MCT. . . Prior skills before starting? Trial period? Writing clarification?

[rafiki]

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[Annie Laurie]

:lurk5:

 

My kids are so creative, I think they might like this. But it's expensive to buy just to try.

[HSDCY]

If you are starting at Island level, you don't need to know anything.

 

I have not heard of their return policy, but I have not the need to return anything so far:)

 

Here is the thread I dug up for you. Melissa B and matroyshka did a great job describing MCT's writing program: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130654&highlight=MCT+writing

We use IEW as our main writing program though.

 

Currently, we are not using their poetry component because I don't feel confident teaching it. But we use the rest and are very happy with the program.

[rafiki]

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[Shawna in Texas]

What I gather is most continue to supplement with another writing program?

 

 

I think, but I may be way off, that a lot of us on here quite literally panic about writing. More so than we panic about math. There are so many writing programs with so many ways of teaching and some kids need more hand holding than others. I think some of us think we need more hand holding than our children. We want good, strong, creative writers and we want the best.

 

I decided after much agony to drop CW in favor of using Paragraph Town as my writing program. After I finally sat down and read the whole thing, as simple as it all looked, I think it will be more than plenty. Especially in conjunction with the other portions of the program.

 

My dd writes well, so that is a factor I'm considering. But. I really, really think the deceptive simplicity would be great for reluctant writers.

[swimmermom3]

I think, but I may be way off, that a lot of us on here quite literally panic about writing. More so than we panic about math. There are so many writing programs with so many ways of teaching and some kids need more hand holding than others. I think some of us think we need more hand holding than our children. We want good, strong, creative writers and we want the best.

 

I decided after much agony to drop CW in favor of using Paragraph Town as my writing program. After I finally sat down and read the whole thing, as simple as it all looked, I think it will be more than plenty. Especially in conjunction with the other portions of the program.

 

My dd writes well, so that is a factor I'm considering. But. I really, really think the deceptive simplicity would be great for reluctant writers.

 

Shawna, I think you are right on this one. I have The Writer's Jungle, Jamestown Publishing, Lightning Lit, Writing Strands, TOG/ Writing Aids, IEW, and MCT. I would love for someone to hold my hands during the writing process; however, they are full of curricula.:tongue_smilie:I have used different parts of each of them for different things. MCT was my last purchase and Essay Voyage is my last MCT book to start. Since I am quite pleased with the grammar, vocabulary, and poetry components, I don't know what took me so long. I think it's the very simplicity of MCT that makes people doubt it's effectiveness. I know better now than to ask "Is this all there is to it?"

[HSDCY]

Even though we use IEW as our main writing program, I really think MCT's writing component is great. The reason I chose to use IEW more now is becuase ds is not a natural writer. He needs the structure and the incremental learning IEW provides. I do plan on using MCT's writing program as our main one starting from 7th grade (assuming ds will have IEW's stylistic skills down pat by then.)