Caroline's mudge journalI love watching the progression as kids learn to write, from their earliest inventive spelling to writing a coherent journal entry. I spent a lot of time with a little student I have, drawing pictures of the beginning, middle and end of the story we would read so he could verbalize and re-tell as well get a little practice with his handwriting. Now he is in 2nd grade and his printing is clearer than mine.

I received this darling journal entry from a budding reader and writer in first grade telling about Henry and Mudge an The Long Weekend. The “problum” was obviously that Henry and Mudge are “so burd,” seeeng as they can’t play outside and their dad tells boring jokes! The “Slushin” is that they followed mom’s suggestion to make a castle–what fun! I wrote back to mom and said obviously Dad was boring and Mom had the lively ideas to which she said, ” It just goes to show you what can happen when a controlling mother stopped focusing on her daughter’s spelling every word correct, her writing flourished!” Now that is honesty and a great tip for fellow moms.