| One common variation on the "how much is too | | | | know that I had my kids write a lot, and I know |
| much" question for homeschooling involves high | | | | it was more than most. That's what my kids did |
| school writing. Specifically, what is a normal, | | | | because they were capable, and both turned out |
| acceptable level of writing to ask your high school | | | | to be great writers. But the reason it was |
| students to do? | | | | effective wasn't because of how much I had |
| Most high school student curriculum seem to have | | | | them write, it was because I asked them to |
| one 5-6 page paper assigned one or two times | | | | work at their level. |
| per year, with some smaller papers in between. In | | | | Trust yourself on that. If you are involved with a |
| public school, students are often asked to write | | | | writing program, and the requirements are killing |
| one or two papers like that per year. I personally | | | | you - STOP! You'll find that each child in your |
| asked my children to write 500-1000 words per | | | | family may be different, as well. Perhaps if you |
| week when they were in 11th and 12th grade. | | | | consider having them write for, say, an hour a |
| That was about 1-2 pages typed and single | | | | day, that would be a more reasonable measure |
| spaced, most weeks of the year. It wasn't all | | | | for high school. If you feel that your child is being |
| "English" because sometimes the papers were for | | | | asked to do too much, then I am 100% confident |
| History, or French, or Art. | | | | that it is too much. |
| This might seem like too much to you, but the | | | | Have them write every day, and have them |
| reason our writing program was successful was | | | | write different things. Good writing is all about |
| because I taught my kids at their level, and I | | | | practice, so they do need to do some writing |
| knew how much to push them so they wouldn't | | | | each day. But don't push them so hard that they |
| break. That's why homeschooling works. If you | | | | hate writing. Keep a "five year plan" in mind, |
| have them write AT THEIR LEVEL, they can | | | | where they have a love of learning at the end of |
| learn. If you have them write too much, then | | | | this wonderful homeschooling. |
| they will get frustrated, angry, or worse, rebel. I | | | | |