W e all want to be good ex- amples to our children yet try as we might we may have learned habits that are incorrect and we haven’t even realized it. Poor grammar can be one of those habits. Well parents, the tables have turned . . . but don’t worry, it’s for the better. ere is now a workbook for par- ents. Dr. Wanda Phillips is here to help! She has written Easy Grammar’s Guide for Parents: Improve Your Grammar in Minutes. Welcome, Dr. Phillips! TOS: All of your other teaching texts are for students in second through twelſth grades. What made you decide to write a book for parents? Dr. Phillips: I grew up in a wonderful but educationally disadvantaged family in which improper grammar was rampant. e Lord blessed me by placing a wonder- ful woman in my life that became like a mother to me. She would coax and cor- rect me—she was a wonderful role model. is experience along with later class- room teaching experiences of the students desiring to correct their parents’ grammar usage made me truly realize that we can all help each other to grammatically better ourselves. is is a user-friendly book for parents who want to ensure that they use correct grammar—without identifying parts of speech, diagramming, or learning concepts such as noun plurals or posses- sives. e focus is on speaking correctly. 88 July-August 2014 • Grammar www.eOldSchoolhouse.com Grammar by Heather Mader Dr. Wanda Phillips Easy Grammar’s Guide for PARENTS: Improve Your Grammar in Minutes Dr. Wanda Phillips Easy Grammar An Interview with Dr. Wanda Phillips
Transcript
Weallwanttobegoodex-amples to our childrenyet try as we might wemay have learned habits
that are incorrect and we haven’t evenrealizedit.Poorgrammarcanbeoneofthosehabits.Wellparents,thetableshaveturned . . . but don’tworry, it’s for thebetter.Thereisnowaworkbookforpar-ents.Dr.WandaPhillipsisheretohelp!She has written Easy Grammar’s Guide for Parents: Improve Your Grammar in Minutes.Welcome,Dr.Phillips!
TOS: Allofyourotherteachingtextsarefor students in second through twelfthgrades.Whatmadeyoudecidetowriteabookforparents?
Dr. Phillips:Igrewupinawonderfulbuteducationallydisadvantagedfamilyinwhich improper grammarwas rampant.TheLordblessedmebyplacingawonder-fulwoman inmy life thatbecame likeamother tome. Shewould coaxand cor-rectme—shewasawonderfulrolemodel.This experience along with later class-roomteachingexperiencesofthestudentsdesiringtocorrecttheirparents’grammarusagemademetrulyrealize thatwecanallhelpeachothertogrammaticallybetterourselves.Thisisauser-friendlybookforparentswhowanttoensurethattheyusecorrect grammar—without identifyingpartsofspeech,diagramming,orlearningconceptssuchasnounpluralsorposses-sives.Thefocusisonspeakingcorrectly.
TOS: We all know that our children’sbrainsarelikespongessoakinginevery-thing around them. It is important notonlyforus,butforourchildrenthatwespeak correctly. It is very easy for poorgrammartobepassedfromonegenera-tiontothenext,isn’tit?
Dr. Phillips:People’sgrammarusage,whether it’scorrector incorrect,soundsright to their own ears. They may un-knowingly be using incorrect grammar.Ifparentsmakeusageerrors,Icanalmostguarantee that their children make thesamemistakes.This book benefits bothparents and their children. If parentschange their improper usage, they canhelptheirchildrenimprovetheirspeak-ingandwriting.
TOS:HowdoesEasy Grammar’s Guide for Parents: Improve Your Grammar in Minuteswork?
Dr. Phillips: Parents privately com-pletetwoshortassessmentsinareasthatcanbeachallengeforeveryone.Then,Iprovideways tohelp themchange theirusageeasily.
TOS: Howdoesthathelpreaders?
Dr. Phillips:This isn’ta typical text.Adults are toobusy formeaningless in-struction.Iftheymakeaspecificerror,Ihelpthemtochangeit.Doingeveryles-sonisn’tnecessary.
TOS: I’veusedthebookanditcanre-allybecompletedinjustminutesandthetime required depends on the numberof errors. You’ve done a fine job givingexamples of proper usage and ways toimplementthenecessarychanges.(Someexamplesarewhentousegood/well and
who/whom.)Thebookcanbeusedonitsown, but youmentioned that youpres-entseminarsforhomeeducationgroups.Pleasetellusmoreaboutthis.
Dr. Phillips: I’ve developed a one-hour, free seminar based on the book.Parents, Improve Your Grammar in Min-utesallowsparentstotakethetwoquickassessments privately (although in agroupsetting).ThenIofferstrategiesandideasforchangingtocorrectusageeasily.
Dr. Phillips: They can follow myFacebook page to learn my speakingschedule or go to ourwebsite and clickon“Seminars.”Ifgroupsareinterestedinarrangingaseminar,theymayemailmepersonally at [email protected] Them Diligently conventionsthisspringandsummer.
TOS: You are very passionate aboutEasy Grammar’s Guide for Parents: Im-prove Your Grammar in Minutes. Pleasesharewithuswhyyouhavethispassion.
Dr. Phillips:I’mpassionateaboutallofmybooks.TheLordhasgivenmethistalentandtheblessingtobeabletoteach.MyfocusisaboutservingHim,notpro-motingDr.WandaPhillips.Althoughmybooksdon’tcontainBiblicalreferences,IassureyouthatEasyGrammarSystemsisabouthonoringHim.
Heather Mader lives in a household full of music with her husband and 4 children. “Have Faith, Have Fun” is their motto. She loves to encourage homeschooling families to heed the Lord’s leading in every aspect of life, love, and education. Heather also loves to bring stories to life as a voice over artist, which is handy for family read-alouds.
Wanda PhillipsWanda Phillips earned an education de-gree from Shippensburg University and a Master’s Degree from NAU and a Doctorate
from George Fox University. After devel-oping a thorough, easy to use, yet inno-vative, approach to grammar instruction, she published Easy Grammar series, Daily Grams series, and Easy Grams Ultimate Series (grades 8-12). Dr. Phillips presents seminars to help homeschoolers. Her “Par-ents Improve Your Grammar in Minutes” workshop is based on Easy Grammar’s “Guide for Parents”—a book that helps parents to identify and change mistakes easily. Wanda’s goal is to serve the Lord in this capacity.
