I have my daughter write a sentence or two and draw an illustration in her journal every day. She is 7 yrs old - 1st grade. How much do you correct something like this? I feel like she gets discouraged if I point out every mistake. She works very hard to make it neat. Here is an example: When I cook, I Be carful. SpongeBob cooks on the grill at the krustykrab. Sponge Bob make's krabby pattie's. Obviously there are some mistakes with grammar (be), capitalization, and apostrophes. Now I would fix these if I knew she had already learned the rules, but I don't think she has re. apostrophes. What would you do?
I guess it depends on the purpose of the journal. Is it to work on technical stuff in a different type of setting other than a worksheet or is it to work on using words to put her thoughts onto paper? If this is designed to be more creative than technical, then I wouldn't worry too much about the corrections. I say this as a former English teacher, by the way, and one with 2 kids currently finishing up their first grade stuff for the year.
Be glad she's writing as much as she is....lol. I've struggled with this same issue. As long as she has a subject and a verb (no fragments)....I'd talk about the rules "in general" but not necessarily on her paper. It might depend on what you want the journal to be. If you want it for her imagination, etc than grammar is not as important to correct (in bright red teacher pen, etc). If you talk about the rules, you'll probably see her journal reflect them the more she comprehends them and starts applying them. If you're using the journal for grammar instruction and practice of skills you're already taught, then that's different. I'd lean towards copywork and dictation for that type of thing (although we don't do copywork or dictation really at this point). HTH. Rhonda
I've always tried to let the journals be free of grading. The kids are more inclined to write better if they are not concentrating on being correct. Maybe have a separate assignment that is graded on the technical things that is separate from journal writing.
I try not to grade journals, either. But when my Phillip KNOWS the rules and simply ignores them, then I get frustrated. So I'm thinking of giving him a bunch of BUSY WORK that reinforces the rulle. Technically, I'm not grading the journal, but I WILL let him know that, because of his journal work, I feel he needs more PRACTICE. When he starts following the rules correctly in his journal writing, I'll know he doesn't need any more practice.
Oh. Well, with my son I would be so overjoyed that he wrote ANYTHING that there is no way I would grade it. Other than that... I agree with what the others wrote. It sorta depends on why you have the journal.
That's what I did with my kids---didn't grade their journal writing at all. You want them to learn to love to write. To be expressive. To be able to put their thoughts and ideas into words. If you grade their journal writing, as well as everything else they write---when do they have a chance for free expression and the opportunity to learn that they DO like writing? With dictation, and English and grammar assignments---yes, grade those, that's why you have those assignments. But the journal writing---just check to make sure they've done it, but don't correct it! In fact, we LOVE looking back at our own journals (that my kids did) and see the backwards letters, the funny spellings, the cute little pictures, etc.! That shows who they really were at that point!
I like the idea of not grading either. If you do maybe tell her one thing you're looking for like all names capitalized. This way she can write as well. I'm giving my advice as a former 1st grade teacher.
My two cents....writing should be left alone at that stage. My ds(9) has really fallen in love with IEW and the guy is completely nutty and the boys seem to really respond well to him (girls...not as much). The guys thing is you skip a line between each line and you work in pen so that you can't erase. They write a bunch and then go back and rewrite one or two of them - not all. My son is loving writing and looks forward to it. In his spare time he is writing a book so....instill the love to write not the fact that mom is going to grade it. HTH
I'm gonna go with the crowd on this one and say no grading. Her thoughts and ideas are what your looking for here. I think the example you shared shows great imagination and a good thought process. Keep her writing free for ideas and just getting used to journaling.
I do not grade Emma's journal either. This is free writing and for her to use her imagination. She can write whatever she wants. Sometimes she writes about her day, friends, animals, poems, whatever she desires. I still have my old journals from elementary. Ems laughs when she sees what I wrote.