WWE do I need both books?

[mamapjama]

I have borrowed Writing With Ease Strong Fundamentals from my library and think that I will purchase it. How does the workbook differ? I know it has copywork sentences provided. Is the narration the same as in the book that I have borrowed? If you were only to get one which one would it be?

[Jen+4dc]

The hardback book "Writing With Ease - Strong Fundamentals" gives a great overview of SWB's philosophy of teaching writing. Then, the second half of the book goes year by year and week by week telling you what specific skills to work on. However, Year 1 Week 1 is scripted out, then it just says use your own stuff and practice these same skills for year 1 weeks 2-4. Then, it will script out week 5 and say keep working on this for weeks 6-10, etc. etc. The other years are also done this same way: a scripted week telling you what skills you're teaching then saying practice it for X amount of weeks then the next scripted week.

 

The workbook (we only have the 1st one) actually has the lessons plans for EVERY week of the entire year already scripted out. The second half of the workbook is perforated pages to tear out for dc to do the copywork and narrations. I find it very helpful to have all the weeks scripted out for me. However, my son gets so interested in the little narration passage (2-3 paragraphs at the beginning of the book, we're only in week 8, they get longer later) that he wants to read each book they come from. They are chosen from excellent literature (Rumplestiltskin, Mary Poppins, Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland, Little House books, etc). I have no problem with him reading any of these books. There's just only so much time in the day, kwim?

 

If I had to choose one I would buy the hardback strong fundamentals book so I had a good overview of what the program is supposed to be. Anyway, that's the difference. HTH!

[Sara in WA]

What you read is the overview of the various years in the WWE program (if that's the right word). The workbook has specific weekly literature selections, copywork (notes on grammar to point out), narration questions and specific ways to help your child summarize the passage, and dictation.

 

For me, the workbook is invaluable. I do not have the time (although wish I did!) to be finding just the right literature selections. I believe the book you have has specific examples for just a few of the weeks of each year and not each week. The book you have points you in the right direction. The WWE workbooks do all that leg work for you.

[Whereneverever]

If you've already read the hardbound, overview book, I'd just buy the workbook.

[Haiku]

I just use the hardback textbook. I have no need of the workbook. The textbook has all four years laid out for you.

 

Tara

[Laurel]

I just use the hardcover textbook. The textbook gives enough guidance to choose your own copywork and narration passages.

[King Alfred Academy]

For me, the workbook is invaluable. I do not have the time (although wish I did!) to be finding just the right literature selections. I believe the book you have has specific examples for just a few of the weeks of each year and not each week. The book you have points you in the right direction. The WWE workbooks do all that leg work for you.

 

Sara sums it up for me as well. I like having the selections made for me. Saves me a lot of time. :001_smile:

[Samiam]

Just the workbooks for me.

 

For one, I "get" the theory, the idea, the concept behind the book. Having read WTM several times, and other classical education books, I understandy the why's of copywork, narration, dictation. So I don't necessarily need to read the WWE manual.

 

For two, no way would I have the time to get the books from the library, find the passages, etc. It just would not get done. Thankfully, the workbooks did all of that work for me. Perfect!

[Lovedtodeath]

Workbook here! I write my own curriculum, but for WWE, I already had the hardcover book, and bought the workbook before it got done. HTH

[Rosie_0801]

Would one easily find suitable passages in Drew's 'Living Memory' book? I haven't seen either as yet. I'd rather buy that than the WWE workbook, but can think of better things to do than spend hours looking here and there for suitable stuff.

 

Rosie

[Haiku]

but can think of better things to do than spend hours looking here and there for suitable stuff.

 

 

I keep seeing people say that, but really, folks, it doesn't take hours to find this stuff! It takes me, on average, 10 minutes per week to select suitable copywork and narration passages, and maybe another 5 minutes to copy out those copywork selections. Sometimes I forget to select a narration passage so I grab whatever chapter book we are reading off the shelf and open it. It's not time-consuming!

 

I have nothing against people buying and using the workbooks. Rock on, if that's what works for you. But if you're doing it because you're under the impression that using the textbook would steal years from you're life, then you're operating under a false assumption. :)

 

Tara

[Zebra]

I bought the hardback, and it convinced me to go with SWB's method. Then I tried to find copywork exercises, and it completely aggravated and frustrated me. I think it's simply a personality thing. If you like to find the exercises yourself, then the hardback is sufficient. If you've read the book and don't want to find exercises yourself, then you probably don't need to own the hardback.

 

No library in my state had a copy, which is why I felt the need to buy it.

[Lovedtodeath]

I don't have trouble with findind copywork passages. It is the narration that I would rather have firmly spelled out for me. Just the right number of words, just the right comprehension questions... I just want to make sure it is done correctly. Plus, I love that DD is getting more of a variety of rich literature with it. (Though it does seem to fly in the face of TWTM views of "reading" books.)