Did you dump your writing curriculum and start using A Plan For Writing?

[5LittleMonkeys]

Alright its 2:30 am and I just finished listening to the 3 Plan For Writing MP3s. Good Grief! I wish I had listened to these before I spent the last several months agonizing over which level of CW to put my oldest two in!:glare: Wow, I read all of this in the WTM just recently but something about listening to those lectures gave me way more "AHA" moments and boy, what a weight I feel has been lifted! I was so looking forward to using CW but it seems her method is pretty much the same but far less complicated and has the bonus of reinforcing what they are learning in the content subjects. I really like how gentle and almost hidden the process of learning to write is with her method. My dc have been out of ps for over a year now but still panic when I say writing assignment because of the ridiculous assignments they were asked to do. A 5 paragraph paper on how history may have been different if the Boston Tea Party hadn't happened was assigned to my 5th grader while my 4th grader was told to journal every morning about how she wanted her day to go and every night about something she would change about the day. Her response "I hope I get icecream after lunch." and "I wish I had gotten two icecreams after lunch." The teacher told her this was an inappropriate response and actually sent a note home asking me to explain to her what a more mature response would look like. :mad: However, I am rambling terribly so....

 

... who has dropped their current writing program and is using this method now and how do you like it?

 

I was a bit confused about the elementary one. Does she suggest not using WWE if you use the methods she discussed or does WWE take the place of the methods she discussed. Or do you do them both?

 

Also, I already bought Harvey's to go with CW. Does anyone know if it is comparable to R&S?

 

Do you know how much sleep I've lost because of SWB? I have got to stop reading or listening to anything from her in the evenings...before I know it I've lost 3 to 4 hours!

[lovemy9kids]

You're not alone.......the same thing happened to me after I listened to them. I even went back and listened to them again!

I am going to try and implement her ideas next year. This year we did Writing Tales I and CW for Older Beginners (well, half of the book). These are both great, and we benefited from them. However, it was one more subject that had to get done and it was unrelated to anything they were reading. WT was not so hard to accomplish, but I really struggled with CW. It is very teacher intensive, and I found it very difficult to carve out the time needed to do it adequately. I had to face the truth, "I can't handle this right now :(" (Very difficult to finally admit....)

I really like the fact that SWB's plan is integrated into what they are already reading.

I am also going to use WWE with my 4th & maybe 5th grader. I think I will just reduce the other writing I require of them.

Hopefully, after next school year, I will be able to report great things about this switch! :001_smile:

[elegantlion]

Alright its 2:30 am and I just finished listening to the 3 Plan For Writing MP3s. Good Grief! I wish I had listened to these before I spent the last several months agonizing over which level of CW to put my oldest two in!:glare: Wow, I read all of this in the WTM just recently but something about listening to those lectures gave me way more "AHA" moments and boy, what a weight I feel has been lifted! I was so looking forward to using CW but it seems her method is pretty much the same but far less complicated and has the bonus of reinforcing what they are learning in the content subjects. I really like how gentle and almost hidden the process of learning to write is with her method.

 

... who has dropped their current writing program and is using this method now and how do you like it?

 

I was a bit confused about the elementary one. Does she suggest not using WWE if you use the methods she discussed or does WWE take the place of the methods she discussed. Or do you do them both?

 

Also, I already bought Harvey's to go with CW. Does anyone know if it is comparable to R&S?

 

Do you know how much sleep I've lost because of SWB? I have got to stop reading or listening to anything from her in the evenings...before I know it I've lost 3 to 4 hours!

 

We started the year with CW Homer. We used Aesop last year with no issue, but I quickly realized Homer was too big of a leap for my ds, who has some reading and writing delays.

 

I listened to the mp3s and immediately started with WWE. It's been a great fit for his abilities. The part about the process being hidden is something I like as well. We were doing narration the other day and what he narrated back to me was the equivalent of a paragraph. If I had asked him to write a paragraph I would have been met with a blank stare.

 

As far as using R&S with CW, many people do that. I did have a copy of Harvey's on hand for reference. you can find it on google books.

[michelle l]

Are these the mp3s for purchase at Peacehill Press?

 

I think I need to listen as well. I have two reluctant writers here. Imitation in Writing was a good fit for us this year, but I think we need something different to really progress. I've considered IEW, R7S, WWE, and just read the thread about Phonics Road being a complete LA curriculum. This is another area that is stressing me.

 

I think I will buy the mp3s and listen. :bigear:

[BearWallowSchool]

Are these the mp3s for purchase at Peacehill Press?

 

I think I need to listen as well. I have two reluctant writers here. Imitation in Writing was a good fit for us this year, but I think we need something different to really progress. I've considered IEW, R7S, WWE, and just read the thread about Phonics Road being a complete LA curriculum. This is another area that is stressing me.

 

I think I will buy the mp3s and listen. :bigear:

 

Yes, they are listed under "Audio Products".

[5LittleMonkeys]

I had to face the truth, "I can't handle this right now :(" (Very difficult to finally admit....)

 

This is exactly what I am trying to avoid. I'm afraid if I go ahead and get the CW and try to do it properly with my two oldest we will end up frustrated and having to drop it. (to many little ones that need attention too)

 

I have already rewritten my schedule to allow for the Plan for Writing ("PFW" ?)method and our day is going to be so much more conducive to little ones not to mention more relaxed. Which brings me to this: the last few weeks I have been struggling with two things. I wanted to incorporate more classical elements into our style of education (we will be starting Latin and Logic next year) but at the same time felt slightly remorseful at the fact that I felt we were moving farther away from what I feel would be my ideal of educating at home. Which would be classically relaxed with an emphasis on the relaxed part. However, after reading WTM and now after listening to these lectures and understanding where writing instruction lies within the scope of the other subjects, I feel more than ever that we can have our perfect style of education without sacrificing a relaxing atmosphere or rigid study of the core subjects. Does that make sense?

[lovemy9kids]

Yes, it makes sense; this is what I'm hoping for as well. :001_smile:

We'll have to compare notes at the end of next year.

 

Renee

[nukeswife]

I'm so happy someone posted about these MP3s after reading this thread I went and downloaded the elementary and middle grades one. I then stayed up until 2:30 am listening to them (I just could stop she was so good) and now I want to ditch everything for writing and just go with this.

 

The part that really stuck with me was when she said that if you hear of your neighborhood PS kids writing compositions and the like in 3rd grade you need to just ignore it. That has been the hard thing for me. Wondering if my now 10 year old is behind. He can write a creative story if he wants, (I've never pushed this because I always figured it was not important for school, just a personal thing) but writing about what he's learned is a bit hard for him. I have WWE 1-3 ebooks on my computer. Time to "dust them off" and get back to it.

[Sheila in OK]

I've only listened to the middle grades lecture so far, but I'm really impressed. I've been going back and forth about writing programs next year for my 12yo, but I think I am going to follow SWB's suggestions. We have really had a hard time sticking to a writing program in the past--they seem so 'artificial' or something. Her ideas just sound so doable.

 

I'm already using WWE with my younger child; we will definitely continue that. I also plan to download the other writing lectures and the literary analysis one--she is really a good speaker.

[lovemy9kids]

I'd love to hear her in person! :001_smile:

[Testimony]

I ditched Classical Writing. We are only doing some of the grammar analysis to keep us busy during the music program. I am throwing in the towel with this one. I was upset because I wanted it to work. I feel that this curriculum is too convoluted for me. Too much of my time was spent trying to get all that was needed. I kept thinking that there must be a simpler way of teaching writing.

 

This method of copia just did not go well with me. I realize that a simple step by step way of showing a child how to write a sentence, then to how to put sentences together in order to make a paragraph, then how to make the paragraphs flow between each other and how sentences in the paragraphs should flow between each other.

 

Classical Writing sort does, but does not show me step by step well enough. It just has too much that it is teaching. I just want my sons to learn how to write well. After they did Writing Tales, my boys loved to write. My older son does not like to write as much. I hope that I haven't damaged him too much with Classical Writing.

 

I am going back to simply having my son copy pieces from history and science and summarizing them. I wrote on my blog what else I am doing: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony'>http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony'>http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony'>http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[Colleen in NS]

I was a bit confused about the elementary one. Does she suggest not using WWE if you use the methods she discussed or does WWE take the place of the methods she discussed. Or do you do them both?

 

I can't remember if she specifically addressed this, but I believe the idea is that you can either take the ideas from the elementary audio lecture and implement them, OR you can use WWE to implement them. WWE just formalizes the audio plan. Just like her future writing books will formalize the logic and rhetoric stage plans. So, if you are comfortable with implementing the ideas in the elementary audio, you might not need WWE.

 

However, after reading WTM and now after listening to these lectures and understanding where writing instruction lies within the scope of the other subjects, I feel more than ever that we can have our perfect style of education without sacrificing a relaxing atmosphere or rigid study of the core subjects. Does that make sense?

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I find that the more I understand the general principles behind WTM and all associated products :D, the more I relax.

[~blessedmom~]

I just have a quick question....Are the 3 writing mp3's different from the Writing Without Fear mp3? I'm only halfway through that one...I need to listen to it in private so I can actually hear and take notes!!;):D....but it's great so far.

[scrapbabe]

Is the information on the mp3 also in the Complete Writer instructor book? If I listened to the mp3's would I need to have the book, or vice versa?

 

 

Smiles,

Shalynn

[5LittleMonkeys]

Is the information on the mp3 also in the Complete Writer instructor book? If I listened to the mp3's would I need to have the book, or vice versa?

 

Hopefully someone who knows for sure will answer you (I don't have the Complete Writer books yet). I think it is the same concept but the books have done some of the work for you. I don't know this for sure. There are 3 Plan for Writing mp3s; one for elementary, one for middle and one for highschool. I think Colleen and I are in agreement that the middle and highschool lectures are the basis of the actual programs she is going to write and publish just as she did the WWE books for elementary. Think of it as a sneak peek maybe. Colleen can correct me if I am wrong. She actually attended the lectures so she is my "go-to" person for questions on this.:D

 

As for the Writing Without Fear mp3s I couldn't say. I would like to know also as I was planning on listening to those as well.

[Colleen in NS]

I just have a quick question....Are the 3 writing mp3's different from the Writing Without Fear mp3?

 

Is the information on the mp3 also in the Complete Writer instructor book? If I listened to the mp3's would I need to have the book, or vice versa?

 

There is the Writing Without Fear lecture. The material in this is included in the first couple of chapters of WWE. But WWE has more info. than the lecture in those chapters. So if you read the chapters sampled at PHP website, you would know what was in the WWF lecture, plus more.

 

Then there are the three new "A Plan for Writing" lectures. Like Aime said, one for grammar stage, one for logic stage, and a third for rhetoric stage. These expand big time on the WWF lecture, giving LOTS more details about each stage.

 

So I'd say read the WWE sample chapters at PHP, and if it intrigues you and you want to know more, download the three APFW lectures. And the lit. analysis one, since it's just great. Those four lectures are, to me, a complete writing plan for all grades. For $16. But there I go again, raving! :D (and no, I don't receive compensation, ha ha!)

[MerryAtHope]

Is there a link? I want to lose sleep too! Ok, but seriously, I want to hear these! Are they up on the main site, or for sale...?

 

Thanks! Merry :-)

[kelouis75]

I can't remember if she specifically addressed this, but I believe the idea is that you can either take the ideas from the elementary audio lecture and implement them, OR you can use WWE to implement them. WWE just formalizes the audio plan. Just like her future writing books will formalize the logic and rhetoric stage plans. So, if you are comfortable with implementing the ideas in the elementary audio, you might not need WWE.

 

 

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I find that the more I understand the general principles behind WTM and all associated products :D, the more I relax.

Me too... this has been a beautiful thing for us.:D I wish I had been *listening* from the beginning. I really think I was making it harder than it needed to be...:001_huh:

[5LittleMonkeys]

Is there a link? I want to lose sleep too! Ok, but seriously, I want to hear these! Are they up on the main site, or for sale...?

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/audio-products/audio-lectures.html?p=1

 

Make sure you select the ones that say A Plan For Writing.

[~blessedmom~]

There is the Writing Without Fear lecture. The material in this is included in the first couple of chapters of WWE. But WWE has more info. than the lecture in those chapters. So if you read the chapters sampled at PHP website, you would know what was in the WWF lecture, plus more.

 

Then there are the three new "A Plan for Writing" lectures. Like Aime said, one for grammar stage, one for logic stage, and a third for rhetoric stage. These expand big time on the WWF lecture, giving LOTS more details about each stage.

 

So I'd say read the WWE sample chapters at PHP, and if it intrigues you and you want to know more, download the three APFW lectures. And the lit. analysis one, since it's just great. Those four lectures are, to me, a complete writing plan for all grades. For $16. But there I go again, raving! :D (and no, I don't receive compensation, ha ha!)

 

 

Thank you!:001_smile: I appreciate the info very much....although I may think twice about saying that when I am up until 2am tonight, too!!;):D

[mommy4ever]

I can't wait to hear these!!!! But with ummm.... 6 kids in the house, 4 under 3... earbuds aren't a good option for it..lol