STEP 2 - THE ANSWER TO CREATIVE WRITING STUDIES FOR AGES 7-8, AND FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE DEVELOPING LITERACY!
WHAT IS “STEP 2”?
STEP 2 is two years of secular, religion-friendly curriculum, designed for use by two kinds of students:
- Students ages 7-8
- Students who are developing literacy.
IS STEP 2 FOR HOMESCHOOLING? OR THE CLASSROOM?
STEP 2 is independent study for homeschoolers, but works best when two or more students work (and play) together.
ARE STEPS 2 COURSES BOOKS? HOW DO I GET THEM?
STEPS courses come as PDFs, online downloads. When you purchase courses on our site, they are immediately sent to the email address you give us.
HOW DOES STEP 2 CREATIVE WRITING WORK?
Like all STEPS studies, STEP 2 courses are broken into daily lesson plans. Each lesson plan is made up of small things to be done, in sequence. What is read is right there in the lesson plan, no guess work, “writing” by the teacher or student, or hunting for materials needed. The student does each step in the lesson plan, in order. Sometimes, the course shows students some art work, video, or photography – all found in sequence, in the lesson plan. And in every lesson plan, the student uses what has been taught and does things, sometimes in the form of games, but there are always activities. There are four Step 2 Creative Writing courses, two per year, two years of study.
Over a period of two years, the duration of Step 2 studies, students develop improved reading and literacy skills. Each student moves at their own pace in developing literacy, as in all their studies. The student moves away during this step from a teacher-intensive approach to study, and increasingly becomes able to study independently.
Steps 2 Creative Writing is uniquely designed to develop an understanding of the parts of language and grammar. These courses use the parts of language (nouns, verbs, etc.) as springboards for creative ideas and story development. The student develops an understanding of both language and of creative writing simultaneously. Students develop stories based around a specific word, or type of word. In this way the parts of language become a part of how the student creates and thinks. By Step 2, for the most part, the student is reading and writing, and does his own work in Creative Writing. As the student progresses, assignments have longer and more strenuous requirements, so that the student develops his ability to communicate through writing to a high degree for this age group.
Students ages 7 and 8 are usually exploding with ideas. But this is an age during which, all too often, the student encounters great resistance to his own perceptions and ideas, and even disapproval when he expresses them. Often, the resistance encountered is well-meaning, an attempt to help "shape" the student. But such "help", no matter how well-intended, is nearly always destructive of the student's own ability to perceive, create and express himself. These important skills must be protected and enhanced in anyone, but most particularly in a young student.
These are the tasks of our Step 2 Creative Writing Courses. The student does NOTwork on syntax, sentence construction, or most technical elements of language or writing (including spelling). Instead, at this young age, he explores through carefully constructed exercises and lesson plans, ways and means of expressing himself and his own viewpoints in words. These exercises are fun. At this age, we expect the student to handwrite, or type his stories. (In Starter, they are generally dictated.) How the student gets words on paper is not important. The fact that the student creates something unique, and that they know they created it, is important. From such beginnings writers are born.
On this level, the student is taught the basic parts of language such as nouns, verbs, etc. These are then used creatively as springboards for creative exercises. This is a unique and effective approach unique to Step 2 level Connect The Thoughts Creative Writing courses your unlikely to find anywhere else. It makes learning about the language creative and fun, even as the student develops writing skills.
Each course at this level consists of a semester worth of lesson plans at three per week, for about 18-19 weeks. Semester I, as an example, has 57 lesson plans, which are intended to be done one per day, three times per week.
Additionally, we offer two Step 1-2 Creative Writing History Elective courses, one for New Year's, another for Halloween. These provide a history of each holiday, and then guide the student through the authoring of two original short stories. The student, even at a very young age, learns about some of the most important elements of writing and story-telling, and gets to share the results! A fun, creative way to celebrate holidays.
CAN I PURCHASE INDIVIDUAL COURSES TO FILL NEEDS IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION?
Yes. Each STEPS course is a free-standing, independent study. However, Step 2 Creative Writing works best (by far) going through the four courses in order.
CAN I PURCHASE THE FULL PROGRAM OF CREATIVE WRITING FOR STEP 2?
Yes, as a “bundle” on our site. Since each Creative Writing course is a semester in length, and the program is 4 semesters (2 years) long, we provide a bundle with all 4 Step 2 Creative writing courses. Bundles are the least expensive way to purchase STEPS courses.
HOW QUICKLY COULD I START USING STEPS 2 CREATIVE WRITING?
Start now. You can start STEPS at any time of the year, 24/7/365. Everything you need is pretty much included in the courses you will download, for STEP 2.
HOW MUCH DO I, THE TEACHER OR PARENT, NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE IN ORDER TO USE STEPS? HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO DO?
You (teacher/tutor/parent) do not need any expertise in subjects your student is studying, using STEPS. Not as a teacher, or in the subjects being taught. You do not need a degree, or experience as a teacher. Each course does the “teaching”. Just follow the lesson plans, and keep your eyes open for fun opportunities related to whatever the student is studying now. The course does the teaching – YOU, the teacher, “deliver” the course, one action at a time, lesson plan by lesson plan.
HOW QUICKLY CAN I MOVE MY STUDENT UP STEPS?
A student can move up at any time he has the literacy skills and maturity for the next level. The student does not need to “complete” a lower level of curriculum to move up. The student just needs to be able to successfully do the next higher level of curriculum as far as difficulty and literacy. With STEPS, a student is never “behind” or “ahead” – each student moves at the pace they’re comfortable with, every step in every lesson plan, every course, and every level.
A SUCCESS STORY ABOUT STEPS CREATIVE WRITING!
I have 2 children, a boy 14 and a girl 9. We used STEPS Creative Writing 1 recently and they both enjoyed it. My 9 yo especially loved it and her writing has improved tremendously. She is actually writing for a change and with a smile on her face! She loves it. My 14 year old's writing has really grown through this course. I've been truly amazed. Thank you for a great course! This review was written by my 9 year old daughter about the Creative Writing I course by STEPS....
"My review of the STEPS Creative Writing 1 course is ... I loved it. It is my favorite subject. I will say that I used to beg not to write but now I beg to do it! I think that the STEPS Creative Writing I is a great Creative Writing Course. This course has made me start to write a book and the best part is no one can tell me I am wrong. Plus it has helped me with my spelling a lot because I don't want people to see what I've written and it all be spelled wrong."
I didn't mention this in my earlier review, because I forgot, but my daughter is right that her spelling has improved tremendously after taking this course and others by STEPS. I can't explain it but it really has. She even shows an interest in spelling now and before she just didn't care. I think the fact that the "teacher" is not supposed to really critique their work gives the children freedom to express themselves. I do mention when a word is misspelled or that a comma might be needed and so on but I try to limit that because I want them to write and to enjoy writing. She definitely does NOW.
My 14 yo son wrote the following review of the Creative Writing 1, Step 3-4 Course by STEPS...
"I took the Creative Writing 1 course in STEPS and I’ll admit at first I thought it was just another stupid course my mom found on the internet, and through the first few lessons I did it in a sarcastic way with minimal effort. I did come to enjoy writing more and more as I went through the course. I am a 14 year old freshmen who loves to read and write, and the course was really too easy for me, but it was good for me to get to practice my writing on different scenarios that the course had.
As I progressed through the course I began to write entire pages and more when only 50 words were required. I’m now on Creative Writing 3 and am enjoying my writing even more still. I would recommend the writing course to anyone who loves to read and write as much as I do." S W., Homeschool Mom