The boys haven't done a lot of writing up to this point (8yo starting 3rd, and nearly-10yo starting 5th). At least on the part of the 5th grader, it wasn't a lack of ability, but it was like pulling teeth. I jokingly told DH, after getting one decent piece out of DS last year that I was applying for a DDS by claiming "experiential education credit" :tongue_smilie:
DS8 just didn't grasp how, exactly, the process of writing progresses. (And I've always been an intuitive writer, with little formal training or background, so I was not doing a good job of explaining it to him - IW does make that easier for the instructor. Or, at least for *this* instructor.)
I'd decided that writing would be my focus for this year.
I liked what I read about CW, but when I compared the two programs, IW was the better choice for our family. They're very similar, but IW seemed to offer a bit more guidance for the instructor, and a bit more clarity without all the trappings. I liked that. I do also like the difference in price (won't lie to you, there!)
So I printed out the example lesson for my Reluctant Writer (5th grader) - and he enjoyed it! (Shocker, and bonus points, all wrapped up in one!) I talked with the 3rd grader about it, showed him the examples, and he, too, was up for trying it.
I couldn't find anything IW lacked - it met all the criteria I'd set for us to achieve our writing goals this year. Nor could I find anything that CW offered that would justify the additional cost for us, at this point. (Although it is still on the table for the future, perhaps.)
We're just finishing week 2, and both boys have produced nice pieces with relatively little bloodshed. They "get" what they're doing. They have concrete examples to emulate. The process is gentle, thorough, and consistent. We've all been quite pleased, and I think they'll enjoy writing more as the year progresses.
Here's a story from this week's work. DS8 did the vocabulary work and definitions, outlined the story, then re-worked and wrote the story in his own words. We sat down together to edit it, using the objectives set forth (plot outline, handwriting, vocab. usage, sentence structure, spell/cap/punct., story line). He knew going into it what was expected, and so he knew what to look for. About halfway through, he said, "I think I need to work on my spelling." (He's right - kid can't spell his way out of a bag at the moment.) But I liked that he wasn't discouraged by that - he saw that he'd done the rest of it quite well, saw what he needs to work on, and was able to call it. WOOHOO! He does his final re-write tomorrow morning, and he cannot WAIT to show DH tomorrow evening. That, alone, was worth it for me.
HTH,
Dy