WHEN LESS IS MORE

September is here and life is in high gear for all of us. Isn’t it exciting? If we’re being honest, I’m guessing some moments feel exciting and many others already feel overwhelming, and that’s okay. As you begin the new school year, remember to speak life:

•  “This school year is going to be filled with special memories as we all learn together.”

•  “While we work on learning academics, we will remember to model and praise the character qualities (servanthood, kindness, perseverance, etc.) that shape who we are becoming.”

•  “We choose to hold our expectations (for ourselves and our children) loosely, knowing that ultimately we are NOT in charge of everything (or anything really).”

Wow! Those are some amazing and true statements, and they will bring life to your educational journey this school year. Speak it. Believe it.

I am thrilled that you are bravely putting one foot in front of the other, even if that means jumping right into your own version of your favorite comedy show. Perspective matters. Oftentimes, we begin a new school year with great plans and expectations, then 2 hours in (or maybe 2 days in if you’re type A), reality hits. This is not failure. This is real. It’s family life. You can choose to smile, speak life, and carry on.

But what about lesson plans and upcoming exams and keeping up with the smartest family in our co-op? These are real thoughts aren’t they? Perhaps it appears silly as you read them here, but I know these thoughts. I’ve had these thoughts, and I’ve heard them from many of you. At The Write Journey, we have a philosophy that is based on the 80/20 Rule (also known as the Pareto Principle). Here is a quote from our writing handbook, which we use to teach our writing methods:

“The 80/20 Rule is simply an observation that states, ‘most things in life are not distributed evenly.’ Often we find that ‘20% of the input creates 80% of the result’. What this means practically is that ‘you can focus your effort on the 20% that makes a difference, instead of the 80% that doesn’t add much.’” (Quotes by Kalid Azad)

Since we can’t do everything well, we benefit from focusing the majority of our energy and resources on the aspects of life and education that really matter. Perhaps you’re thinking, “Wait. Is this true? My children don’t have to “master” everything?” No, they don’t. In fact, that is an impossible standard and expectation. I want to encourage you to apply some wisdom in light of this truth: begin your school year with an understanding of what YOUR priorities are. This is your 20%.

Detailed lesson plans may (or may not) line up with these priorities. Attending every social activity that your family is invited to may not either. Memorizing the names of all the presidents in order? Earning “A”s on every assignment? Making your bed every morning? You get the idea. We have so many choices. We must choose well. I encourage you to look for your family’s 20% and work towards mastery of that. Weave in the rest as you are able. It may surprise you to know that we do the same when it comes to teaching writing.

I know that you are choosing well because you’re taking your family life and your children’s education seriously. You’re making it a priority. You’re filling your mind with truth and life. This is going to be a great school year for you and your children! Declare it! Choose it!

Let me know if the 80/20 Rule helps you prioritize the choices and opportunities that come your way. Does it empower you to know that your children can’t “master” everything, but mastering 20% will result in success?

If I could, I’d relax in a comfy chair right beside you, and I’d enter into your world, speaking life specifically to your unique situation. But for now, I pray you’ll join me from a distance and send me your thoughts when you have a curious question or serious concern. Connect with me at krispeakslife@gmail.com, and don’t forget to speak life today.

Speaking life, Kris C.

TEACHING WRITING WITH A PURPOSE

If you had a chance to read our newsletter from last month (August 2021- you can find it on our website in the “News” section), you learned about our vision to create a community of individuals who are serious about bringing quality language arts education to our children, youth, and adults. In a world that is sadly declining in literacy, we are working hard to make a difference by using relational teaching methods to partner with parents and educators to provide quality language arts instruction, with a focus on writing.

As we move forward with a mindset of partnership, it will be helpful for you to understand various aspects of our philosophy and values as a business, so we’ll be sharing that information throughout our newsletter each month. This month, I’d like to focus on our philosophy of striving for mastery. If I could have a friendly conversation with you, I would ask you, “What does “striving for mastery” mean to you in relation to language arts instruction?” Perhaps you’ll take a moment to think about that.

Let me help you understand what it means for TWJ business. Essentially, we have discovered what aspects of literature, verbal communication, and writing must be taught and practiced in order for students to consistently experience confidence in their educational journey. We have removed the busy work, and we focus on these essential skills. Year after year, students must learn and PRACTICE these skills over and over again to develop mastery. Concise, effective instruction, paired with long-term practice, results in mastery.

“Mastery is the attainment of a superior level of knowledge or skill in a domain. The term implies that you are knowledgeable or skilled enough to compete or collaborate with those at the top of a field.” (simplicable.com/new/mastery) This is what we desire for our children. Right?

Of course, at The Write Journey we are working towards mastery of literacy. I appreciate this definition of literacy: “Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world around us. Lacking vital literacy skills holds a person back at every stage of their life.” (literacytrust.org.uk) That is sobering. As a nation, as parents, as a business, we must identify the path to true literacy for our students. This definition shows us literacy is more than simple reading and writing; it includes listening and communicating effectively. This definition even includes “making sense of the work around us.”

At TWJ, we have spent over 17 years identifying the skills our students must master to move forward with confidence in their educational pursuits and their career fields. We even begin teaching these skills to our youngest students - our kindergarteners - and we continue teaching these same skills at much higher levels of difficulty to our most advanced students - our high school seniors. With every single student, we begin at the beginning - teaching our tried and true writing methods. Then we move forward, always working to find the balance between challenging our students, yet not burdening them to the point of discouragement and even despair.

Sadly, I have found that the majority of language arts curriculums do NOT work towards mastery. Instead, the excellent content found in much curriculum results in “familiarity”, but not “mastery”. While the content of the material may be superior, the pace at which students are required to learn the material is impossible for all but a few exceptional students. There is no time to develop mastery - only familiarity at best. If you desire to help your children achieve mastery, we’d love to partner with you on that journey. That’s what we do. We can teach your children in our live online classes, or we can even teach you - the adult - through our Adult Certification Program. Our website has more information about all of our services.

Or perhaps YOU are teaching your children the literacy skills they will need to find success in this world. We encourage you to focus on identifying the skills your children must “master”, and purpose to focus resources on those areas.

Together, we WILL raise a generation of children through mastery of language arts skills. Let’s partner together with this common goal of bringing literacy to all of our children.

Written by: Kris Cordell

HAVING FUN LEARNING TOGETHER

We are so excited about our very first ever Adult Certification class! We have a dozen individuals participating. What a diverse and beautiful group of people are represented in the course. We are going on a journey together. A journey of learning and laughing together. Because isn’t life and homeschooling a laughable journey? How many times do you feel you have two choices: laugh or cry? I choose laughter; humor is good medicine.

We are excited to learn about how to teach our writing methods and our educational philosophies to parents in our community. This journey is rich, and it is raw. It’s past time to get serious about educating the next generation and equipping them to make a difference in their world. But first, we must equip ourselves, so that’s what we’re doing together. We’ve got the information, but we need to learn the pace that works for busy adults, especially homeschool parents.

Of course, each semester we will be starting a new Foundations of Basic Writing class. So think about joining us in January if you feel the need to gain some practical guidance on teaching writing to your children. In addition to our Foundational Basic Writing course, we will begin teaching some modules for adults to continue gaining the knowledge and skills that will enable them to teach their children quality language arts. Here is a list of some of the modules that we are working to develop:

• Teaching Early Writers (preschool-1st grade)

• Creating a Home Environment that Fosters Quality Communication

• Teaching Multi-paragraph Essay Writing

•  Grammar Basics

•  Foundational Basic Writing Review and Practice

• Blending Literature with Writing

•  Focus on Editing and Correcting Students’ Writing

•  Developing Critical Thinking Alongside Writing

• And More!

  We do hope you’ll seriously consider joining us on this journey to becoming better writers and better writing instructors. All adult participants will begin with the Foundational Basic Writing course, which is a 12 week module. After that, they may select any of the modules as they are offered. Feel free to send us an email and let us know what modules you would like to see us offer first.

Written by: Kris Cordell