Regent Writing Circle was a homeschool writing group for kids in the Madison, Wisconsin area. It was born out of an informal writing group hosted by several moms in the area. After much prompting, it was taken over by another parent (WDW) and grew to include this webpage, a yearly recital, and eventually several books by participants.
All good things must end, and RWC has ended. This page will remain here for posterity and for inspiration. If you are interested in writing, particularly as a homeschool student or parent, we recommend the following pages:
- The Ten Topics
- Getting it Wrong
- Simple Formula for Getting Advice
- Checklist for Reviewing Others’ Writing
- “Take a Letter Jameson”
- Ray Bradbury Lecture
- Ira Glass on Creativity
Most importantly, if you are a parent or teacher, please consider the three skills taught in RWC:
- Finding the courage to start writing.
- Understanding what makes writing effective.
- Having the discipline to be productive as a writer.
For young writers, courage is not just the most important thing, it is the only thing. Grammar, spelling, organization, and the other elements of writing are advanced skills. Without courage, those skills are worthless. With courage, a writer can and will master those skills.
Help your students learn to love writing and to be brave enough to do it. Do not squelch their enthusiasm with tedious lessons or nit picky corrections.
You can and should help young writers see the difference between effective and ineffective writing. Show them your own lousy first drafts. Show them poor news articles and good ones. Point out what is clear and unclear in writing. Introduce them to typography and design. But remember that your goal is to help them see what makes writing effective, not to kill their excitement.
Finally, help your students see how important it is to develop writing habits at a young age. Teach them to capture ideas in a notebook or digital device. Help them experience the value of regular writing time. Get them in the habit of just writing, regularly.
Finally, remember the idea that has inspired RWC from the beginning. Writing is the lifeblood of a civil society. Help your students see the value of writing and to be ready to contribute to the public debate.
- WDW
