by Ed Newman (Author)
Writing Exercises: How to Teach Writing and Prepare Your Favorite Students for College, Life and Everything Else Learning how to communicate by means of the written word is an essential component of any successful career. Children who write well will obtain more career opportunities and find more open doors than those who neglect this vital skill. But good writing is more than simply writing technically correct sentences with proper verb tense and punctuation. Good writing is writing that engages readers. During the years his children were being homeschooled, the author had an insight that resulted in a whole new approach to teaching how to write. It seemed apparent that students write more if they enjoy it rather than hate it. The more they write, the more sentences and words the parent/teacher will acquire to edit, providing insights into the child's thinking with deeper glimpses of who the students really are. The book also addresses practical matters like research skills, attribution and handwriting matters. Equally important is the matter of grading the work. Motivation is a key feature of both the exercises themselves and the grading approach. The real aim of this book is not to teach writing, but to change lives and make a difference in the larger world.
Author Biography
Ed Newman, who has had a 30-year career in advertising, has been a publishing writer and columnist since 1976. In 1991 his story "The Breaking Point" won the Arrowhead Regional Arts Fiction Competition. His stories have been translated into three languages and his story Episode on South Street was produced as a short film that won accolades at the Erie Film Festival. He has since published 7 books including The Red Scorpion, his first novel, a haunted house suspense thriller for young adults. His ideas about how to teach writing came from seven years as a soccer coach and several years teaching writing to his homeschooled son and daughter.