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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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When do children start needing a writing program? All my children love to write - but I am wondering when I need to start using an "official structure". My dd has been doing Kolbe Junior High and following their structure. Each year I face this dilemma. These are the choices I have looked at:
IEW
Classical Writing
Bravewriter
Wordsmith
Wordsmith Apprentice
Writeshop
Writing Strands
Abeka Composition and Grammar
Seton Reading/Composition
I will have 2 fifth graders and a 9th grader. I have always had hestitations about IEW because of the parental time and the cost. But I am seriously looking at it again - a friend is bringing me her IEW stuff to look at today. What is starting to sway me is that she says her children LOVE it - and she has a relucant writer.
I really do not like Writing Strands.
I need to find something I am excited about too!!
Please share your views.
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Marilyn
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 8:17am | IP Logged
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Sorry - this should have gone under Living Language Arts - please would one of the moderators move it for me?
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Marilyn
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 8:30am | IP Logged
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Moved it, Marilyn. I have some thoughts...I'll be back later.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Lisa R
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We've loved IEW! I've used it for 4 years and my kids prefer it over any other program we've tried. I've tried Writing Strands (hated it) and Bravewriter (too loose for me). Let me know how I can help with any specific questions.
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Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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Carole N.
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Marilyn, I have certainly traveled all over the place trying to find the "perfect" writing program for my dc. And I have to tell you that we made a good choice with IEW. They love the program.
I also have Writing Strands and we would start and never finish. It was not a great motivator. I liked the look of Bravewriter (something about a program in a notebook), but I started using IEW and have not looked back. Let me know if you have any questions.
And Andrew is great. The children love him and my dd was so excited to meet him last summer at convention. He was so nice and polite and he really listens to the children.
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Carole ... in Wales
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Lauri B
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I think Wordsmith Apprentice is fantastic. It's one of the items I've decided are "can't miss" for each of my children. It covers both beginning grammar and creative writing in a newspaper format.
I also like Karen Andreola's Story Starters. It was a whopping success with my son last year. (7th grade) He was able to catch the voice of each story and carry on with some really excellent tales.
My favorite resource for essay writing is the Five FInger Essay by Johnnie someone. I ordered as a download and it was very useful to introduce my non-essay writing family to formula essays. After using that, we did a one month "workshop" with Analytical Grammar's Teaching the Essay which felt as though it built upon the 5 Finger method, while teaching specifically the Literary Essay. (Not for the younger ones - this is a High School level course.)
In another two weeks we'll be starting Analytical Grammar's Teaching the Research Report. Yuck! I need to summon proper enthusiasm because - between you and me - I am utterly unenthused. Lack of teacher enthusiasm means sure failure for our family, so I'll need to put my happy research face on and really get into it.
For the past two weeks we've been working on the Five Facts of Fiction from Teaching that Makes Sense. Next week they do the story, then we'll move to the Research Report.
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stellamaris
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One supplemental, inexpensive, make-it-at-home idea is to cut interesting pictures out of magazines, put them in page protectors in a notebook (optional), and use them as story starters. I have let the children pick some of their own pictures, and it is fun to read the stories they come up with. This is a perfect change-of-pace activity for 3-6 graders, and could also be used by younger children if you write down their narrations. It's basically free, too. We found pictures (from a Smirnoff ad!) of nutcrackers hanging oranges in trees, of a woman swimming in a shower fully clothed and covered with clothes (a Tide ad), and of old cars driving down an old road (an insurance ad). All of these really got the creative juices flowing!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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sarahb
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I liked Wordsmith Apprentice this year for my 11 yr old. Next we will use IEW.
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Angel
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I have a thread going on for writing programs for 7th grade. My ds is a reluctant writer, but Erin shared a good link for a high school level novel-writing curriculum, and there is more affirmation for IEW.
I am leaning toward IEW for my 12 yo ds. My 10 yo dd likes to write and writes on her own, but if I do go with IEW, I could use the Student Intensive Writing B for both of them.
I've checked out Writing Strands and decided against it (looks too boring) and as Lisa said, Bravewriter looks too loose for us. My dd could probably do it, but my ds needs more structure.
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Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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MarilynW
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I am strongly leaning towards IEW - I am just VERY daunted by the price and also just finding the time to do the Structure and Style myself. My friend brought all her books and DVDS this morning - she recommended Structure and Style plus the Student Intensives - I was quite impressed but aagh, how to fit into my budget. I am going to drop some other stuff. I am going to have to look in more detail and talk to dh. Lisa - I am sure I will have questions for you 
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Marilyn
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Lisa R
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Marilyn,
I'd be happy to answer any questions. We really love this program and it's worked very well for us.
As for time to watch the video's yourself, my boys watched them with me. Mr. Pudewa is a much better teacher than I am anyway and explained it so much better!
We do have a lady in our area who is a rep. for IEW and she held a "class" at the local library and just showed the video's to everyone. We each purchased the Structure and Style guide but not the DVD's. I did buy them for myself later so I could refresh my memory on how to teach each unit.
IMHO I don't think you have to buy the Student Intensives to get started. Depending on what your studying in history, the history writing guides are fantastic and much cheaper than the SWI's. I do own all of the history guides and it really helped me flesh out the how-to's of the program.
I'd love to help with this decision (choosing curriculum can be so hard!  ) Marilyn, so ask away! 
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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Matilda
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I would love to hear more about this program and what someone needs to get started with it. Is 5/6th grade too late? I have looked at their website before but was very confused and didn't know where to start.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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Lauri B
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Caroline wrote: <<One supplemental, inexpensive, make-it-at-home idea is to cut interesting pictures out of magazines, put them in page protectors in a notebook (optional), and use them as story starters.>>
What a great idea! Leave it to the experienced mommies of many to come up with the best ideas!
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sarahb
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All Things Fun and Fascinating is so cool but im just afraid I wouln't teach as well as Mr Pudewa. I'd love to think I could just buy TWSS and Fun and Fascinating...
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Lisa R
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Charlotte,
I definitely don't think 5th/6th grade is too late at all. You need the TWSS guide and DVD's. Mr. Pudewa really does walk you through the program on the DVD's. You also have work to do in the manual after watching the DVD's yourself to see firsthand how it works.
The SWI's are really good to get you started or you could buy one of the history guides for a lot less money. The history guides go through all nine units while the SWI's just do a few units.
I know it looks so cost prohibitive but you can use it for all your kids for all their writing in all 12 years. When you divide that out it doesn't seem so costly. At least, that how I was able to fork out the money in the beginning. 
The only other part that I'll buy in the very near future is their High School Essay Intensive writing DVD's.
Please keep asking questions. I'm here to help all I can. Hey, maybe I should be a rep.!
One more thing. I really, really liked how much it taught my kids grammar. They do "dress-ups" in each piece of writing that teaches the parts of speech very well. They do "decorations" that teaches things like simile, metaphors, alliteration etc.
Okay, two more things.  We also love their program Fix-it. My boys have learned great editing skills with this program and have caught many of their own mistakes in their writing.
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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Erin
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Lisa
Thank you so much for your explanation.
My finger keeps hovering over the buy button. For so long I know I have needed something more structured but what? More and more I am seeing the benefit of audio/visual media for my highschoolers, (I can't do it all  ) so this is a major part of why I am feeling led to IEW. Plus I have been lurking here in archives for the past week. And recommendations are glowing on the most part.
Can you help me choose how to stretch my dollar? I was considering the Combo Pack Level C which gives me TWSS and SWI but this then is only for my dd15 and maybe ds14? I also have children aged 12, 10 and 7. Admittedly the oldest children are in the most urgent need. Do I need the SSW? Could just the DVDs be sufficient? Ideally I would love to cover everyone. (Don't forget the cost here is even more than there, Combo C will cost me $360!)
Advice please.
Angela
I'm still really keen on the One Year Adventure Novel (the demo was impressive) but I think we urgently need to know 'how' to write a more formal essay.
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Erin
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MarilynW
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I am starting to feel quite excited about IEW. I have used their Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization and loved it - but for some reason was very hestitant on the TWSS.
Lisa/Carole - the problem I am having is trying to figure out how to fit things together. My friend told me I definitely need to get the DVDs and Workbook for TWSS - this is for me I think? Then she recommended with this the SWI A for the younger ones and SWI B for my dd. But now I am looking at things like Fun and Fascinating and Writing Fairytales - would these be INSTEAD of SWI?
Another question for Carole/Lisa - what age is the Fix it geared towards?
I am wondering if I can scrap grammar for the year - it will help me afford this in terms of time and money?
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Marilyn
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Lisa R
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Erin,
If it were me, I'd just buy the TWSS. He really does a good job of explaining. Let your dc watch with you. It definitely helped us.
The hardest part for me in getting used to the program was finding source text. That's where the history or theme-based writing came in so handy for much less costs. Once you get the hang of it with something like that (and you only need one), you really don't need anything but the TWSS. That's all it was originally. You'll be surprised after just one year how easy it is to use.
I noticed they do have some source text now that are e-books. That would be cheaper as well and you could have it right now.
Articles & Stories for Units 1 &2
Story Sequence Sources for Unit 3
Pictures for Unit 5
Mini book sets for units 4 & 6
Student Resource Notebook (very helpful)
I asked IEW one time about buying a SWI for different age levels and they said to shoot for the middle.
Their 100% guarantee can't be beat either. You can return it no matter what.
Hope this helps, Erin!
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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Lisa R
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Marilyn,
Yes, the TWSS is for you to use to teach. But like I said, I had my boys watch it with me and it really helped explain it to them better than I could have.
I don't think you need the SWI's at all. Really. See my previous post about the theme-based writings which is what All Things Fun & Fascinating and Fairy Tales is. Yes, I would get that INSTEAD of the SWI's. It will really help you get the hang of the program.
We LOVE fix-it here! My boys are in 7th and 8th grade this year and it's our second year using this program. It says grades 3-12 but it's been a good fit for upper elementary/junior high for us. This is how we use it: they do the rewrite of the sentences for the day, fixing all the errors Monday - Thursday (there are only 4 paragraphs for each week). This helps them with penmanship as well. Then on Friday I dictate one of the paragraphs from the week to them and grade their errors. There is also a vocabulary word each day that we just do orally. Fix-it reinforces all they are learning in IEW. ie. dress-ups, sentence openers, decorations etc.
Hope that helps! 
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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Lisa R
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 10:13pm | IP Logged
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Ladies,
One thing I forgot to mention is you can stay on one unit for as long as you need to until you and your dc feel comfortable. Our first year we did this with another family and only progressed through the first 3 units! Now, I wouldn't recommend that but it's what happened. They also have a recommended schedule in the TWSS workbook that covers all nine units in one year.
HTH!
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Can we talk writing programs again?!!
