The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School ~ Review

The written word is such a powerful tool, learning to use this tool is essential for our children. That is why I was so excited to get the opportunity to review this high school, homeschool writing program.

For this review, I received a physical copy of The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition from Writing with Sharon Watson. This included both the 406 page student book and the 220 page Teacher’s Guide.

The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition is written by Sharon Watson a veteran homeschool mom. Who was forced to quit homeschooling when, as she says, “we ran out of children.” On her website she states these beliefs:

1. The student is more important than the material in the textbook.
2. Teaching writing can be tough.
3. Writing assignments, especially in the beginning, should not be issue driven.
4. We believe wholeheartedly that the Bible is the Word of God and that it reveals to us our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

Beginning right away in Lesson 1: Thinking & Planning, the student is provided with a great introduction into why it is important to be a good writer. There is even a quiz for the student to fill out that helps identify the student’s perceived strengths and weakness in addition to his/her interests. After Brock had filled out the quiz I looked over it to see the answers he had chosen. I will admit, some of them surprised me.

The topics taught in The Power in Your Hands include:

• Opinions
• Persuasion
  • beginning
  • next-level
  • logical
  • compare/contrast
  • moral/ethical
  • emotional appeal
• Proofreading
• Exposition
• The Position Paper
• Devotional writing
• Newspaper writing
• Biographies
• Compare/Contrast
• Literary Analysis
• Definition Essay
• Descriptive Essays
• Personal Testimony or Spiritual Journey

What do Brock and I have to say about The Power in Your Hands?

Brock finds the “warning signs” throughout The Power in Your Hands very funny. He says “it seems like she is talking right to me.” He has enjoyed the lessons and I have found that it’s not a struggle to get him to work on his writing assignments. (Even though writing has never been one of his favorite classes.

A few of my favorite aspects of The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition is that the lessons are:

1. student-directed – there’s very little prep for me to do
2. the conversational tone is engaging and enjoyable for Brock – which means he looks forward to the lessons
3. it is designed to prepare high school students for college
4. the 14-Minute Power Surges build confidence
5. it is suitable for use in a homeschool, co-op, or classroom.
6. instruction is also given on proofreading and common grammatical errors.
7. a “how-to-grade” section is provided in the teacher’s manual.

The Power in Your Hands is a wonderful resource to teach writing even when you don’t feel confident in your ability to do so!

Connect with Writing with Sharon Watson on these Social Media Links:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WritingWithSharonWatson
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/writingwithshar

I would encourage you to read the reviews from other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew on both The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition and 21 Grading Grids for Popular High School Essays and a Position Paper. Simply click on the banner below.

Jennifer