MCT question about writing

[ticaw1]

Ok I have been looking over this website for many, many hours until my brain is glazing over. I love what I see but I'm not completely understanding the writing portion of it. I was set to order Writing Tales I for next year (Dd will be in 3rd and just finished WWE 2). It seems everyone is using a writing program in addition to MCT. I'm on a budget, so if I buy the MCT package, that's it for LA for us for a year. Is this not enough writing? The only writing I see from the samples is the 4 level analysis of 100 sentences. Is there more writing than that?

 

Can this be a stand-alone program without adding a writing program? And on a second note, if we then move to Town level next year am I going to run into the same problem or is there actual practice writing good paragraphs or just more 4 level analysis of sentences?

 

I think I almost have this figured out but I want to be sure about the writing portion.

 

Thanks :)

 

Carin

[4 Gifts]

:lurk5:

[Jen500]

Each level also has a writing book. (Sentence Island, Paragraph Town, Essay Voyage, etc)

[Matryoshka]

Ok I have been looking over this website for many, many hours until my brain is glazing over. I love what I see but I'm not completely understanding the writing portion of it. I was set to order Writing Tales I for next year (Dd will be in 3rd and just finished WWE 2). It seems everyone is using a writing program in addition to MCT. I'm on a budget, so if I buy the MCT package, that's it for LA for us for a year. Is this not enough writing? The only writing I see from the samples is the 4 level analysis of 100 sentences. Is there more writing than that?

 

There's a whole writing book for every level (in Island level, where I'd think you'd be starting, that's Sentence Island). The 100 sentences are just grammar practice, and are in Practice Island, a whole different book.

 

Sentence Island has a large number of writing activities - I don't think they expect you to do all of them. They're focused on writing sentences, and understanding how sentences are constructed. I think Sentence Island and WWE actually complement each other well, as they're focusing on entirely different writing skills.

 

Can this be a stand-alone program without adding a writing program? And on a second note, if we then move to Town level next year am I going to run into the same problem or is there actual practice writing good paragraphs or just more 4 level analysis of sentences?

 

 

I think it can be a stand-alone program, even at the Island level if your kid has mastered the kinds of things WWE is teaching (mine hasn't, so we'll be doing both). At the Town level, Paragraph Town gets into some quite meaty exercises. There are 20 lessons at the back, which are broken down quite clearly by what pages in the book they should be done with.

 

I know I wrote out some big chunks of examples from PTown in this thread:

http://welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144801&highlight=moby+dick&page=2

And a description of what exercises are in each Town book in this thread:

http://welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111220&highlight=town+exercises&page=2

[ticaw1]

But is the writing in each of those books sufficient and can stand alone without having to add more? Just wondering why everyone seems to be adding a writing program in addition to a complete MCT LA package.

 

Thanks.

[ticaw1]

Matroyshka,

Thanks - that's exactly what I needed :) I'll review those and hopefully I can get a better freel for that. Are the skills in WWE ever taught in MCT or are you expected to have those skills prior to using MCT?

[Matryoshka]

Matroyshka,

Thanks - that's exactly what I needed :) I'll review those and hopefully I can get a better freel for that. Are the skills in WWE ever taught in MCT or are you expected to have those skills prior to using MCT?

 

I think you're expected to have them. It was originally intended for gifted kids, after all. My dd needs WWE for things like remembering to spell, punctuate and capitalize correctly in the context of actual writing, with the stress of content being taken away. The summarizing is also great (but my mom the ex-ps teacher told me she'd put that skill into the "reading" category rather than "writing", interestingly). Conversely, the kinds of writing assignments in Sentence Island are completely and entirely different - "Write 6 sentences, three with subject complements and three with direct objects; each sentence must end with one or more prepositional phrases. Discuss the way the ending prepositional phrases blunt the effect of the direct objects and subject complements. Rewrite the sentences, removing the prepositional phrases."

[rafiki]

.

[Sweetbabe]

:lurk5:

[Capt_Uhura]

There is another current thread on this topic which I just posted in. We just finished ch1 of Sentence Island today. there are about 5 exercises which are all very similar. Write a story about two characters where one only speaks in subjects and the other in predicates. WRite a story about two characters where one keeps interrupting the other after the subject. So that assumes DC understands dialogue and can write a short story already. There was an easier exercise which my 1st grader completed which was to think of 5 sentences, draw a line down the page, write the subjects on the left and the predicates on the right. All of these are to drill home that the two components of every sentence is the subj/predicate halves. I don't see them as teaching writing but using writing to cement a concept. The next chapter is subject verb disagreements. I can look later in the book to see what the writing is like later....gotta get my 4th grader on his math.

 

I should add that I'm doing WWE2 and MCT Island level w/ my 1st grader and WWE3 and MCT Island level w/ my 4th grader. My 4th grader also takes Bravewriter courses as well.

 

Capt_Uhura

[patchfire]

I feel like the MCT materials are enough IF you are also doing the cross-curricular type writing as recommended in the WTM - narrations in grammar stage, narrations & outlines & literary response in logic stage. I am really appreciating watching dd apply the concepts covered in MCT to her history summaries & literature narrations. :)

[radiobrain]

Ok I have been looking over this website for many, many hours until my brain is glazing over. I love what I see but I'm not completely understanding the writing portion of it.

 

If you were able to spend many hours looking at the website, and you love what you see, then MCT is for you! The website is not exactly warm and fuzzy! ;)

 

It seems everyone is using a writing program in addition to MCT.

I think it just seems that way. Writing is such a BIG, wobbly mess with all sorts of different parts to it, and different levels of abilities in varied areas. I think many of us just don't feel confident in our ability sometimes, and having another program or method to use is like a crutch. Or a safety net. My boys are slow on the motor skills/ high on the understanding and content, so I have a different kettle of worms than someone else. But I don't think anyone has a WHOLE separate program (overkill), maybe just complimentary things.

 

I'm on a budget, so if I buy the MCT package, that's it for LA for us for a year. Is this not enough writing?

 

The basic package (TMs only w/ added student practice book) which is all you need, is only like $105-120 depending on the level, plus shipping. And it has a decent resale value. That's not really very much, in the big scheme of things.

 

 

The only writing I see from the samples is the 4 level analysis of 100 sentences. Is there more writing than that?

That's from practice books. The writing books are separate. The writing MEAT is in the back of the TMs.

 

Can this be a stand-alone program without adding a writing program?

Yes. But you still might want to add something else, but this does not necessarily mean you BUY something else. You can do simple writing exercises that you find off the web, free writes, dictation. Whatever. ;)

 

And on a second note, if we then move to Town level next year am I going to run into the same problem or is there actual practice writing good paragraphs or just more 4 level analysis of sentences?

No, as this problem doesn't exist. The whole book Paragraph Town is ONLY about how to write good paragraphs. :D

 

I think I almost have this figured out but I want to be sure about the writing portion.

 

Thanks :)

 

Carin

[HSDCY]

We have been using IEW for 3 years now. I chose it when I first started teaching writing because both ds and I needed hand-holding in this area. I came across MCT after one year of using IEW, purchased it immediately and it clicked with us right away. However, I did not feel confident enough to do MCT writing by myself.

 

This year, we started IEW history-based lessons. Half way through that, we started reading Paragraph Town together. Now that we are two thirds of the way through IEW, I can honestly say that I finally have the confidence to handle Paragraph Town assignments and know how to direct ds in his writing.

 

At this point, we are just reading Paragraph Town to reinforce the concept we learn from IEW and to discuss about paragraph. Next year, I think I'll be able to use MCT as my only writing program.

 

I think MCT writing is full and complete. It might not cover everything at first, but it gets there quickly. The first two levels cover the basics of writing gently(the emphasis is logical thinking and putting it on paper), but starting from Essay Voyage, it begins to require a lot more from the students, and the goal is to have students write sound academic papers. So I guess whether MCT writing is a stand-alone program depends on the teacher. It's not that the program is lacking something so we need to supplement. In my case, it's my lack of confidence that caused me to combine two different programs.

 

P.S. MCT does cover punctuation rules.

[Just Robyn]

The basic package (TMs only w/ added student practice book) which is all you need, is only like $105-120 depending on the level, plus shipping. And it has a decent resale value. That's not really very much, in the big scheme of things.

 

 

Why would someone want the student books? I ask because I'm probably going with MCT for next year, and I can't decide whether or not to get the student books.

 

In keeping with the original reason for the thread, though I don't know MCT, we are using Writing Skills this year as part of what my oldest does for writing and we LOVE it. My son enjoys it and his writing has noticeably improved. Also, I looked at my state's standards for 2nd grade writing and this book covers all of them, which just gives me solace. I can say without seeing MCT that we will use Writing Skills 3 next year.

 

Am I right in assuming there is no paragraph writing in MCT for the first level? If so, that would be one more reason we would supplement with this book. My son is writing paragraphs in the level 2 book, and I don't know why we would give up paragraphs altogether for a year.

[radiobrain]

 

Why would someone want the student books? I ask because I'm probably going with MCT for next year, and I can't decide whether or not to get the student books.

 

 

 

You really don't need the student books (except for practice books, you need both, although, you could do those on a white board, so really....;)). Those are more for a classroom.

 

The TMs ARE the student books with a whole lot of extras. Little ideas, touchpoints, suggestions etc when necessary and have the assignment ideas and other thoughts for teachers and teaching in the back.