Improving Writing Skills

I don't think my son is a very good writer. He's completing third grade and only writes very short three- to four-word sentences. At this grade level, shouldn't he be writing longer sentences? -- Poor Writer
Answer: At this stage in your son's education, he should be able to write longer sentences and join two sentences together with conjunctions ("and," "or," "but"). He should also be able to write a complete paragraph with a topic sentence followed by sentences with a few supporting details.
You need to address your concerns about your son's writing skills with his teacher. If the teacher believes that your son's writing skills are not up to grade level, find out how they can be improved -- both at school and at home.
One of the big secrets of improving children's writing skills is to have them write more. You need to set up situations that will help your son do this. If he loves the computer, get him an e-mail account that he can use to communicate with older relatives and even friends. Insist that he write thank-you notes. Every day, write down what he did and read it with him. Then, gradually, give him this responsibility. Be sure to read this together. Grandparents will love receiving this information.