Reviews of Write With the Best?

[Caroline4kids]

I am looking for honest opinions about this. I do not like IEW and have tried to use it, but it is just too analytical of a writing program for me. My kids are pretty good at written narrations and have no writing fear, but IEW just confused them and made everyone crabby, so....

 

I have Write with the Best that I purchased very inexpensively. I was looking for input as to outcomes of the program and feedback. I don't want to commit to a program without a little more info.

[lovemykids]

I plan on using it later on, when I can combine both of my girls. I have heard it's a good program, although it's not popular. I also plan to continue with Wordsmith, WWE, and my own writing assignments.

 

:lurk5:

[amtmcm]

:lurk5:

 

We're going to use it this year also so I'd love to hear other's feedback.

[hmschooling]

Looks like you are starting Preparing soon...looks like if you stick with HOD, you'll be doing Write With The Best in the next guide. If Carrie thinks something is good, I have never second guessed her and she's always been right! I love the looks of it and knowing Carrie uses things with her dc first, I'm certain it will be easy to implement and effective and enjoyable for teaching writing to dc.

 

The only thing you'll be missing is the types of writing taught through R&S if you stick with Queens. If you plan a switch as they get older to R&S, you'll have all of writing covered between the two (WWtB and R&S).

[Caroline4kids]

Looks like you are starting Preparing soon...looks like if you stick with HOD, you'll be doing Write With The Best in the next guide. If Carrie thinks something is good, I have never second guessed her and she's always been right! I love the looks of it and knowing Carrie uses things with her dc first, I'm certain it will be easy to implement and effective and enjoyable for teaching writing to dc.

 

The only thing you'll be missing is the types of writing taught through R&S if you stick with Queens. If you plan a switch as they get older to R&S, you'll have all of writing covered between the two (WWtB and R&S).

 

 

Yep, we already started Preparing and since we school year round I think we will be in CTC next spring or so. That is why I snapped up Write with the Best when I saw it. I did not know that Carrie used everything before hand, so that is really good to know. :)

 

I have Rod and Staff 2, 3 and 5 on my shelf. We do about three lessons a week orally unless it is a writing exercise. I love Queen's, but I am very surprised how much I like R&S. We burned out on 2 and 3 in the beginning of hs 6 years ago. I didn't realize I could do it orally and had no idea that I could modify things.:tongue_smilie: I cringed about it, but my kids don't mind it at all.

[Donna T.]

I don't think Carrie has used Write With the Best. Atleast, not for long. I found a thread on it awhile back where she posted that they had chosen it based on the recommendations of her sister, Julie, who has a background in both teaching and writing. She may have used it for a time since posting that info. She wrote that she had been using IEW for some time and had decided not to continue with it nor recommend it for HOD users. She really liked that it (Write With The Best) included the models and was compatiable to a CM approach.

 

I just received it in the mail today and haven't had time to preview it. We're using Preparing this year and I plan to save it until we get to CTC. I understand why it was chosen. They were looking for something that would complement Rod & Staff and provide the descriptive writing that R&S lacks.

[Johanna]

WOW! now I see why I am so in sync with HOD....I had no idea that Carrie is planning on using this....we are doing preparing this year, so I will hold out and do it when she suggests in CTG (the next guide)....it looks great!

[teacalm]

Pardon me for interrupting, but this thread just made me check out this resource. Not a good thing; I just started IEW SWI B with all my kids. I did hear of this book when I checked out the latest HOD guide, Heart for Him. However, it didn't pique my interest until this thread keeps on popping up.

[Caroline4kids]

Pardon me for interrupting, but this thread just made me check out this resource. Not a good thing; I just started IEW SWI B with all my kids. I did hear of this book when I checked out the latest HOD guide, Heart for Him. However, it didn't pique my interest until this thread keeps on popping up.

 

I want to emphasize that while IEW didn't work for my kids, it is a really great program. We did SWI B last year and my kids didn't mind it and they loved Mr. Pudewa. I just found that they did infinitely better with written narrations from memory instead of KWO and style prompts. That is just my kids based on our CM history. So, please do not second guess yourself.:) Your kids will learn a lot and may take to the style very well. It just was too different for my kiddos and confused them.

[Caroline4kids]

I don't think Carrie has used Write With the Best. Atleast, not for long. I found a thread on it awhile back where she posted that they had chosen it based on the recommendations of her sister, Julie, who has a background in both teaching and writing. She may have used it for a time since posting that info. She wrote that she had been using IEW for some time and had decided not to continue with it nor recommend it for HOD users. She really liked that it (Write With The Best) included the models and was compatiable to a CM approach.

 

I just received it in the mail today and haven't had time to preview it. We're using Preparing this year and I plan to save it until we get to CTC. I understand why it was chosen. They were looking for something that would complement Rod & Staff and provide the descriptive writing that R&S lacks.

 

 

I looked at it a bit more now and I see that it is CM friendly. It seems to get kids thinking like a writer thinks. Kind of like copywork for your brain.

I will save it for next year. Preparing is going very well, but we are only three weeks in. So far my kids don't think of the HOD time as school...until they sit down to do math lessons.:)

[Donna T.]

Some Testimonies from Users:

http://www.edudps.com/WWTBtestimonials.html

 

Some Brief Reviews:

http://www.edudps.com/WWTBproreviews.html

 

Rainbow Resources:

http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Write+With+the+Best+Vol.+1/011655/1245168713-805901

 

Cathy Duffy's Review:

http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/grammar-composition/write-with-the-best.htm

 

Homeschooling From The Heart Review:

http://www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com/hsreviews/langarts/wwtb.html

Edited June 16, 2009 by Donna T.

[teacalm]

So, please do not second guess yourself.:) Your kids will learn a lot and may take to the style very well. It just was too different for my kiddos and confused them.

 

Too late, LOL. I bought the e-book through the link that was provided. Thanks for starting this thread. It looks like a very good writing resource material to add to my collection.:)))

[miracleone]

I wished I had found this thread. Now I have SWI-B and Writing with Skill because I thought I read somewhere that WwtB is better for higher levels. We will be using HOD CtC soon. I think I might have to buy this one just to see if it's better than the other two that I already have. Whoaaa, the joy of having too many choices!

[momto2blessings]

Using it and loving it:)

[Alphabetika]

Well, I haven't used it recently, but I did use the first volume with my oldest dd sevreal years ago. I liked the ease of use and also that it appeals to the more intuitive writers, versus someone who needs everything spelled out. I plan to use some of it with my middle dd in the next year or so. She, too, is a natural writer, so something more technical/scripted/left-brain like WriteStart (which we tried very briefly and abandoned like a hot potato) or IEW is not a good fit for her. I also think it's good for the parent who doesn't need or want everything spelled out. It's instructive enough, but it's not SO instructive that it feels formulaic. This is how I felt about WriteStart and what I've heard about some IEW programs (though I will be using the Elegant Essay and Windows to the World) - I felt like it was more like a "fill in the equation" program, which I know is wonderful for some parents and some writers, but not for us.

 

Frankly, I'm surprised Write with the Best isn't more popular.

[shukriyya]

:bigear:

[Donna T.]

We have been using it this year with CTC. It has worked very well for my 7th grader. He probably isn't a "natural writer" but I have seen alot of growth in him this year. He is a by the book kind of kid who wants to know EXACTLY what he is supposed to be doing... not a creative type. He needed these type of exercises and I'm really glad I decided to use it with him. He is actually enjoying the descriptive writing!! After completing the unit on dialogue he was so happy with his work that he decided to write a short story about the character he had created for the assignment. The next unit happened to be on writing a short story but that unit is skipped in CTC. My guess is that is because it requires a longer period of time to complete than the other units. He decided to do it in his free time. It has been quite rewarding to see him relax and enjoy this type of writing. I think WWTB is a great choice to use alongside something as rigid as Rod & Staff. It is very simple. I think a child who already does alot of creative, descriptive writing may not be very challenged though he may really enjoy the work. Even for my son, I would not say that it has been a challenge, but it has given him more variety than he would have gotten through just R&S or with R&S and some other technical type curriculum. He usually does atleast two, sometimes three or four, days worth of assignments in one sitting. A younger child could easily use WWTB vol. 1, especially if he likes to write.