Your Questions Answered: My student’s writing assignments are often the most difficult to complete. What advice can you give me?

My student’s writing assignments are often the most difficult to complete. What advice can you give me?

Writing assignments can be time-consuming and frustrating for students and parents alike. However, learning formal writing is necessary to become a well-rounded student. Here are suggestions to make writing easier and less frustrating:

Elementary: Three Tips

1. Complete writing assignments when they are assigned. Many parents and students put off the writing assignments until the end of the school year. This can lead to even more frustration since Mom and student are often ready at this point for a summer break.
   Instead, I suggest that students complete at least one Seton-Graded writing assignment during the first few weeks of each quarter, if possible. This may require some lesson plan adjustments, but the relief provided by knowing that at least one writing assignment has been completed is well worth it.
2. Consider putting all other coursework aside for a day or two to allow the student time to concentrate solely on the writing assignment. Some students work better when all their time and energy are put into one project.
3. Elementary students may still need a lot of help from their parents, especially when completing book reports. Seton has developed new book report handbooks that take the student step-by-step through the writing process. If your student struggles in this area, make sure he or she uses the handbook.

High School: This Will Help

Most Seton high school students should be able to complete their writing assignments by themselves. However, parents should still check over their work and make sure it is being completed in a timely manner. Before reading the assigned book, make sure your high school students read and understand the essay prompts.

Understanding the prompts will enable them to locate ideas for their essay more accurately as they read the book. Also, remind high school students to keep something handy to write notes on as they read the book. This way, as they read the book, they can easily jot down notes when they find something relevant to the essay prompt.

For both elementary and high school students, Seton often provides checklists for writing assignments to ensure the student follows the assignment guidelines.

We advise parents to check the student’s work while it is being completed and after it is completed to ensure that it meets these guidelines. This can help both student and parent avoid the added frustration of “incompletes” and poor grades.

Finally, if your student still has problems putting pencil to paper, remember that our counselors are here to help. Feel free to contact us. We love to help students learn to love (or at least tolerate) writing!

Laura Fusto and Mary Connolly, Academic Counselors

4 Ways to Make Homeschooling Easier with Seton’s Online Tools

MySeton makes recording grades and sending required assignments easy and intuitive. You can submit your students’ grades instantly on MySeton and receive your feedback more quickly. Click for details.

My eighth grader is a good student but struggles with his Reading course. Could Seton’s Special Needs Team help us?

Yes, we can help you with that. Changing a single subject, such as reading, to a Special Needs adapted curriculum can be the key to keeping the student progressing and succeeding. If you are fully enrolled, we are happy to exchange one standard course for the special needs version of that course for no added cost.
If you want to adapt more than one course, you may speak to the Seton Admissions Department and see what they can do for you. Special Services will then process the course changes. Contact them at 866-280-1930.

The Special Services Department provides curriculum for students with a wide range of disabilities, including dyslexia, pervasive developmental disorder, Down syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome, and Attention Deficit Disorder. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at ssdept@setonhome.org or 540-622-5576.

Stephen Costanzo, Director of Special Services

How is the Kindergarten curriculum graded? Do I have to submit any work to Seton?

Pre-K and Kindergarten are completely parent-graded levels, so there are no tests or assignments to submit to Seton.

Parents have the freedom to assign a grade based on any factors they choose. For example, you may consider the percentage of correct answers, the student’s effort in the work, or the proper attitude.

You might also consider engagement with and comprehension of the material, any additional work the student has done outside of the required assignments, and other factors you want to include in the student’s overall grade.

Seton Staff

I’m concerned we won’t keep up with the regular school system’s schedule. Is this a problem?

This may ease your concern: when you enroll with Seton, you have fourteen months to finish everything. This year plus two months allows you breathing room to linger on subjects that may need more attention, take vacation or holiday time, and speed up or slow down depending on the needs of both you and your student.

Feel free to make adjustments throughout the year for your family as you see fit. Flexibility is one of the best advantages of homeschooling.

Heather Hibl, Elementary Counselor

Can students retake or resubmit a test or writing assignment to improve their grades for high school English or other high school courses?

Yes, Seton students are allowed one redo on any test or writing assignment in any course.

Students can upload the revised test responses or essays the same way they first uploaded them on MySeton. When a grade school assignment or test is submitted the redo grade replaces the original. In High School the assignment receives the average of the initial grade and the redo grade (for example, initial grade: 80, redo grade: 100, final grade: 90).

If the first submission is given an Incomplete, this does not count as a grade because an Incomplete is not a grade. Details for Elementary & High School redos are on your MySeton Resources tab.

Sean O’Connor, Academic Counselor