Learning

Learning is about speed of access...face it, you haven't learned someone's name until you can recall it instantly.

There are many subjects I'd like to address: Leadership, Memory, Thinking, Reading, Communication, Questions, Creativity, Relationships...all of which involve learning.

In the meantime, I'd like to offer you a special letter I wrote to fellow homeschool parents about a Writing Curriculum (you can try the first 5 lessons as my gift to you) I developed:

WORKING TITLE: The Writing Code

Hi Fellow Education-minded Parent,

I'm writing you as a parent, an educator, a writer, and a revolutionary. I can explain all of these roles...but just know that I believe you are the most awesome source of learning for your own child. Frankly, you are the best EXPERT your child could have for a teacher.

We have five children (four boys and a girl), and all of them have been (will be) educated by us from birth to entrance into college. Two of the kids are in college and are doing very well; both with character and academics. I can't say we are the most awesome parents or educators, but I can say we didn't mess 'em up too bad!

I'm writing from my heart to your heart to tell you a fundamental thing or two---

The myth out there is that people are naturally good writers or they are not. It is very similar to the spelling myth (which we show you how to overcome); people either can spell well or they can't. Both of these things are so patently untrue that you wonder if there isn't a satanic plot against learning. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me a bit because people who can write well have the ability to influence others 24 hours a day and beyond their own lifetimes. Just think about your own life...hasn't a book, or a letter, or a quote provided some new insight for new choices for you? If you have been impacted by the Bible, then of course you know the value of writing.

Anyone can learn to write. Anyone can learn to carry on a conversation. Anyone can learn to swim. I mention these kinds of things because they are the essence of what you are probably hoping to teach your child: you can learn anything! Well, 'anything' could be an overstatement...but not by much. We really want to give kids the gift of lifetime learning---which just about guarantees their ability to be employed and find joy and influence in their lives. I mean, come on, if you can speak why can't you write? When people don't learn a subject that everyone can master, then it is simply because they

Frankly, most approaches to writing are simply a great testimony to the ability of humans to learn IN SPITE OF the method being used.

Think about learning to read for example. Pretty much everyone can learn to read (even those with 'disabilities'). Even if you are blind you can learn to read. The trick, however, is to learn to read by understanding the code. If you teach a child the basics of phonics, then he / she can decipher letters and words...and, in time...reading simply becomes a skill that is as automatic as speaking. Unfortunately, for many in the population, if you teach them 'look-say' or 'whole language' approaches, you can actually create learning disabilities (so some of the research indicates). This debate was really ended years ago, though some educators cling to their idealistic theories. Read Why Johnny Can't Read, by Rudolf Flesch to understand this issue.

Writing is not much different. People all over the country are using the exact worst way to teach children how to write...and they are doing it sincerely and lovingly. Frankly, they just don't know.

HERE'S THE ONE THING REQUIRED TO LEARN TO WRITE

You must write. You must write a lot. Your child must write and write...in time, he/she will get better.

Now, that approach is better than taking a grammar class of any kind. Studies have shown for almost 100 years that the more you study grammar, the worse you will write. Please, if you want your child to write well, stop having him study grammar.

Heresy!

Of course it is heresy. You were taught that way, so it must be good! Really, how good are you at writing? If you are good, it wasn't because of school...it was because you actually taught yourself a thing or two. You also may have had one of those magical teachers that gave you the freedom to dump the rules and learn for yourself. The fact is, however, grammar teachers don't win Nobel Prizes for literature. Honestly, it isn't their fault. Rudolf Flesch, in many of his other writings, points out that grammar is the only subject you have to know before you study it! If you can read, then you already know grammar (you just can't name the rules). The secret is that language is an instinct...learning to tap into that instinct is why writing a lot makes a difference.

THE REAL PROBLEM WITH LEARNING WRITING

Most people don't just naturally 'love' to write, so they don't practice it enough to learn how to trust their instincts. Homeschoolers are no exception...we don't know how to get our kids to really enjoy the process of learning how to write well. This was our problem too...but we figured out something amazing:

If you take a way the fear and give them a few tools,

with helpful feedback,

every child will learn to write plenty well for college...and a lifetime of learning.

OUR EXPERIENCE

We started out with various curriculums which are still popular today. In fact, my wife had her own curriculum ideas from her Masters in Education and her years of teaching. I had a thought or two from my years as an English Lit. major myself. We finally settled on The Robinson Curriculum, which we still use and I think of as a 'non curriculum curriculum'. By that, I mean it offers the flexibility we wanted while still having some structure to it. We didn't want to teach our children, we wanted to teach them how to teach themselves.

In writing, however, Dr. Robinson just offered, “Have them write every day and give them feedback.” Now, quite frankly, that is a better method than what most schools and homeschoolers are doing (at least in my opinion, forgive me).

As we wrestled with it, we found that this really didn't give the kind of guidance for writing we wanted. So, we started on a different course and created our own way of giving feedback on grammar, punctuation, coming up with ideas to write about, getting over fear...and most importantly, how to not be defensive toward Mommy and Daddy when you get some corrections! All of these secrets and insights, in fact the WHOLE SYSTEM, is packed into our method.

Our favorite proof of how well this works came with our daughter (child #2) who really (I mean really) didn't do well on her SAT. Nonetheless, her other talents got her into a good college. Her SAT meant that she had to take another exam about her English skills for placement. Fortunately, she passed with flying colors! It turns out she sort of stinks at testing (but that may change as she teaches herself how to test!). The proof of our method came for her when throughout her first year of college, she made excellent grades on all her papers. In fact, one of her teachers asked to use one of her essays as an example for her other classes of how to write. Flunk the SAT but make A's on your papers...doesn't it seem like the testing folks have a long way to go! The best part of all was when she came home and said, “Dad, all my friends really need your course...they just don't know how to write.”

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

What can happen if your child really learns how to write well? Who knows...except college will be easier, they'll save hundreds of hours not 'worrying' over papers. They will be valuable employees wherever they land. And many of them will become excellent in their field (lawyers, professors, educators, ministers, etc.) if it basically requires writing. If they want a PhD., then they simply must learn to write well, and to write whenever they need to. I think of one friend of mine who never got his doctorate finished because he couldn't get himself to write. I guarantee you; if you will used our method for one year with your child, he/she will excel beyond all of their friends (except the especially gifted and those who also use our method)! Of course, reviewing it every year of schooling is even better (our method is amazingly adaptable---beginning with 5^th or 6^th graders...but great for the Senior year as well).

HOW IT WORKS

Our method is on audio and comes with a printable workbook. It really is THE WRITING CODE because we show you exactly what to do (and all you need to do) to set your child on the right path. Here are the foundations:

What you are about to have is everything you really need for your child to grow as a powerful, unique, and confident writer. He or she will start getting all the secrets they need to know to happily write in their own unique way. Here's what our kids would tell you:

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, fear, confusion, speed, enjoyment, captivating the reader, clarity, joy...all of this is contained and addressed in our Course---but your child will hardly know they are learning. It doesn't feel like class, it feels more like someone has finally told you how writing really works.

I suppose that's the most important thing--- I'm sharing what I had to learn, and had to learn the hard way to become a published author. You may not want that, but you probably do want your child to always look fondly on you for giving her/him a system that integrates the 12 Secrets you must figure out to write well anytime you want to.

You are a click away from having the method you need to cure the area of writing as an issue for Homeschooling. Your child doesn't need more silly grammar...your child just needs the answers that most writers finally figure out... God already gave us the instinct to write. We are about to show you how to cultivate it.

God bless & make a difference,

Fred R. Lybrand

The Writing (CODE) Course 

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