Answered Prayer

Noah has never enjoyed writing.  Creative writing, essays, letters, you name it.  He hated it all.  From kindergarten on, it has been a daily struggle and a source of much frustration and many tears from both of us.  He is such a good student in every other aspect, but writing assignments have never failed to produce wailing and gnashing of teeth.  I knew he could do it, but have really struggled with how to help him become the excellent writer I was sure he could become.  

One of the (many) reasons we chose to home-educate our children was the freedom that it would give us to individualise each child's education, using their natural learning style as a guide, challenging them where they excelled, and providing extra support if they struggled. 

English and writing are definitely where Noah struggled.  In every other subject, Noah did great regardless of curriculum-choice or teaching style.  But over the past 5 years, I have gone through 7 different curriculums/writing programs, hours of brain-storming, and lots of prayer as I tried to find a solution to the nightmare that writing had become.

At the beginning of 2012, we made a complete change of curriculum for Noah and ordered Bob Jones Univeristy's Distance Learning program.  It was a huge change of pace for both of us and felt a bit risky as 50% of their Language Arts curriculum is dedicated to the writing process.

As part of his spelling curriculum, Noah writes a journal to me each Thursday.  The topic is assigned, a few questions to get him thinking are provided, and the rest is left up to him.  When we made the switch, he really disliked journal days and his entries were perfunctory at best.  This year, he has begun to enjoy writing in his journal and really looks forward to receiving my replies.  I enjoy the chance to read about what he thinks and feels about all sorts of topics.  And this week's journal made my heart so happy!  It read:

Dear Mommy Dearest,

My favorite subject is English.  I enjoy it, because we have writing chapters.  I like to learn new things.  I have learned how to plan a persuasive essay.  I think my least favorite subject is art.  I am not good at art.
                     

                                                                                                                                          Cordially,

 

Your big boy Noah

 

What?  English is his favorite subject?  And he enjoys it because of the "writing chapters"?   This is progress I never expected.  I was just praying that God would help him to learn to write without hating it!  Thank you God for answering above and beyond what I asked.  And, thank you BJU press for providing the perfect curriculum for my boy.

 

P.S.  Yes, he calls me "Mommy Dearest" most of the time.  No, I don't bribe him to do so :)