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Well-Trained Mind Press is having a Cyber Monday sale; today only, we're slashing prices on all downloadable products by 40%. That includes Story of the World student pages and audiobooks, all of Jim Weiss's audio stories, Writing With Ease, First Language Lessons, Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind, math resources from Kate Snow, how-to workshops by Susan Wise Bauer, and many more! Get started here. -
Hi all, "Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind," the follow-up to "First Language Lessons," will be available on PDF in just a couple of weeks and in physical form by late September or early October. But we know that many of you are eager to get started, so we're giving away the first six weeks of the curriculum here. This grammar curriculum was formerly known as "Advanced Language Lessons," and you may have heard about it under that title. It consists of a Core Instructor Text (used for all four years), yearly Student Workbooks (the first one is being released now, and #2 is in development), yearly Answer Keys to explain all answers for the Student Workbook, and a Comprehensive Handbook of Rules (a handy reference guide for grammar, useful for all writers of whatever age). The free PDF includes: The first 6 weeks of the Core Instructor Text The first 6 weeks of the Student Workbook for Year 1 The first 6 weeks of the Answer Key for Year 1 (which gives all answers AND thorough explanations) The first part of the Comprehensive Handbook of Rules I'll be available to answer questions in this thread. We will also be releasing explanatory videos in the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook for updates on that. To answer some possible questions: --Yes, this is good for middle-grade students, but could also be used with high-school students --Yes, it can be pre-ordered on Amazon (but their release dates aren't always accurate) --Yes, some of the sentences in the exercises are drawn from "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "The Princess Bride." --Yes, schools and co-ops can get bulk pricing. Contact us at 1.877.322.3445 or order@welltrainedmind.com Again, the first six weeks are available here. Here's a longer description of the curriculum: Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind takes middle-grade or high school students from basic definitions through advanced sentence structure and analysis—all the grammar skills needed to write and speak with eloquence and confidence. This innovative program, by experienced educator Susan Wise Bauer, combines the three essential elements of language learning: understanding and memorizing rules (prescriptive teaching), repeated exposure to examples of how those rules are used (descriptive instruction), and practice using those rules in exercises and in writing (practical experience). Scripted lessons make it possible for any parent or teacher to use the program effectively. Step-by-step instruction takes students from the most basic concepts through advanced grammatical concepts Extensive diagramming exercises reinforce the rules and help technical/visual learners to understand & use the English language effectively. All diagrams are thoroughly explained to the instructor/parent. Examples and exercises are drawn from great works of literature, as well as from well-written nonfiction texts. Regular review is built into each year of work. Core text is designed to be used effectively with students from fifth grade through high school, regardless of background. The program is easily customizable to each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Description of the Program Each year, parents and teachers go through the dialogue, rules, and examples in the Core Instructor Text; students follow along in the Student Workbook. This repetition solidifies the concepts, definitions, and examples in the student’s mind. The Core Instructor Text provides not only rules and examples, but scripted dialogue that makes it possible for any parent or teacher to use the program effectively, along with instructor notes that thoroughly explain ambiguities and difficulties. There will eventually be four Student Workbooks, one for each year (the Year 1 Workbook will be released first). Each Student Workbook contains the same rules and examples—but four completely different sets of exercises and assignments, allowing students to develop a wide-ranging knowledge of how the rules and examples are put to use in writing. Each Student Workbook has its own Key, providing not only answers, but also explanations for the parent/instructor, and guidance as to when the answers might be ambiguous (as, in English, they often are). All of the rules covered, along with the repeated examples for each, are assembled for ongoing reference in the Comprehensive Handbook of Rules. This will become the student’s indispensable guide to writing through high school, into college and beyond.
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Hi forums folks...just wanted to let you know that we're running a big sale at Well-Trained Mind Press. We're discounting most of our history, grammar, writing, and math titles by up to 36%, and our Jim Weiss audio recordings are also 15% off or more. It's a great chance to stock up on books for next school year, or for summer learning. Want something for yourself? Susan Wise Bauer's books for grown-ups (Rethinking School; The History of Western Science, etc) are discounted by 25%. Sale ends on April 30th.
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Hi all, While supplies last, we're offering VERY LIGHTLY scratched/scuffed books from Well-Trained Mind Press for 60% off the cover price! We have The Story of the World (activity books, textbooks, and tests), First Language Lessons, Writing With Ease, Writing With Skill, The Creative Writer, Telling God's Story, and many more. These books (which, honestly, aren't very scratched, and just look like they'll look once your children have them for a few weeks anyway) are only available through our office, not our website, so call 1.877.322.3445 to find out what's available and to make your purchase. Justin from Well-Trained Mind Press
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Hi all, While supplies last, we're offering VERY LIGHTLY scratched/scuffed books from Well-Trained Mind Press for 60% off the cover price! We have The Story of the World (activity books, textbooks, and tests), First Language Lessons, Writing With Ease, Writing With Skill, The Creative Writer, Telling God's Story, and many more. These books (which, honestly, aren't very scratched, and just look like they'll look once your children have them for a few weeks anyway) are only available through our office, not our website, so call 1.877.322.3445 to find out what's available and to make your purchase. Justin from Well-Trained Mind Press
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Hi all, Just wanted to let you know that "Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind," our follow-up to "First Language Lessons," is now available in PDF on our website. The physical books are AT THE PRINTER NOW and if you don't think we POPPED CORKS when we sent them out the door then you are WRONG. They should be on our shelves in just a few weeks (6? 5?) and we will announce it here and elsewhere. They can also be preordered from Amazon. Also, SWB filmed three videos explaining and demonstrating this new grammar curriculum. See them on our YouTube channel. Thanks for your patience!
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Hi all, The Study and Teaching Guide for the History of the Ancient World is now available for purchase on our site. Amazon should be shipping the book soon, too (it takes a bit longer to complete their warehouse process). Quick Description... Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Ancient World" is widely used in advanced high-school history classes, as well as by home educating parents. This Study and Teaching Guide, designed for use by both parents and teachers, provides a full curriculum with study questions and answers, critical thinking assignments, essay topics, instructor rubrics, and test forms. Explanations for answers and teaching tips are also included. Designed by historian and teacher Julia Kaziewicz, in cooperation with Susan Wise Bauer, makes "The History of the Ancient World" more accessible to parents & teachers. Note, since some folks had asked: The first half of the book is for the instructor. The student's pages, in the back half, are perforated. SAMPLES of the curriculum can be found on this page. Justin from Peace Hill Press
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I'm signed up for the delayed option for SWB's Great Journey Narratives class through WEMA. I'm getting ready to start reading through The Epic of Gilgamesh so I'm done around the first class, Sept 21st. I need a bit of a headstart because I'm not the fastest reader in the world when it comes to classics. I admit to picking up the Kindle edition just today . . . Anyone else starting yet? (SWB's live class spots are sold out!!! It looks like Kate Snow's class still has a few seats left. American Identity & Human Origins could definitely use some takers.) -
I know there are many questions that I won't answer here...but post them and I'll do my best to address them. So, we'll start here.... 1) AVAILABILITY OF LEVEL 1. Currently we are on schedule to have the entire, proofread, typeset, finished PDF ready for sale in October 2011; and the print book for sale December 2011. (If copies are ready sooner, we'll let you know.) In the meantime, the first seven weeks and the full table of contents are available as free PDF downloads from the Well-Trained Mind blog: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/resource-roundup/writing-with-skill-the-full-table-of-contents-and-first-seven-weeks/"]http://www.welltrainedmind.com/resource-roundup/writing-with-skill-the-full-table-of-contents-and-first-seven-weeks/ Further weeks, for those of you who intend to hold out for the print book, can be requested by emailing my assistant, Pattie Worth: executiveassistant@welltrainedmind.com. It has been incredibly helpful to me to get feedback early in the process from many of you. If you feel that you can't continue without the print book, I do understand, but I hope you'll consider sticking with it and sending comments/problems/suggestions/questions to me (via Pattie). The books will be available from Amazon about eight weeks after it is available directly from Peace Hill Press. 2) AVAILABILITY OF FUTURE LEVELS. I'm on schedule to finish one level per year. What this means is that future levels will be available in September of each succeeding year...as long as you're willing to work from manuscript/PDF copies that we send you by email until the printed books are finished. Again, this is an invaluable part of the process for me--getting feedback from parents before the final books are printed. I had originally intended to make WWS available starting in the fall of 2012, and the Feb. 2012 pub date was so that we'd have copies for the spring curriculum fairs. However, the beta testers were SO helpful that I'd like to continue to put the program out a year earlier for feedback. The more parents and kids who use this, the more effectively I can fine-tune it. Drawbacks: You get manuscript/PDF copies and they're not as pretty. And you have to print them yourself. Advantages: It's free. 3) INTENDED AGE/GRADE: Writing With Skill can be begun by any student who is writing at a fifth grade level or above. If you're coming out of Writing With Ease: Children who have finished Writing With Ease 3 and are working at about a fifth-grade level can usually skip Writing With Ease 4 and go straight into Writing With Skill. Writing With Ease 4 continues to develop skills in narration and composition and also exposes children to a wider range of prose styles--all of this helps younger students mature to the point where they're ready to begin Writing With Skill. WWS asks students to write about a wide range of topics and also demands a fair amount of self-direction and determination...which is often a matter of maturity, not skill. If you're not sure, simply ask the student to complete Week 1 of the free PDF download (Week One: Narrative Summaries). If the student can do this without too much struggle, you can move on ahead in WWS. Deer-in-the-headlights reaction = go back and work on WWE 4 for six months and then try again. Although this is labelled "Level 1," it is valuable as pre-rhetoric for any student who is not prepared to go directly into the rhetoric studies outlined in TWTM. Finishing the four levels of WWS will actually prepare most students to go into basic-level college composition. 3) SCOPE AND SEQUENCE. WWS is a spelled-out, detailed, week-by-week development of the writing skills that are expected of pre-rhetoric students in TWTM. a) Writing With Skill teaches explicit skills in outlining, narrative composition, and sentence style. b) It also teaches directly how to construct and write chronological narratives, descriptions, biographical sketches, and sequences, across the curriculum (assignments are in both humanities and sciences). c) WWS teaches explicitly how to write brief literary reactions to both short stories and prose. d) WWS teaches basic research skills, documentation, and definition/avoidance of plagiarism. e) WWS teaches students to combine the four elements of (b) into longer compositions. WWS does NOT teach grammar explicitly; our assumption is that you will use it with a separate grammar program. 4) HOW TO USE IT. WWS consists of two books, the Student Workbook and the Instructor Guide. You need both of them. (For some reason, Amazon has the Student Workbook listed as an alternate "format" for the Instructor Guide. We're trying to get this fixed, but they're not WAY responsive, in case you hadn't noticed.) The program is directed AT the student; by this point, students should be taking on more of the responsibility for their own writing (since, after all, writing is a self-directed activity). The Instructor Guide provides you with suggested answers and rubrics for each step, plus detailed guidance in how to teach the student skills that he or she may struggle with. Incidentally, if you want the print book before February you can call PHP and pre-order it now by calling the PHP office. Order before Dec. 1 and we'll give you a 10% discount plus free shipping on those two books. OK...questions? Another post about Advanced Language Lessons coming shortly. SWB -
Hello all, We've just sent "The Study & Teaching Guide for the History of the Medieval World" to the printer, and it should be available in a month. But if you can't wait that long, you can purchase it right now as a downloadable PDF! This is our largest book ever (888 pages), filled with exercises to supplement your high school student's reading of Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Medieval World": ID questions, essay prompts, maps and map exercises, and more. Complete answers and explanations are provided, for the teacher, as well as suggestions for helping with essays and for grading the student's work. It's at a special introductory price for now, but that will only last for a few weeks, so check it out soon!
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Throughout December, Peace Hill Press is rolling out a variety of sales...free items, low prices, and a partridge in a pear tree. Check out the dates and the savings at http://peacehillpress.com/current-offers/
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Hi all, I knew you'd want to know that we're offering two brand-new audio lectures by Susan Wise Bauer, recorded at homeschooling conferences: Burning Out: Why it Happens and What to do About it Every home school family finds itself in the doldrums occasionally. But when the doldrums last for weeks or months, it’s time to consider the possibility of burnout. In this seminar--drawn from years of personal experience with effective home education and burnout--Susan defines burnout, investigates the elements that make burnout more likely, and offers a series of practical, experience-tested suggestions for moving forward. and What is History? How and Why Should I Teach It? Choosing the right program isn’t the first step in teaching history to your students. Before you can make informed decisions about what curricula to use, you need to understand why you’re teaching history at all--and define what your student should be gaining from it. This seminar will explain what history actually is (you might be surprised!), survey different methods and approaches for teaching, and suggest appropriate goals for elementary, middle-grade, and high school students. Both are now available as MP3 downloads, along with all of our other lectures.
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We've just posted the first five instructor and first five student sections from "Study and Teaching Guide for The History of the Ancient World," coming next month from Peace Hill Press. Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Ancient World" is widely used in advanced high-school history classes, as well as by home educating parents. This Study and Teaching Guide, designed for use by both parents and teachers, provides a full curriculum with study questions and answers, critical thinking assignments, essay topics, instructor rubrics, and test forms. Explanations for answers and teaching tips are also included. Designed by historian and teacher Julia Kaziewicz, in cooperation with Susan Wise Bauer, makes "The History of the Ancient World" more accessible to parents & teachers. We'll answer your questions on this thread, if you have any.
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Hi y'all, Just a quick note that we have posted free samples of "Writing With Skill, Level 3 Instructor Text" and "Writing With Skill, Level 3 Student Workbook" on the Peace Hill Press samples page. For each book, the sample contains the Table of Contents, the first ten weeks of lessons, and any appendices that are relevant to those lessons. We are getting ready to hand these books to the printer, and expect to have copies for sale within the next two months. Peace Hill Press will have it first, then Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I'll announce availability here, and Peace Hill Press will also update you through its Facebook and Twitter pages. Thanks for your patience. Enjoy! Justin from Peace Hill Press
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Take a look what I got on my FB postings! SWB is coming to Cincy -- OK, gotta buy tickets this week and start to plan..... http://www.greathomeschoolconventions.com/speakers/dr-susan-wise-bauer/
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Hi all, We've sent the "Study & Teaching Guide for the History of the Ancient World" to the printers, but while we're waiting for the physical book, we've now started selling it as a downloadable PDF, here. Remember, you can see a sample on this page. For each chapter of Susan Wise Bauer's "The History of the Ancient World" he Study & Teaching Guide provides review questions and answers, ID's, map exercises, essay prompts and tips for helping the student think critically about the history presented in the chapter.
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I see that SWB picture is back up looking at us. I keep thinking "what is she thinking?" So add your caption here. My caption is "I like the cut of your jib. I think you could homeschool"
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Hi all, A month or two ago, we released the Study and Teaching Guide for the History of the Ancient World. The map exercises in that book can be done using the maps contained in "The History of the Ancient World." But some astute customers pointed out that if your student is reading "H.O.T.A.W." on a Kindle, he won't be able to write on (or trace) those maps! In response to this need, we've created a little PDF pack of 59 maps, using only the ones that are referenced in the map exercises. Here it is, ready to download for just $3.99. Hopefully that will help those of you who are using the Kindle version.
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Hi all! The first ten weeks of Writing With Skill, Level 2 Instructor Text and Writing With Skill, Level 2 Student Text are now available as free PDF downloads here. That's over 400 pages of educational awesomeness. Remember, you can also pre-order these books from us by emailing info AT peacehillpress DOT com.
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Peace Hill Press is proud to announce that Writing With Skill, Level 2, as well as its accompanying workbook, are now available for purchase on our webstore. The books are in our warehouse, just waiting for you and your young writer! Instructor Text: http://www.peacehillpress.com/writing/the-complete-writer-writing-with-skill-level-2-instructor-text/ Student Text: http://www.peacehillpress.com/writing/the-complete-writer-writing-with-skill-level-2-student-workbook/ Remember that samples are available at: http://www.peacehillpress.com/samples.html If you pre-ordered, we called you last week to complete your order, and the books are on their way to you. Amazon should have the books very soon (they work on their own timetable, which they don't always share with us, and which we think has something to do with the movements of the tides, Pisces being in the Seventh House, and the entrails of pigeons). Other bookstores and retailers will be getting the books in the next week or two. I'll try to stick around this thread to answer questions. Thanks for your patience. We think you're going to love the books.
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Are you planning for this fall? Do you have students in 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grades? If so, then you need this talk by Susan Wise Bauer: The Well-Prepared Student: How to Get Ready for the High-School Years Susan Wise Bauer gives clear, specific directions for helping a middle school student prepare, academically and practically, for high school. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/well-prepared-student.html In this session, learn what and how to teach your child in grades 5 through 8--before that ninth-grade year begins. How can you be sure that you’re handling the transition from elementary learning to more complicated studies properly? What do you do when your child resists? What should you do in the seventh and eighth-grade years to make sure that your student is ready for high school? Includes suggested milestones for each year and subject, as well as practical suggestions for catching up and covering material that may have been missed. MP3 Download, approximately 60 minutes It's going to be $3.99, BUT order before noon Friday, and pay only $2.99.
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Hey folks, it’s SALE time! We know that in mid-February, when it’s cold and bleak outside (yes, yes, Southern Hemisphere folks, we see you smirking. Your day will come!), and you’ve been “doing school†for months, and some things are working but lots of things aren’t, and you wonder if you’re actually de-educating your children, and you can’t play “run outside so Mommy can have five peaceful minutes in the bathroom PLEASE†for another six weeks (unless you want the little darlings to get frostbite)…it can feel like “Groundhog Day,†in which a character is stuck in endless repetition of the same dreary February day. So we're doing our part to inspire you with a little Sale on inspiring (and fun) items: this Saturday through Monday, on our webstore, all our audio-lecture MP3’s will be $1 less; you’ll save $5 on The Well-Trained Mind or The Well-Educated Mind; Peace Hill Press coffee mugs will be $2 less, and tote bags will be $1 cheaper. We believe in you. The kids will be OK; you’ll be OK; and yes, Spring will come again.
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That SWB will probably not be writing any more of the COmplete Writer Series? Of course I feel compassion for SWB and I am happy for her, that she is closing one very stressful chapter of her life, and opening a business which sounds like a wonderful dream to me. But I do kinda need to know about my future choices with Writing curriculum with my dd who is now using WWE and I had assumed could go all the way with The Complete Writer. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/home-schooling-pioneer-susan-wise-bauer-is-well-versed-in-controversy/2012/10/29/521a3070-da80-11e1-9745-d9ae6098d493_story.html And I'm sorry if this is redundant. I am sure someone already posted this on the general board or somewhere but I didn't find it.
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Hi folks, The Instructor and Student books for Writing With Skill are now available for purchase from our webstore! Copies are in our warehouse just waiting to be delivered to your house. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/language-arts/writing/writing-middle-grades.html Those of you who preordered at the discounted price can expect your books to arrive in the next few days (we're using UPS ground), IF you responded to our phone request for your confirmation & payment information. If you missed our call, please call our office at 1.877.322.3445. We don't want you to have to wait any longer! We're proud of these books and we think they'll be an excellent resource for you. Justin (on behalf of the Peace Hill Press team)
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Quick background: We make one trip to the US every year, for 3 to 4 weeks at a time; part of that is in CO and part in TX. This year we are thinking Aug/Sep for our trip. There is a convention in August, SWB will be there, that I could go to if we go early enough in August. But. Here's what's holding me back --- we only spend at most 3 weeks in TX. That's to see my mom, dh's mom, dh's sister, my grandparents, maybe my sister, our boys' friends, etc. It's hectic. In the 3 weeks or so, I will spend 2 days/1 night just me & my mom; that's our time every year. I am also hoping against hope that a friend will come down and she and I will spend 3 days/2 nights together, just us. Add in the convention, and that's 2 more days/possibly the 1 night away. That adds up to 7 whole days that I would be off doing my own thing, leaving DH and the boys to their own devices. And 4 of those days would be on weekends. That seems like a lot, no??? It wouldn't be consecutive, but still.... 'Course, I was thinking maybe I could convince DH to come with to convention, he & I stay the night and have it be romantic getaway + hs convention all in one..Or, if he's not up for that, maybe I drag my mom to convention?? Do our "girl's weekend" there...?? I don't want to do this with my friend coming in, she's graduated her hs students and I'm sure would not want to spend her time listening to workshops. Well, neither probably would my mom, but she'd do it if I asked. If I take my mom, I could listen to one workshop only, buy the rest later and just shop the exhibits. then mom and I have time to do other stuff, and she can help me think through purchases..... hmmm......thoughts?? ideas??? Help me make this work, or convince me it's a bad idea. If you had (at most) 21 days in TX, would you spend 7 of them away from family?? Or, is 5 vs. 7 really that big of a difference???
