What if you don't like IEW?

[bethben]

I know - shocker! It just doesn't fit my teaching style. It honestly confuses me for the most part. Wading through the SSWI manual and the videos is just too much for me. While I like the concept and ds is learning (he does a co-op class), the whole key word outline just doesn't make much sense to me, my husband, or my ds. My husband, who is the writer of the family, can't really help him with his writing because he feels the program is not intuitive and he can't spend the time to look at the manual or watch the DVD's.

 

So, I really don't want a "how to" make it easier, I just want to know there is something out there that is easier to teach and more step by step in it's approach. I also feel like I will be doing ds a disservice in the writing area if I don't do IEW. Any suggestions? Also, I need something that is not over the top teaching intensive. A little here and there is OK, but I don't want to have to sit there the whole time while he's doing a writing program. TIA!

 

Beth

[Handmaiden]

It's okay to not like IEW. Different strokes for different folks. :001_smile:

 

Which grades/abilities is this for?

 

Other highly regarded writing/language arts programs:

 

MCT (Michael Clay Thompson)

WriteSource

WriteShop

Writing with Ease (WWE)

[bethben]

It would be for a mature 4th grader.

BEth

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't want IEW to impose a style on my DD. One of the core reasons I homeschool has been to allow DD to develop and maintain her own writing 'voice', which is pretty good. Writing Strands and Writer's Jungle are the best at that. Also WS has a broader range of types of writing covered than IEW.

 

DD is now 13, and she is doing IEW for the first time. At this point I am fine with it because she is strong enough to use this as tools in her toolchest rather than seeing the dressups as a bunch of rules.

 

I would have been willing to have her do IEW last year, but no earlier than that.

[Ellie]

I don't want IEW to impose a style on my DD. One of the core reasons I homeschool has been to allow DD to develop and maintain her own writing 'voice', which is pretty good. Writing Strands and Writer's Jungle are the best at that. Also WS has a broader range of types of writing covered than IEW.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I have never liked IEW. I don't like the student samples I see, I don't like the way it teaches.

[KathyBC]

If you don't like IEW, I'm sure you'll be able to find something else, but I just thought to mention that their theme-based writing lessons made way more sense to me than wading through the videos. They are less teacher-intensive and make the step-by-step nature of the program clearer. One of their history-based books that lines up with whatever time period you're currently studying might make IEW more doable for you. Or not. :-)

 

Good luck finding something that works for *you*! (Just re-read your post and hope I'm not telling you something you weren't wanting to hear, lol.)

[lisabees]

We, too, used IEW for a few months. I just didn't see any difference in ds's writing. And I needed more hand holding.

 

Write Shop has been incredible for us. I could go on and on. In just a few short weeks, ds has written paragraphs that we never thought possible. He is a struggling writer, so I'm not sure if it would be as wonderful for an average writer. But, it is perfect for us!

 

Writing has become a focus for the rest of the year, so we are doing IEW Medieval Writing, Thinking in Threes and will soon start Sentence Composing for Middle School.

 

I have heard great things about Write Source.

 

Good luck deciding! ;)

[missmoe]

I really like Write Source, but why not use the writing in Rod and Staff? I see that listed in your sig. I have found the writing in R&S to be very instructive and step by step in its approach. Each lesson doesn't seem like much, but when you put them all together they really add up.

[bethben]

Ds is in R&S 3 and I'm just not seeing the level of writing that he's doing in his IEW co-op class. He has to write sentences and has written a paragraph in R&S and has written three paragraph papers in IEW (they weren't good, but they were long). His writing is definately not his strong point - he's a math/science guy. That being said, I would like to have him write well enough that people aren't distracted by his writing. If R&S would help him with that, I'm all for it.

Beth

[kalanamak]

I really like Write Source.

 

I went to their website and was overwhelmed by the number of books/choices. What one source would be for me to get to evaluate this program? (The only "take a peek" link I could find was for one of the K books, and really, my child was not ready for working through pre-writing, editing, etc when he was 5. Are the older books covering the same material but with more mature themes and higher complexity of sentences?

 

If you felt loquacious, maybe you could post a review??

Thanks

[missmoe]

About Write Source:

 

I have never seen the K level so I can't comment on that level.

 

Yes, the older books cover the same material but with more mature themes and higher complexity of sentences, ect.

 

I have found the student books to be enough if you are using the program just for writing and not for the whole english progam.

 

I've written more about it here:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148362&page=4

 

Perhaps it is time for me to write a review on my blog. :)

 

Bethben,

 

you mention that in the IEW class your son is writing long pieces but they aren't good. Wouldn't it be better to write short paragraphs that are well constructed than completing a three paragraph essay that isn't completed well? How long does your son work on an essay of this length? I believe I heard Andrew Pudewa mention that essays written with the IEW method should be worked on until they are done well. He said that might take some kids as long as a month. I think that many people have condensed IEW to make all of it fit into a school year. Could that be part of the problem with his IEW instruction?

 

HTH

[bethben]

I think that many people have condensed IEW to make all of it fit into a school year. Could that be part of the problem with his IEW instruction?

 

HTH

 

:iagree:This is a huge problem with the class. I've talked to her about it, but SWI A is meant to be completed in a year. The kids barely have time to get good at a section before they move on. Even with the books IEW puts out, they complete all the sections in a workbook. So, we plug along and next year, I will change things up a bit. Maybe a good idea is just to focus on KWO on one paragraph until it gets easy and then move on? I still think the whole manual/program is confusing. I may just make something up next year combining writing assignments from TOG and some rewrites of paragraphs plus some good dictation thrown in for an added bonus.

Beth

[missmoe]

I agree that IEW is confusing and not effective. It didn't work for us either which is sad considering how much time, energy, and money I put into the dang program! :glare: I was using it before all of the helps came out.

 

I really do feel that R&S's writing is a complete program. Slow and steady. Perhaps moving to the writing in R&S 4 would work for you, if you feel your son is beyond the level in R&S 3? Substitute the lessons in 4 for the writing lessons in 3.

 

Hope you find what works for you.

[tdeveson]

I know - shocker! It just doesn't fit my teaching style. It honestly confuses me for the most part. Wading through the SSWI manual and the videos is just too much for me.

 

Beth

 

You're killing me. I'm dropping CW for the same reason, and I was hoping IEW was crafted with a little more common sense. What a shame. :(

[angela in ohio]

I think that many people have condensed IEW to make all of it fit into a school year. Could that be part of the problem with his IEW instruction?

 

 

IEW is intended to be repeated year after year. So you see the units over and over each year and get better at them. It is fine to do it all in a year at the upper levels; that is how it is designed, as you can see from the sample schedules in the back of the IEW sylabus.

 

However, a 9 yo should really only be doing the first five or six units of IEW, if that.

 

OP, there is little writing in R&S 3, but it increases each year. By years 5 and 6, you will see a lot of writing. If you are writing in history, or if you take the R&S writing lessons and repeat the concepts with different subject matter for additional practice, that will be plenty of writing.

[LunaLee]

I'll second the Write Source. You could get the hand books that cover multiple grades- Like Writers Express is for 4/5 grade and it's exactly a guide book. It talks about different types of writing and gives a little instruction and some samples. It would be very easy to just go through the book from front to back or pick and choose different projects.

 

Or...you could get the grade specific books that offer much more instruction and samples with rubrics.

 

I've used both, but have decided to stick with the grade specific ones.

 

Also, their website is great for customizing rubrics and providing more student samples.

 

 

Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to solicit you and this is just for informational purposes only...:001_smile:, but I have both Writers Express w/Teaching Guide and the 4th grade Write Source Book (Hardcover) for sale if you'd like.

[homeschoolchic]

We are using Writing Tales 1 and 2 for my 4th grader, Jump In for my 6th grader and Lightening Lit 7 for my 7th grader. We are very happy with all of them...for some reason, we didnt enjoy IEW or Writing Strands, although they work very well for many of our friends.

 

Good Luck with your search.

[sadiegirl]

Jump In is what we are using and it has really improved my kids' writing this year. Very easy to use...not intimidating to a parent that struggled with writing thru her school years.