Bravewriter vs No More, I'm Done

[dsbrack]

I want a creative writing program for my homeschool to use in conjunction with WWE.  I have read through "No More, I'm Done" but I don't have any access to "The Writer's Jungle."  I'm not interested in "Jot It Down."  Does anyone have experience with both of these resources?  I love the explicit mini-lessons in NMID and I love the overall philosophy of the writer's workshop.  I believe I can implement this program starting in first grade with good results and repeat it again in second at greater depth.  However, I know I would want to move on to something new around third grade.  Would Bravewriter expand on the ideas in NMID or is it a completely different philosophy?  Does it have explicit lesson plans to build skills?  Is there  anyone out there who can compare these programs? 

 

And, on a different note, does anyone have recommendations for a creative writing program that focuses on poetry?  Maybe something that could work as a poetry mini unit over the summer?  TIA for any help!

[dsbrack]

Anyone?

[Alte Veste Academy]

NMID is practically open and go. BW's The Writer's Jungle is decidedly not. However, it is a great resource. For me, TWJ was more like a big book of ideas, giving loads of philosophy and great ideas for teaching. But if you like the idea of an open and go resource for LA, it won't be that for you. You use the ideas and philosophy to create your own lesson plans and, perhaps more importantly, a rhythm to your day/week/year. If you want to be inspired about LA, you can't go wrong with TWJ. I suffer from a need to have a sort of A-Z path. I deviate from that path, always! I am almost always off the path, actually. LOL But it is much, much harder for me to lay the path for myself from the beginning. So, play to your strengths. 

 

I agree that you can do NMID two years running, maybe using different and/or more advanced sample books, because kids' skills keeps evolving, and it's always good to spiral through concepts. There are many other books of mini lessons that you could move to after you use NMID to its fullest though (Craft Lessons, Nonfiction Craft Lessons, The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever, Marvelous Minilessons for Teaching Intermediate Writing, and many more, even at the middle and high school level). 

 

My favorite thing about teaching through a writing workshop is integrating grammar and mechanics into the lessons. There are resources for this as you move through the grades too. Right now, I am liking Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer's Workshop. 

 

Also, I just wanted to say that we use writing workshop for all kinds of writing, not just creative. It can be a very flexible time. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Ditto above.  TWJ is more of a philosophical "big picture" approach, although it does go into a lot of detail, just not in a lesson plan type way.  NMID is much more lesson-plan oriented.  I have heard it described as a way to practically implement BW ideas. 

 

I have both.  I don't think you would regret buying TWJ because it is a K-12 integrated approach that you can refer back to often.  NMID is really only for emergent writers.  NMID is also clearly classroom oriented, and TWJ is homeschool oriented.  It goes into a lot of detail about creating a literary atmosphere in the home (including great info on poetry).  NMID is really about getting reluctant writers to write and how to manage a big group of emergent writers at once. 

 

For a poetry unit, you might check out this book- Rose, Where Did You Get That Red?

[dsbrack]

I found TWJ on ebay for $20 so I went ahead and bought it.  I figure I can read through it and get some ideas on how to move forward from NMID.  Thank you both for the responses and I'll definitely check out that poetry suggestion!