Field Journal

I have no idea where she got this name, but Zoe is obsessed with her field journal.  It's the best thing to happen to our school.  She saw a little spiral notebook in Staples and said, "PLEASE can I have this field journal?"  I put it, some tape, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, and scissors in a box and told her she could do whatever she wanted with it.  She has been so busy.  I have seen more effort go into her drawing and writing than in anything she's ever done.  She will copy whole pages of a Fancy Nancy book, write a list to do before our Halloween party, or write a note for her sister.

A whole new world is emerging, and it's so cool to see.  Everything is something to record, write down, scribble, or draw.  I went back and read parts of a book I loved from grad school called The Art of Teaching Writing.  The author talks about giving their early writing purpose and rather than praise it, ask them what they want to do with it.  Since then, she has written birthday cards, letters, to do lists for her dad, lists of bedtime chores, and more.   It's one of the benefits of homeschooling - working and feeling frustrated and then seeing change - or at least progress -  come almost overnight.