WWE too basic and repetitive?

[Momof3plus]

Hi, I recently started WWE 1 with my first grader. We’ve been doing the 4 scheduled days in one day and my son is flying through it. We’re already on week 10 and will finish the whole book in a total of 9 weeks at this rate.

 

I’m just wondering, after seeing a lot of reviews that seem to suggest WWE is for the more struggling writer, should I be using it with my son? The lessons are VERY repetitive and he usually grasps the concept way earlier than the scheduled lessons run for on each particular concept.

 

He never complains and just gets on with the work but I’m finding it pretty boring so far. He loves the story excerpts. So far, up to week 10 of the book all we’ve covered is capitalising and finding common and proper nouns - that seems like nothing for potentially 10 weeks worth of work. I have noticed that his answering in complete sentences has vastly improved though.

 

Is the slow pace and repetition the name of the game? Is the aim to really embed the fundamental building blocks of sentence forming? Is WWE 2 any meatier?

 

I’m just worried that I’m investing time with this when he could be advancing faster with another programme. Public schools seem to cover a great deal more material at this age. I’d love to see some comparative essay samples from

kids who have been through WWE/WWS and those who have been educated in public school.

 

If anyone has any to share then perhaps it would set my mind at rest and I’d learn to just trust the process!

 

TIA

XXXX

[Rosie_0801]

You've said his ability to answer in full sentences is improving. 

You've said he is enjoying the literature selections.

They are both worthwhile.

 

Public schools use a different method of teaching writing. My daughter was using WWE when we were forced to stop homeschooling and has been in public school for over a year, where she has been learning to write essays. 

Her essay structure has improved (naturally, since I hadn't been teaching it.)

Her ability to hold spoken information in her head has deteriorated.

Her sentence construction, spoken and written, has deteriorated.

Her paragraphs can look like a bomb has gone off in the middle.

 

If dd and I had a choice, it would be back to WWE.

 

Our experiences aren't everybody's though.

 

 

WWE certainly is a bit dry, particularly if you have kids who like to write, as mine did. So we also did a weekly Bravewriter "free write." Dd enjoyed that, and it offered an opportunity to use the skills she'd been practicing in WWE and spelling, and practice in getting ideas out of her head without anyone attacking it with a red pen. She could either read it aloud to me or not, as she chose.

 

How far ahead do you need a grade one kid to be?

[SoCal_Bear]

It's a pretty incremental program. You can compact and double up on lessons. That's what we did. However, there is a method and purpose to this. I did wonder the same thing, but I couldn't see it until we had gotten to the end of WWE 1. That being said, I am really pleased at where we got to by the end of WWE2. 

Edited March 20, 2018 by calbear

[SilverMoon]

My 1st grader is also finding it easy for the most part. He can do 90% of the questions with one arm tied behind his back. I knew this going in; he can remember what color shirt I wore two Christmases ago. O_o I bought it more for regular writing practice. At first getting him to copy the easiest sentence had him puffing like he'd ran a marathon. Oy. His hand has slowly caught up, and I have him do every worksheet even if he has already mastered the writing rule it focuses on. The copywork itself and the excerpts have great value and he is growing because of them.

[PeterPan]

Back in the old days, when people walked through snow to get to conventions and all that, we didn't have WWE and we just picked our own dictation sources that fit the readiness of the dc. He's clearly ready for more. The general rule of thumb is your dictation sources are the level of his read alouds. 

 

Comparative essays?? Obviously there are too many variables for that to be informative. My dd did WWS in 7th-9th and is now banging out papers for 300/400 level classes as a freshman. Whatever we did was good enough, but frankly I think it was a lot more the product of our WHOLE approach, not just one writing curriculum. 

Edited March 20, 2018 by PeterPan

[desertflower]

If you want permission, here's my experience.

 

We did most of wwe 1. Skipped half of wwe 2. And went straight into wwe 4. Skipped some of that too. Went to wws. No rush. But that is where he is. He does it orally and i type it for him. Do i have to do wws now? No. So we are taking it real slow. One to 2 days a week. In the meantime, we are doing w&r and will try to get back to mct town. He really enjoys wws.

 

I believe in the process too. That is why we did almost every level. But like math problems, if a child knows how to solve the problem, no need to beat the child over the head with more of the same. I want him to still enjoy doing this.

 

That is what i am doing. Of course, every family is different.

[Momof3plus]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think we’ll plod on with WWE1 as it’s really not going to take us too long and then I’ll look through WWE2 and see if I could condense any of it.

 

As long as I know that it’s just a matter of trusting the process and we will see the results at the end i really don’t mind the repetition, we’ll just work at a faster rate.

 

That’s a great rule of thumb regarding the dictation sentences PeterPan, I willl definitely consider that.

 

I do I agree that it’s about the whole approach but for now, as a new homeschooler I’m still trying to work out what the whole approach actually is and need as much tried and tested advice as possible. 😂

[JMG221]

DD is a young 1st this year and we have completed WWE1 and are 9 weeks in to WWE2. She loves it but WWE1 was very easy for her. She now has to think and concentrate to summarize versus simply giving 1 thing she remembers about the passage. I have been making up my own dictation that covers the same writing concept as the their sentence but uses her spelling words to help reinforce them. We also have an ever growing list of books to read thanks to the great selections.

[Kiara.I]

You might also consider NOT accelerating it, but just doing one day's work per day. It's okay if it's quick and easy!

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

[blondeviolin]

I wouldn't accelerate it either. I really appreciate WTM Press's incremental programs. This is training your son to listen, comprehend, hold large amounts of information in his head, summarize, etc. It's okay if it's easy. Not everything has to be hard. It will get more involved.

[jaredluvsjoanie]

It's a great program! I agree that if your child can do one day's work at a time, then go for it.

 

Also, for what it's worth...I may find something to be boring or repetative, but if my child enjoys it and is progressing, then how I may feel personally is irrelevant, ya know? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. :)

Edited March 22, 2018 by JNDodge

[SilverMoon]

I also wouldn't continue that level of acceleration. Slowing down to absorb the high quality literature doesn't fit on a skills checklist but has enormous value. Let him think it's something he's really good at and get some confidence going from the start. ;)

 

Also, just because a 6-7yo knows to capitalize proper nouns and put a period at the end doesn't mean you won't still be reminding him of this for years to come, even if you do slow down enough for it to sink deeper. :laugh:

[kiwik]

I would slow down and just do 2 days a lesson 3 days a week. Do something else the other 2 days. You might consider getting the text rather than the workbook for WWE2 up.

[TCB]

In my opinion it is definitely worth persevering with WWE and WWS. It's hard to see all the benefits early on in the process but I have found it to be an excellent way of learning to write. It really builds strong foundations for future writing.