6th Year Parents

What a treat is is to be working with your children on this project!  The topics they have chosen are interesting and their dedication to putting together a project to the best of their ability is amazing.

As you may have noticed, we have turned a corner on the year-long journey of Expert Project.  The students are now outlining, drafting, and revising the information they have gathered over the last few months.  They are putting their 5 1/2 years of elementary school training into practice.  This work takes great skill, patience, perseverance, time, and occasionally, blood, sweat and tears.

One of the many beauties of this project is that for this one time in their educational career, they have great support each step of the way for writing such an enormous paper – from each other, from me and from you.

There are two ways in which you can support at home.  First, each week I have asked the students to either read their latest chapter aloud to an older sibling or parent, or have an older sibling or parent read it aloud to them.  (Chapter one and two drafts were both due within the last two weeks.)  This is to help them hear how the writing flows.  As I’m sure you remember, it is challenging to take a collection of notes and turn them into a flowing document.  An ear to bounce off of is helpful.  Usually that is all you need to do – they can hear what needs to be changed when it is read aloud.  The second way you can support them is by ensuring there is time in the busy family life for he or she to work. If your son or daughter is not yet strong at managing his/her time, please help by asking such things as, “How much time do you think you need for Expert Project this week?” and, “Which days will you make that happen?”  They are indeed responsible for doing it, but supporting them by letting them know you are aware of the work, and can help them figure out a schedule, is valuable.

We are planning to send out “Save the Date” cards this week, but I will also share with you, the presentations will be held on Wednesday, April 26th at 6:00 pm.

Thank you for supporting your child in this year-long endeavor!  Your children are amazing!  Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions you may have.