3byzaz - Question for you!!

[LindaOz]

I've read a few of your posts saying how much you are liking Meaningful Composition.

 

So, I'm wondering if you could tell me what you liked about it and how it has improved your dc's writing.

 

Also, which levels have you used, especially for your 7th grader? :D

 

Thanks for your help.

[3byzaz]

I do so sound like a broken record, huh??? :) I am just very thankful to have found it - heard about it here. My oldest had done an IEW class and I liked the whole idea of that and had heard great things about it from friends. Same friends were selling or frustrated their IEW, though, cuz it was hard to do? Expensive for me too...

 

Anyway, I started both boys in the 4+ early last school year - year and a half ago. Oldest was in 6th then and middle in 4th. I could easily have put 6th boy in the 6+, but I wanted to learn it 'from the beginning' with them and didn't want to oversee two levels. I required a lot more from the oldest. The weeks of grammar in 4+ was somewhat redundant for him also, but was very good review and excellent for the middle one. For some weird reason, it took us all year to do this book. My oldest did great - middle one learned how to write - PRAISE GOD!! This was HUGE!! He went from barely being able to write a sentence, let alone a paragraph (despite my best teaching efforts here) to writing paragraph's and just getting it.

 

I had oldest start the 6 I a little over the summer. He finished that this past Dec and then I had to order him the 5 II - creative one. There was no 6 II or 7 ready. Didn't want to put him up to the 8 yet, although I know that he would be fine. He LOVES it!!! And, he's always been a great natural writer - but really doesn't like to do school much, but now loves this!!! Likes school a lot more now too - yea! Anyway, you can easily adjust the levels. He spent the morning typing up a fun LONG, HUGE report - way beyond what he had to do. I think he was aiming for 12 paragraphs - the top of what they suggested - and laughed the whole time he was doing it. I will get him the 8 I next year - maybe over the summer? And, am planning on doing the IEW Theme based for Medieval where we will be in Hx. He has just taken off and writes amazingly...is surpassing me and this is one of my few strength's...uh oh!!! :tongue_smilie:

 

Middle one did the 4 II over summer and finished in Dec. He is doing 5 I now and doing excellent! Still not a huge lover of writing, but I have faith that it will come.

 

It has improved their writing because it is so step by step. In other words, it is painless. I do think, though, that some of the levels at grade level might have been tough to jump into. That 4 I or even 4 II makes it much simpler. The 6 I kind of reviews for a while - just reading the info and then jumps in pretty quick - but it would be do-able also. Looking at my son's 5 I, it also reviews step by step how to write a KWO and do the "Checklist Challenge" for the first 2 weeks, but is gentler for the rest of the book.

 

Donna at Training for Triumph has been VERY helpful in assisting me with choosing the right levels! I have stopped thinking of them as grade level and just looked at the level's and contents. They are working hard at getting them all out. I am sooo hoping for the 2 ones to be ready for my youngest eventually!!

 

HTH!

Maureen