Sixmeadows Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I just got this over the weekend and read 18 Chapters! it was a lot of fun... My son started it yesterday and he likes it alot. Good boy humor. Are most people using this as a supplement or as the main text? I think I will continue using Rod and Staff for a bit, until I figure out if Fred is sufficient as a stand alone text. thanks, Cheri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I just finally ordered it last week, after thinking about it for over a year My ds12 just finished LBCM and next year he will use Chalkdust Algebra I so my plan is to finish the year out with Fred: Beginning Algebra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixmeadows Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 I noticed that you are using Lost tools of writing, do you feel it is easy to implement? I tried Classical Writing a few years ago and went back to using Wordsmith Apprentice and now Wordsmith. We will be done with that soon so I am needing to find another program. What would you say are the best and worst features of the program? Thanks, Cheri (working on my goal to become a larvae today!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I just got this over the weekend and read 18 Chapters! I got it over the weekend and only made it through the first chapter. LOL! Of course, I'm only pulled in a dozen different directions. I plan on using it as a supplement to MUS Algebra. We usually torture, I mean supplement, with Singapore's CWP, so he'll probably love this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 The Lost Tools of Writing is going wonderfully with my son who is not a writer by nature. I love how it breaks down the essay into incremental steps. The premise of the program is that there are three problems people have with writing, coming up with something to say, putting their ideas in the proper order, and expressing their ideas in an appropriate way. The answers to the problems are canons of rhetoric known as Invention, Arrangement, and Elocution. LToW trains a student in all these areas. By the way, this is not a new idea, it's rhetoric and was fleshed out by men like Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian. The first essay is ridiculously easy, but necessary so the student has something from which to build. As the student progresses through the program their essays get less formulaic. I love the Elocution section, it goes over basic editing, and also teaches the students about all sorts of schemes (e.g. parallelism, alliteration) and tropes (e.g. metaphor, apostrophe) and how these devices make their essays much more interesting. It does a great job of teaching outlining, both with a rubic and a traditional outline. There's not a lesson on outlining per say, it's just a part of the writing process. Now the bad news (maybe.) It's teacher intensive and, for me anyway, it took me a while to get the hang of it. On second thought, each module still takes some thought on my part. Kind of bad news part 2, there are about one or two months of lesson plans included (pretty much scripted) and then you need to make your own modules, although Mr. Kern and Leah (she has posted on the old board, I haven't seen her here yet) and others are posting free modules on the Circe web site. Also there is a forum manned by experts, including Mr. Kern, and a new Yahoo group so any questions are quickly answered. I like the idea of me knowing what I'm doing enough so that I can make up my own modules, it's just that I sometimes struggle with finding the time (maybe if I spent less time here, hmm :o) HTH, Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 We are using Life of Fred and at this point it is our main text. Though I have to say that we are moving in an unschooling direction, so that will make a difference. When we started LoF we did use it as a supplement, but my dc really like Fred better so we are going to use LoF only. Also, I am not requiring that they do it so they just pick it up when they feel like it. The author does claim that it is a complete program that does not need to be supplemented, but I think each family needs to decide for themselves what they are comfortable with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixmeadows Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 I think I will have to take a look and see if this is something that I can commit to. I do not feel that I am able to keep up with my son in the writing dept., or able to challenge him at the level he needs. My husband always says he will do writing with him but it never seems to happen. 7 kiddos pull in many directions. Feeling overwhelmed:( I like Wordsmith cause he is able to so much of it on his own. I am drawn to LToW type programs but feel that I will not be able to do it. Thanks for your help. Cheri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.