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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If you're referring to the Writing Workshop, that is generally considered good. Of course we all now know her reading curriculum was garbage and did considerable harm. [/quote]

Disagree. Teacher admitted privately that with Writers Workshop she was forbidden to even mark corrections for spelling or grammar on students submissions, unlike the previous curriculum. She said all the teachers had been told it was not allowed because it would prevent their 2nd graders from "thinking big thoughts".

She suggested privately that we help our DC with explicit spelling and grammar instruction at home. At least at that school, grammar and spelling was not corrected until after WW ended at the very end of 3rd grade. We were grateful for the tip, which was provided only after we politely had asked direct questions why DD's work was not being corrected. [/quote]

I don’t think it’s a big deal that spelling and grammar aren’t the main focus until 3rd grade.   Future bureaucrats might not need to “think big thoughts”  but to emphasize putting thoughts on paper at this very early age over spelling is not a big deal.   [/quote]
Putting "big thoughts" on paper is easier when you've been taught to write.  It's much harder if you give a kid a pencil and expect them to teach themselves.  LC lacks more than just spelling and grammar rules.  LC doesn't teach kids to sort or organize their thoughts or information.  It's all stream of consciousness and it doesn't include any teaching.  Without instruction, kids' writing doesn't improve.  They continue to write terrible, unclear drivel with no improvement year after year.

My own daughter found it so overwhelming to be told to write without being taught how, she'd just sit and stare at her paper.  She brought home a lot of blank pages or pages with only one sentence--her teachers just said she'd write when she was ready.  She's a smart kid and has grown so much with a knowledge-based curriculum and instruction.  LC is rubbish.[/quote]

The very early years they should be allowed to write freely.  A lot of kids start to write around age 4 spontaneously, others don’t start til kindergarten.   You wouldn’t comment on the spelling or no capitals, you would praise the work done.

I remember writing a lot in 3rd grade, not much before that.   I still remember my first book report on Mao Zedong, the former communist dictator in China.  I also remember grammar being intensely drilled all through middle school, especially 8th grade. It was a long process.  If we waited until we had learned perfect structure, grammar and spelling we would never have written anything until high school.

Obviously there needs to be instruction on learning how to properly write a research paper or any kind,of paper but at what grade do you think is appropriate.?

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