He listened to the rest of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and he’s listening to The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan and The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau (Reading/Literature) He rarely reads print books, unless they’re comics; he prefers audiobooks and read-alouds. That probably explains some of his issues with writing mechanics. There seem to be plenty of interesting graphic novels out now; I wonder which ones he’s enjoy?
- Thursday he participated in Family Game Night. We played Blink, Apples to Apples, Feed the Kitty and “Place That Movie Quote.”
A lot of 9 and 10 year olds I know seem to write four or five paragraphs.
It’s what’s in the story or the essay that is important, though mechanics are too.
Zombies are very fashionable now.
And taking pictures of the shovel is good, and trying to make one himself. That will be a learning experience!
Comment by Adelaide - November 21, 2009 8:19 pm
Write? What’s that?
Comment by Adesa - November 22, 2009 9:37 am
I found this list of graphic novel recommendations on School Library Journal. I use their site as a resource lots of times when scrambling for something new for my incredibly reluctant readers.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/540000654/post/710038071.html
~L
Comment by ~Leigh - November 22, 2009 1:18 pm
That’s the way it seems to work here with building projects ~ Owen’s Dad does most of the actual work and the boy looks on, asking questions and trying to be helpful.
Zombies seem like a rich topic for writing to me !
Comment by tara - November 22, 2009 2:10 pm
I’m always impressed by the work your children do! How is the Hunger Games? I keep hearing about that book.
It’s good that you are letting your son write on the computer. I’m very thankful for the computer in helping my son with writing. He has a lot of trouble with writing by hand. Writing always came naturally to me (I think because I saw it as a form of art) but even I remember how painful it was and how slowly I did it because I wanted it to look perfect. My father probably nurtured my love of writing simply by letting me play with the typewriter. Suddenly I could put my thoughts on paper before I lost them!
Peace and Laughter!
Comment by Cristina - November 24, 2009 12:50 pm
Your son sounds a lot like my son in terms of the tv/playing outside but not admitting to liking it/reading graphic novels. Sometimes I think it’s just a boy thing, which I, as a girl, will never get.
Comment by Kristen - November 30, 2009 3:53 pm