Tamara L. Chilver's Blog, page 4

Making Essay Writing FUN with the Bing, Bang, Bongo Method

Writing a five paragraph essay can seem intimidating for a child,
but The BING, BANG,
BONGO Method uses colors to help children see the separation of
the paragraphs and makes that differentiation easier. This FUN method of teaching
essay writing breaks up a very overwhelming concept and teaches children the
step-by-step process of essay writing without feeling overwhelmed.









For the past twenty years
while teaching writing, I have first set the stage for writing a paragraph by
using these three approaches: hamburger method, story flower, and
the paragraph train. 









When my child or student
was ready developmentally for writing essays, I transitioned to expanding the
concept of writing five sentences to five paragraphs. I first begin by sharing
this powerpoint about The BING, BANG, BONGO Method.




Next, I model writing a
five paragraph essay together with my child using the first printable in this packet. The next writing session, I have the child gather three of their
favorite belongings. (These have been a toy, stuffed animal, Bible, a
sentimental item from a relative, a special photograph, etc.)  The child will use those as props for his
first essay, which will be title, "My Favorite Possessions." I will
sit next to him coaching him in writing the essay using the first printable.




For several weeks, I will
continue using the first printable as a visual tool while I sit next to the
child and help guide him through the process. When the child becomes more
independent, I will use the second printable in this packet (printed on
cardstock) as a reference sheet. The child will write his essay on notebook
paper underling the words and sentences that correspond with the reference
sheet.




As the pattern
of writing a five paragraph essay is completely understood and becomes a habit
(usually after a few months), I will use the third printable in this packet (printed on
cardstock) as a reference sheet and the child will continue writing his essay
on notebook paper but this time using no colors. This whole process can
take an entire school year but lays the groundwork for all future essays. If
you take your time and allow your child to move ahead at his own pace and
become comfortable with writing essays in this format, you will be very
thankful later. You can download the forms for free HERE.









I continued using the same
outline on the third printable in this packet until my oldest son graduated
high school. I never purchased a writing curriculum while homeschooling him. He
just worked on this format and perfected it as much as possible using strong verbs,
transitions, and lots of details. The first time he took the SAT test, he received a perfect score on his essay
portion. ☺




This writing assignment is
part of 101 Ways to Make Writing FUN (released later this week!)









I hope you enjoy this method as much as I have!

Welcome to Teaching with TLC

Welcome to Teaching with TLC! I'm glad you stopped by. Teaching with TLC began as an educational outreach in 2006 to help encourage parents and educators. I'm a mom of five and an educator who enjoys sharing creative and practical teaching tips. Actually, I'm a bit obsessed with making learning FUN!





Here's how you can get started:


Looking for teaching tips in a particular subject area or perhaps for a holiday? Visit my Virtual File Cabinet for hundreds of fun and practical ideas.
Want to find out the latest tips? Head on over to my recent posts by scrolling down.
Would you like more teaching tips? Check out my resources for printables, E-books, workshops, and books.
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Enjoy making learning FUN!

Simple Solutions to Avoid the Homework Wars

On Fox 4's Mom Squad I shared some simple solutions to help avoid the homework/homeschool wars. Some of these brain-boosting tips may surprise you!










Watch the segment Homework Wars Solutions to
learn how to:




Create a homework/homeschool area without distractions,

including avoiding certain colors;

Section off assignments to make completing assignments more
manageable;

Reward your child when homework/schoolwork is completed; and

Have your child repeat directions back to you to clarify understanding.















Enjoy these tips!







Click  HERE  for more Mom Squad segments

(or you can click  HERE  and keep scrolling down.)

The Truth About Homeschooling

I am still in awe over how homeschooling is booming. More and more parents are feeling called to homeschool. I was elated when Christian Television Network (CTN) asked me for a national interview to discuss homeschooling topics. There are so many question and concerns parents have about homeschooling so I pray this interview will answer most of them.











To see the resources that are discussed in the interview, { click here }.