How is WWE working for your students?

[Jumping In Puddles]

On the plus side, I think it is working wonderfully! My ds has learned to answer in complete sentences and he enjoys the excerpts and he knows what a proper noun is and the early punctuation.

 

I love the one lesson per day but I kind of wish it had sections (maybe chapters) to make moving ahead or review a little easier. For example, it could have section 1 (weeks 1-3) that has similar length passages and questions and introduces nouns. Section 2 (weeks 3-9 or whatever) that introduces longer passages and a new part of speech or punctuation. This would make it easier to skip ahead or review.

 

I also wish it included a little more grammar. Not much more, but enough that I don't feel like I need another grammar program such as FLL.

 

Overall, I'm happy with the program although I don't have anything to compare it with.

 

How do you like WWE?

[Osmosis Mom]

I got WWE 2 for my verbal girls 8. While they do love it, then I am not sure that we'll continue with it. I think I am going to just continue with narrations across the board and add in some copywork from other readings. It seems to us cumbersome to drag out the book for the snippets pr. day (even if we do a couple of snippets). I just feel narration and copywork would do better integrated than separate.

[Carrie12345]

We're using WWE1 with my 6yo and WWE2 with my 7yo. I'm confident we'll be continuing with the series.

 

I'm personally not a stickler with the copywork. I don't watch as each of the girls writes every letter, and I don't point out each and every mistake. My 6yo struggles with handwriting. So did my 7yo, but she's managed to improve greatly with plenty of practice absent of hovering. I believe my 6yo will, too. If not, I'll get more strict when we begin cursive.

 

Their narrations are improving in very small increments, exactly as I expect. And my 7yo is handling dictation better than I probably could, lol.

 

I am considering going back and pulling some exercises from the WWE book for my 6th grader. I wish he had been given this foundation.

[Haiku]

We are really loving WWE. I am using 1 with my son and 2 with my daughter. I only use the textbook; we have never used the workbooks.

 

I love the one lesson per day but I kind of wish it had sections (maybe chapters) to make moving ahead or review a little easier. For example, it could have section 1 (weeks 1-3) that has similar length passages and questions and introduces nouns. Section 2 (weeks 3-9 or whatever) that introduces longer passages and a new part of speech or punctuation. This would make it easier to skip ahead or review.

 

The textbook does break it down more like this, and since I find my own copywork and dictation passages, review is easy because I can find passages to incorporate whatever I want. The textbook also gives guidance on how long copywork and dictation passages should be, but with my daughter (WWE2) we are far beyond the suggested length.

 

In WWE1 I do sit with my kids to make sure that they do the copywork correctly because, to me, the whole point of copywork is to form correct impressions of language. By WWE2, however, I assume that my dd can do the copywork, so I don't watch her do it.

 

I'll admit that I occasionally get the itch to try Writing Tales, because my dd is a very creative writer and I sometimes feel that WWE moves at a snail's pace, but in the end I know that the solid foundation provided by WWE will best prepare my kids for higher-level writing.

 

Tara

Edited October 2, 2009 by TaraTheLiberator
formatting issue

[Mom0012]

I really love this program for my daughter. We dd WWE 1 last year and this year we're moving through WWE 2. I love that it only takes a few minutes a day and yet we're working on some very important skills. I also love how it holds my hand through the process.

 

Lisa

[Matryoshka]

I'm finishing up WWE2 with my 8 1/2 yo and will be moving on to WWE3 soon (ready just in time!).

 

We love it. I needed it for something where she could focus on small bits of writing well without the stress of "what to write", but make sure she used proper spelling and penmanship while writing sentences (she'd do great in her penmanship and spelling books, but it wasn't carrying over into her actual writing - now it is, well at least much more). And the narration/summary part has been really good for her as well. I've seen huge improvements, and she enjoys doing it.

 

Last year we also did an outside writing class that was pretty much creative writing - that's what really highlighted for me the need for this approach as well. We'll be taking a class this year too, but we'll still be doing WWE consistently for that strong base. I love that it doesn't take much time.

 

I love the one lesson per day but I kind of wish it had sections (maybe chapters) to make moving ahead or review a little easier. For example, it could have section 1 (weeks 1-3) that has similar length passages and questions and introduces nouns. Section 2 (weeks 3-9 or whatever) that introduces longer passages and a new part of speech or punctuation. This would make it easier to skip ahead or review.

 

 

Actually, this is exactly the way the WWE workbook is set up, although it doesn't have section headers to highlight it to easiy find where the sections begin and end. For example, in WWE2, in weeks 7-10 the copywork/dictation focuses on commas in a series. Weeks 19-27 focus on punctuating direct quotations. There are also four sections in each year that move the child ahead in some way - in WWE2, first they are allowed to watch the 4th day dictation, later they are not allowed to see it and must listen only. Later in the year it also moves to two dications rather than copywork then dication. The WWE text clearly lays out the four sub-levels to every year and the skills included. I got the text out of the library after I'd already been using the workbook for a while to see where the program was going, and I was impressed with it - there are subtleties I hadn't immediately seen just following through the workbook but are now clear to me. I'm really looking forward to WWE3.

[KarenNC]

We've just completed the 6 week sample of WWE3 and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our full workbook (ordered it through our local hs store, hope it comes very soon!). I have seen a definite improvement in punctuation and grammar, something I was not seeing even after doing FLL, GWG 3 and most of GWG 4. My daughter has also already found two books from the passages that she wants to read, another bonus. As she's in 4th grade, we are working through WWE3 double time (two "days" each day for 4 days a week) and plan to move to the WWE 4 workbook when it comes out in mid-winter.

[silvermine]

I'm not really getting into it. It seems weird to do both WWE and FLL, and I wish it was just one program, but integrated.

 

I'm also frustrated that in the first few weeks, I'm just trying to get my son to copy the nice sentences and we go from Pa and his pig, and suddenly even the easier sentence has Rumpelstiltskin in it. Huh?? How's he supposed to go from "pig" to "Rumpelstiltskin"?

 

I don't really see the point in copying that.

[Lovedtodeath]

I think I am going to just continue with narrations across the board and add in some copywork from other readings. It seems to us cumbersome to drag out the book for the snippets pr. day (even if we do a couple of snippets). I just feel narration and copywork would do better integrated than separate.

:iagree:

So far DD just doesn't seem to need it.

 

That was a good idea about skipping sections. I will have to pull out the guidebook and see where to do that.

[Shelly in the Country]

I love WWE. I wish it had been around when my oldest was just starting out. My kids love it, too.

[Annie Laurie]

I really like WWE. I felt like it was maybe too regimented for my creative dd who is a natural writer- she writes stories, poems, and letters in her free time, and decided to try something else this year. Not long after the change she asked me what happened to WWE because she missed it so I got out level 2 which I already had put away. She is doing wonderfully with dictation and narration and I do feel that WWE is going to build such a strong foundation. I'm torn though on switching her to Classical Writing or Writing Tales next year but will most likely stick with WWE because it's so easy to use. (We use the workbooks).

 

That said, it's not going to work for my son. He needs a different approach and I'm doing other thing with him this year. Next year he'll probably use IEW since I already own it for my oldest and think it might suit him more.

 

It doesn't bother me that we need to do separate grammar, I prefer not having a ton of grammar mixed in with our writing instruction- it's just too much to think about at once when they're younger students.

[The Governess]

I am using WWE and FLL. I love both of them and dd is doing well with both. I think they integrate very well. I believe that WWE is written to reinforce the grammar learned in FLL if you are doing the programs simultaneously - what you have learned in FLL will show up soon after in the WWE copywork.

[lulubelle]

We are doing WWE and FFL 1 together for my ds7. It's working great! He tends to move through writing and reading comprehension fast. This is a good program to slow him down and get a good foundation.

[rafiki]

.

[Karen in CO]

WWE3 is sitting on the table all ready for Monday morning. I'm planning to start the youngest in WWE1 after she is reading well. I don't use a separate grammar program, but we do Latin and Mad Libs. I just don't see the need for more grammar right now. I can't say it is the best thing ever, but it is great for where we are right and what I feel we need.

 

My dd does a lot of writing outside of school time,and I like the fact that our formal lessons are short and direct. She has written some beginning readers for her sister, is working on a cookbook, and is writing a short story. I was afraid that a writing program would stifle her creativity, but I think the fact that it doesn't address creative writing at all really allows her to just continue to write for fun.

[Moniksca]

I'm using both WWE and FLL for my ds7 and we're starting at the beginning. I do skip through some of the FLL lessons but only because he gets it and I'm not worried about rushing him to the next level. I like having the WWE text to us as a guideline, that way I can pull stuff from our history/science for narrations/copywork and that way writing is integrated rather than a separate subject. I like it so far and it works for my ds, as for how long I'll go with it probably until it doesn't work.

[angela&4boys]

We completed WWE 1 and began WWE 2 a few weeks ago. I have definitely seen the fruits in 9yo ds.

 

The only thing I'm not crazy about are a few of the literature excerpts... just a personal preference, but not enough to make me want to wander. ;)

 

I only wish ds wouldn't sigh when I pull out the book. It's just not his favorite subject. But as the mother of four boys (him being the third), I realize that boys just don't do kartwheels when it comes to writing. :tongue_smilie:

 

Oh - and we officially dumped FLL 3. It was grammar overkill here.

Edited October 4, 2009 by angela&4boys

[Mommy7]

The thing that has really surprised me is how much my 11 yo ds is LOVING WWE. We do our R&S first, then look forward to WWE. He says it is really fun. This is the first language arts type of thing he has liked!!!! ;)

[sassenach]

I'm using WWE 1 (workbook) with ds (1st grade). Things are going well. I definitely feel like it's enough in the writing arena for his age. Ds is fine with the copywork and really dislikes the narrations. More than anything else, I think the workbook has helped me to understand how to do narrations with him. I feel like I probably won't need the workbook next year. I understand the process and will use excerpts from our read alouds next year. Interestingly, there is a good amount of overlap between MFW 1st and WWE. I often skip WWE copywork because of what he is doing in MFW. It's a good fit right now. As for the future? IDK. We'll see how it progresses.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I'm using WWE 1 (workbook) with ds (1st grade). Things are going well. I definitely feel like it's enough in the writing arena for his age. Ds is fine with the copywork and really dislikes the narrations. More than anything else, I think the workbook has helped me to understand how to do narrations with him. I feel like I probably won't need the workbook next year. I understand the process and will use excerpts from our read alouds next year.

 

I don't think I'll use the workbook next year either but I'm glad I have it for this year. I think it moves at a snails pace (and we do 2 lessons a day) but maybe that's what 1st graders need? IDK, I'm following it closely because I don't want to mess up and have regrets because I think it should move faster.

[Lovedtodeath]

I agree that the text is more helpful than the workbook.