Writing & Grammar

Every year, Rainbow Resource Center receives hundreds of stories from young storytellers pouring their hearts and imaginations onto paper. We just finished up our 11^th annual summer book contest, and once again, I was blown away by the students’ talent! Of course, only a handful of stories could place overall, but regardless of scoring, if a student wrote an entire book, is that still not an amazing victory? They created a story out of thin air! Maybe as the parent of a reluctant writer, you’re wondering, how do I help my student write like that? Or maybe you have a voracious writer who consumes any piece of paper she sees and you’re wondering, how do I help her improve? As a writer who began her journey very young—and self-published three novels as a teenager—I would love to share some encouragement and practical tips for you as you cheer on your young writers.

Sometimes, just getting started is the hardest part of the writing process. In college, my writing professors noted my ability to get content on the page and how this was a gift for a writer. On the other hand, the red pen was dominant on all my papers, and a few were “not worthy of a grade.” You might be wondering whether or not you should grade your homeschooler's writing assignments. In this article, we will look at some of the benefits of deciding not to grade!

For the last 10 summers, I have been honored to work on the Rainbow Resource Summer Book Contest for young authors from ages 7 to 18. Every student who writes and illustrates a story (and sends it in) receives a hardcover copy of their book in the mail. Since it is their book, the contest rules state that parents are not allowed to help. “At all?” you might ask. And of course, any parent involved in their child’s life would want to help with the creation of their child’s book! But for this contest, this is their product, and the challenge presents a unique opportunity for your child to learn how to take ownership to make a vision come to life.

Summertime at Rainbow Resource Center means it’s time for our annual writing contest! Students from ages 7 to 18 (by January 1, 2025) who wish to participate will write and illustrate an original story involving time travel. Two or more winners in each age group are selected by a team of Rainbow Resource judges and will win cash prizes. One of these winners is selected as the Grand Prize Winner and will be published and sold on our website! Keep reading to learn more about the official rules and how to participate.

“The fourteen-toed sloth crossed the Mississippi River in a neon orange battle tank. Just so he could taste the wild palm trees of Nebraska.” While this may seem like comical nonsense, Mad Libs® educate children, and let’s be honest, adults, too! This silly way to introduce grammar practice into errand running, down time, or scheduled grammar time is a game changer for students.

Our language skills progress as we grow, mature, and learn. Squiggles turn to letters, to words, to sentences, and before we know it, we are writing essays, papers, and reports! The written word allows us to express our ideas, understandings, and findings to others. As this skill develops for your young students, a new skill needs to emerge in your personal teacher toolbox: the ability to evaluate, assess, and grade our students’ writing. So, where do you start?

Evaluating essays can pose large challenges for parents. For multiple reasons, we can become discouraged and challenged with responding effectively to student writing. What should be “good” for student and parent instead becomes “the bad and the ugly.” Don’t wave the white flag! Evaluating your student’s writing and encouraging them in this process is important, doable, and can provide wonderful results.