Here we are now with the topic of Homeschooling,

I ran across these following "12 Step Recovery From School" list and have spoken to those that have tried this program.

Step 1. Completely remove schooling from your life for at least 3
months; allow yourselves time to heal as a family. Children need time
to deprogram. What you're waiting for is the child to
get so bored that they are self-motivated to learn.

Step 2. Schooling is not the same as learning. Once you learn
something, it stays with you forever. The current movement toward
year-round schooling because kids "forget everything over the summer" is
missing the point that the kids don't remember anything because they
never really learned it in the first place.

Step 3. Put responsibility for learning on the child. We're just there
to facilitate. Albert Einstein said that self-education may be the only
way to educate. Whatever you teach your children robs them of the
chance to learn it themselves.

Step 4. Learning does not occur by sitting at a desk six hours a day.

Step 5. Teachers do not have to be adults.

Step 6. We learn by doing.

Step 7. Children learn more by example than instruction. They can't
learn much from teachers, who are not role models but simply people
giving orders.

Step 8. Buy tools (for learning), not toys.

Step 9. Never do for a child what they can do for themselves.

Step 10. TV can teach and it can harm. Children need to develop
pictures in their minds.

Step 11. You are capable of guiding your children's learning, and your
children are capable of learning on their own. There will always be
people around to criticize you, whether you send your children to school or
homeschool them. Believe in yourself and in your children.

Step 12. Admit that learning always happens. It's not that all
children CAN learn -- it's that they DO learn -- all the time. Go ahead
and ask a child (any child) all they know about the newest Power Ranger.
They can tell you everything there is to know. Cause they learned it.

My notes:

The overall gist is that children need modeling and motivation to write. As children from the homes of readers learn to read, children with parents who write will be inspired to write, and so on. They also need to have a reason to accomplish these goals, for instance: because writing is a form of communication (and human beings naturally want to communicate). You may start out with writing a journal as a form of "English Class". Remember though, not all children will be writers, don't expect Shakespere.

1. Get children to see themselves as writers (inner motivation).

2. Provide a quiet place for writing. Also note that everyone has a time of day when they tend to write better (including, unfortunately, at bedtime!).

3. Offer tools such as a special book, a nice writing instrument.

4. Write about special events like vacations (but don't make them write "every day" unless they want to).

5. Have poetry nights; invite others. If you have a group, try having a common theme each time.

6. Make books (great presents).

7. Make birthday cards, family newsletters (children take turns editing).

8. Do "Convince Me!" assignments, where if the child requests something they have to convince you on paper why it's a good idea (a pet turtle, a special trip, etc.). This is also a preliminary practice toward writing research papers, since it is providing the answer to a question.

9. Brainstorm to get writing going, or provide first sentences (ie: "I looked up one day and discovered the moon was gone.") Your child will end up writing a great story on where the moon went!!! Remember that homeschooling is an uphill battle with the state and expect to have your work critized by the officials who review your child's workbooks.

10. Outlining works better for older kids with longer stories. For younger ones, have them list critical words/thoughts at the top of the paper so they don't forget to include them.

Be aware of possible upcoming stricter controls as homeschooling spreads, citing a recent quote in Education Week that "the state has a vested interest in regulating homeschooling."

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