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MarilynW
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 7:19pm | IP Logged
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Can anyone recommend this? I have finally read LCC and I intrigued by this program? I would love to hear any views on it - what grades, what you started with etc.
Thanks
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Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 9:51pm | IP Logged
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Hi,
I bought the first level, Aesops, a number of years ago and enjoyed using it- however, I didn't follow the recommendations at all and just asked for a written narration or oral(for youngers) of the fable. (So really I didn't use the program much  )
This year, on one of those moments where the 'Classical Writing aproach to writing was definitely it, I mean, all the arguements for the progym are convincing', I purchased Homer. It looks very good, and VERY thorough with grammer etc. The TM is very structured and laid out (although there is quite a learning curve when first learning to use the TMs as the different levels they use etc. can be confusing. I learned this when I read the Aesop manual cover to cover!!). The new workbooks make it even more well laid out. However, it is very teacher intensive, as the ladies who design it will tell you on their website (quite informative to look at for info. on the program, and for support).
My children quite like retelling myths, fables, historical stories an such. But we find we have plenty of opportunities to do this through narration, both written and oral ala Charlotte Mason). However, I think we would have all wilted under such a structured and grammar heavy program (we do enough grammar in our Latin- enough for me that is, grammar phobe that I am!!). My son actually looked a little faint when I unwrapped the program, even though some would smile I am sure.
So, maybe this hasn't been very helpful. I can be quite a 'curriculum browser (and, at times, buyer)' but not much at all of a 'curriculum user'.
Good Luck
Kristie
ps Bravewriter is awesome!! Lots of space for imagination and combining lots of different formats!
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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BrendaPeter
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| Posted: June 05 2007 at 6:17am | IP Logged
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Hi Marilyn,
We did use it for awhile. It's a very impressive program. As you probably know, it's all-inclusive in that it's a writing, spelling & grammar program. You can always throw out the other parts if you don't need them. I did look at the other program mentioned in LCC, Classical Composition, but it was pretty bare bones and seemed very challenging to implement.
In retrospect, I believe that in order to use the program (maybe this applies to any writing program?) Mom needs to be pretty confident with writing - I am not . Well, it's not that bad, but I have a much more difficult time with such a subjective subject. I have a pretty good grasp of grammar, but not enough to feel confident with the program - particularly with identifying adverbs. I often had questions and the answers were not always included. I have to say that my dc did enjoy re-writing the fables quite a bit.
Grade-wise, I would follow the guidelines that CW recommends. They have a message board that is very helpful. Worst-case scenario, you can easily re-sell it (even used workbooks!) on the Latin-Centered Curriculum Yahoo group.
Another option is to sign your kids up with Regina Coeli progym course. They offer it in the summer & during the school year. It's certainly more expensive, but gives mom a break in the writing area.
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Brenda (mom to 6)
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Angel
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| Posted: Jan 29 2010 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
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I'm resurrecting this old thread because I'm still looking around for a way to work with my 13 yo ds on writing. He's somewhat of a relcutant writer, and his spelling and punctuation skills aren't up to "grade level" (which would be about 7th.) (Actually, I think spelling would count as a learning disability with him.) He's doing more writing this year since we found the One Year Adventure Novel curriculum, but I don't mess around with that too much... I've had too much experience with the harm that can be done to budding novelists, so I am fairly hands-off with that curriculum. Right now I am experimenting (again) with written narrations from his reading, but this process is leaving me a little disatisfied. I have seen the success he has when he can follow a structured course (such as the One Year Adventure Novel) that uses *real* literature (not retold literature or stories/sentences made up for the sole purpose of being used in grammar/writing programs.)
So I have a few specific questions I am hoping someone will be able to answer:
1. Does CW use real literature? (I am looking at their Older Beginners series.)
2. How much parental time is involved? How much can he do independently if I am taking care of other, smaller people?
3. How much time each day does it require in practice?
Thanks!
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Angela
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 29 2010 at 3:31pm | IP Logged
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It does use real literature- Aesops, Folk Tales, Fairy Tales and common historical tales at the Older Beginners.
The site says 2 1hour segments a day. Most budget around 1hour a day 5 days a week though I think.
Parental heavy in the analysis part- I remember reading years ago when they first had their site that they believed in direct teaching with the method.
My humble opinions are in the beginning of the thread...
Have you seen Write With the Best? We have done some of it (but I am not a great follower of any program for writing), It uses very good literature for its lessons and it is dirt cheap!
How about Help for Highschool- we did the online course (worth every buck to increase my son's confidence- he got an A and is not a reluctant writer anymore. He is also spelling challenged  . The instructor was awesome and encouraging. Help For Highschool part 1 is what the Intermediate course goes through. I am thinking of purchasing the e-book right now for the Part 2 section on expository essays (it is just so expensive!)..
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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JuliaT
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I have used CW with my oldest for three years now. We are on Homer A right now. I do not use it the way that the manual suggests. I cannot take an hour a day for writing. My dd would melt if we did that. We usually take 20 -- 30 min. a day for writing. When the time is up then we just start the next day wherever we left off.
Our week usually looks like this: Monday--Day 1 analysis and start Step 1 of writing project, Tues--Step 2 of Writing Project and Day 2 analysis, Wed--finish Day2 and start Day 3 analysis, Thurs--finish Day 3 (if needed) and do Day 4 analysis, Fri--write rough draft of writing project. The next Mon. would be for the finished draft, then we would start the rhythm over on that Tues.
In answer to your 2nd question, my dd is only 10 so my answer may not be helpful. I sit with my dd through the whole thing, except when she is writing the finished project.
I don't know anything about Older Beginners but I am sure you could tweak it to fit your child. I am very pleased with Homer. The key is to take the time at the beginning and read the manual yourself so you are familiar with it. At the beginning, it seems very daunting but if you keep at it, it becomes managable, at least, this is my experience.
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Julia
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Angel
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| Posted: Feb 04 2010 at 3:27pm | IP Logged
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Kristie 4 wrote:
How about Help for Highschool- we did the online course (worth every buck to increase my son's confidence- he got an A and is not a reluctant writer anymore. He is also spelling challenged . The instructor was awesome and encouraging. Help For Highschool part 1 is what the Intermediate course goes through. I am thinking of purchasing the e-book right now for the Part 2 section on expository essays (it is just so expensive!).. |
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Kristie, what is Help for High School? Can you give me a link?
Thanks, Kristie and Julia, for your reviews. I'm still not sure what to do. Right now I am just trying to do a Charlotte Mason-style system of 2 written narrations per week, but he seems to think that they are sort of optional.  This is what comes from allowing a great deal of choice in an educational program, I suppose... but he really does need to work on his writing. I have IEW, but I don't like any of the IEW supplementary materials and am having a hard time getting organized enough to put an IEW program together... which is maybe what I ought to be doing, since I *have* it already...
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Angela
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Three Plus Two
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Kristie 4
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Help for Highschool
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Kristie in Canada
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Angel
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| Posted: Feb 04 2010 at 6:42pm | IP Logged
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Ah - thanks! 
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Angela
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Macmom
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I've used Classical Writing, both the Aesop and Homer levels, and the children and I really enjoyed them. I really liked how I could teach multiple grades from the same book (I.e. working on the same stories, i would just expect more from the 6th grader than the 4th grader!)
Then again, I'm an English teacher! :-)
Yes, I second Regina Coeli's Progymnasmata class. Really, the progymnasmata is an excellent way to go about teaching writing. Its so hard for young children to come up with topics on their own- and having a story there that they can expand off of and make their own just takes one more scary step out of writing!
Peace,
Macmom
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stefoodie
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I used it with then 12-, 10- and 7-yo. They liked it but not loved it. The 12-yo and 10-yo thought Aesop was too babyish. BUT they had FUN with the actual writing -- what we did was I had them blog the writing, and they were allowed to embellish a SECOND version all they want. (The reason for this is that my boys want to add guns and "KABLOOM" or other sound effects all over the place, even to a retelling of Town Mouse and Country Mouse.) So in that respect, it was a success. Now only the 8-yo wants to use it, but from time to time I make the older ones join in and still considering Homer for later... but 13-yo has moved on to writing lots for his Confirmation portfolio and Scouting, so I didn't want to add one more to his plate.
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stef
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Classical Writing
