busymama7 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I use SWR for spelling and am going to add in Grammar Key for well, grammar this year. We are more CM, than WTM. What would be a good choice for a writing program that was just writing? IEW, CW, Meaning Compositions are the ones I was looking at. My oldest will be in 7th grade and the next one down is in 6th. I'm looking for them, not the youngers. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I use SWR for spelling and am going to add in Grammar Key for well, grammar this year. We are more CM, than WTM. What would be a good choice for a writing program that was just writing? IEW, CW, Meaning Compositions are the ones I was looking at. My oldest will be in 7th grade and the next one down is in 6th. I'm looking for them, not the youngers. Thanks! I like the IEW philosophy but found it to be a bit too unstructured for my haphazard approach to life. WriteShop is IEW based, but it is laid out in very easy to follow lessons. I taught middle school English at a private Christian school using WriteShop with excellent results. If you are uncomfortable with teaching writing or evaluating writing, I think WriteShop is a great introduction for both the student and the teacher. Then, when you start High School composition, you may feel more able to use a less structured approach. Some people say that WS produces a contrived sort of writing style - too basic and formulaic. It can be like that, to be sure. My feeling is that learning to write is like learning to sew in that, as a beginner, you use a ready-made pattern, follow the instructions very closely and when you are done you have produced something worthwhile. After you've been at either one for a few years, you will have gained confidence and will feel more able to deviate from the pattern/formula to produce something more original. WS walks you through the writing process and teaches you to use the same stylistic techniques as IEW. It also provides the teacher with evaluation check-lists which make grading the papers a more objective than subjective task. If you already feel confident about teaching writing and/or your children are fairly strong writers already, you may want to start with IEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kckamy Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I am planning on using Meaningful Composition next year. Haven't actually used it but I like what I have seen on the sample pages (scroll down for MC). http://www.tfths.com/samples.php Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Personally, I would place both children in IEW's Student Writing Intensive B. Mr. Pudewa will teach your dc how to outline, write, show them what to do, and then they will do it. It's pretty simple. There will be no teaching on your part. I would also get them each an IEW notebook so they have everything they need in one place. The SWI DVD's come with a lesson plan that will spread the DVD's out for many weeks, giving your dc extra practice in what they learn from Mr. Pudewa. I don't know about Meaningful Compositions, but CW will be much more than "just writing." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 . It also provides the teacher with evaluation check-lists which make grading the papers a more objective than subjective task. If you already feel confident about teaching writing and/or your children are fairly strong writers already, you may want to start with IEW. IEW provides checklists as well. Also, if you go with a Student Writing Intensive instead of the TWSS (the DVD's that teach the teacher) you don't need to feel confident in teaching writing because the teaching is done for you. I have used both the TWSS and an SWI. You do NOT need to purchase the TWSS set. Get that set if you DO feel confident in teaching writing yourself, because that's what it's made for....to teach you, the teacher, how to teach writing the IEW way. Get the SWI if you do not want to teach it yourself. Mr. Pudewa does a MUCH better job of teaching writing than I did, so I sold my TWSS set. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfinbaby Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I love IEW. I find it very well structured and thorough in teaching the basics of composition. You can vary the assignments (Level A, B, C) within the same lesson to accomodate different children (or just do the simplest assignment on days when too much is going on). I've never used the notebooks that a pp mentioned. We used the American History one last year and will be doing ancients this year. I love love love it. Ds's writing improved significantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Here is the IEW notebook I was speaking of: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/index.php?q=SIM-B Each of my boys had their own. You get one notebook with your SWI set : http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/index.php?q=SID-B I then bought an extra for my other son, it's not something they would want to share. The "American History" and "Ancients" books mentioned by the pp are theme-based books, not DVD taught or led. For DVD lessons taught TO your child, you would start with a Student Writing Intensive (B level in your case), and then continue it the following year with Continuation Course B, and then after that Continuation Course C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfinbaby Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I always wondered what the exact difference was. I also have the practicum workbook. I'm part of a CC program and the workbook came with our package. I was not able to make it to the meetings to watch the DVDs. That said, my only experience is with the theme based material and I think it fantastic. I imagine the student intensive is wonderful as well but I'm happy working through the materials we have. Even though it is taught in CC's Essentials seminar, I think I could do it just as well at home on my own. What's in the student intensive that I might be missing out on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Personally, I would place both children in IEW's Student Writing Intensive B. Mr. Pudewa will teach your dc how to outline, write, show them what to do, and then they will do it. It's pretty simple. There will be no teaching on your part. I would also get them each an IEW notebook so they have everything they need in one place. The SWI DVD's come with a lesson plan that will spread the DVD's out for many weeks, giving your dc extra practice in what they learn from Mr. Pudewa. I don't know about Meaningful Compositions, but CW will be much more than "just writing." I agree. Both your 6th and 7th grader could do SWI B together. Watch the dvd, review the material in the binder, have them complete the assignments. You can grader/review via the checklist. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in CA Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 What's in the student intensive that I might be missing out on? Nothing. :D All the options teach IEW style writing, the only difference in the SWI DVDs is that Mr. Pudewa is doing the actual teaching TO the student. With the TWSS DVD set and the Theme-based books, it is up to you, the teacher, to teach the material. But, regardless of who's doing the actual teaching, you're all teaching the same basic techniques. Make sense? It's all good. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I am using Write Source with my 4th and 7/8th grader. They have books for each individual grades. You can see samples at their website or at Rainbow Resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS in MD Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I had a few IEW questions - 1) My dds are in 6th & 8th should I buy IEW SWI B or C? (I don't own the TWSS) 2) Does the SWI couse take a year to complete? Whad IEW course do dd use next? Thank you!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlovebaker Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 IEW SWI B. We just started - 3 lessons in - and I'm impressed. We were just piecing together our writing before and now I feel like we have a plan. And I've already seen improvement in my daughter. My 2 sons are good writers already so they haven't learned as much. But I do like the structure and checklists as well as the key word outlining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori in MS Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I had a few IEW questions - 2) Does the SWI couse take a year to complete? Whad IEW course do dd use next? Thank you!~ If you use the lesson plans on the website it takes 15 weeks to do SWI B. SICC takes more than a year, maybe 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I tried IEW and although I loved the program it wasn't for me. I bought everything dvd's & student set. I need major handholding with this subject. This is why I like scripted curriculum so much;) This year we are going to use Meaningful Composition. It looks more like something I can teach and it's along the line of IEW. Everything is broken down by days and weeks:thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim.4dogs Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I'm using SWI B with my 5th grader this year, and she loves it! Mr. Pudewa is a great teacher, and she loves to watch the DVDs. I'm so glad I finally invested in this program. I resisted spending the money on it for a long time, mostly because I thought it was something I would have to teach and put together lesson plans for. It is all laid out for us, though, and we are getting more writing done than even before! It was well worth the money, and I'll get to use it for my 2 younger kids as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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