Writing Help ... PLEASE!!!

[Create Your Ritual]

I have a 1st and 4th grader that I am planning on doing MCT Island with the 4th grader for sure and then let the "advanced" first grader sit in with it. We also are going to be doing The Sentence Family, because I think they will like drawing all the sentence types and the parts of a sentence into "people". It might help them remember it as well. And I really like Grammar with a Giggle because it is short and daily and it's in an extended story format that I think they will enjoy doing the editing on it. (So.. that being said, I "think" I have the grammar portion figured out)

 

However, I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed because my daughter has been in PS up until this year, and I have noticed this summer her writing skills and ability to form a thought on paper are almost non existent. I would like to "get her writing" at least a little more this year if I could. I do plan on doing copywork & dictation with both of them, but just want that "other" part of it that is ACTUALLY having her form a thought and write something.

 

Here are some of the ideas I have been pondering:

 

CW Aesop ( for 4th grader ) - I actually like the idea of teaching the progymnasmata, especially because I never studied Aesop's, Myths or things like the Iliad and the Odyssey in school. I feel like those are interesting and something that they most likely wouldn't receive in a PS education.

PLL & ILL (Primary Language Lessons & Intermediate Language Lessons from hillside education…) this would be extended over several years. I like this because of the picture study and how it's tied to writing.

 

IEW… (more than likely some sort of workbook format like SWI-A, or All Things Fun & Fascinating .. as I don't think I can teach the TWSS right now being the first year I am doing this and having a 2 year old in tow). I find that IEW style writing curriculums are all over the Rainbow Resource catalog, so I have to wonder what I am missing if I don't get on that boat?

 

Story Grammar for Elementary School - Killgallon

 

Diagramming Sentences - Mark Twain Media

 

Unjournaling

 

Daily Trait Warm Ups (6 traits of writing) - The state assessment testing is to this type of writing.. so I am feeling obligated to at least know a little about it. I also found writingfix.com that uses picture books with lessons to teach to the traits and it is free.

 

This summer my daughter also LOVED the sample of The Arrow from Bravewriter. She still finds that passage in Charlotte's Web and enjoys it.

 

(I know this is just copywork & dictation, but not sure if there would be time to implement it)

 

So… I am all over the place when it comes to writing.. and how to implement it and which way to go. I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with it… (lol… starting to… I've BEEN overwhelmed for a while now). I know I should ease them into it, but I can't figure out which way to ease them.

 

I just wanted you all to get a clear picture of how deep I am in this hole that I have dug myself. I would love someone else's thoughts so I could get out of my own head for a bit. Clearly when I look at ALL the options I have listed I am way overdoing it. I just want to pick something that is complete and put a few things together (MCT with .... and possibly ..... ) and be done with it. Having never done this though, I don't know how many THIS or THAT'S can be added in the time I have to teach during the day. Which ones are more teacher intensive, vs clearly written for the student. Things like that.

 

(And yes... I have read the breadth vs depth post extensively. I greatly appreciate the info, which is why I know I need to do SOMETHING to cut this down to a more manageable size)

[Colleen in NS]

I have a 1st and 4th grader

 

I have noticed this summer her writing skills and ability to form a thought on paper are almost non existent. I would like to "get her writing" at least a little more this year if I could. I do plan on doing copywork & dictation with both of them, but just want that "other" part of it that is ACTUALLY having her form a thought and write something.

 

I actually like the idea of teaching the progymnasmata

 

So… I am all over the place when it comes to writing.. and how to implement it and which way to go. I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with it… (lol… starting to… I've BEEN overwhelmed for a while now). I know I should ease them into it, but I can't figure out which way to ease them.

 

Clearly when I look at ALL the options I have listed I am way overdoing it.

 

First, I would recommend you look at Writing With Ease at the Peace Hill Press website. There is a sample download of the instructor text, with two chapters that explain the whole theory behind the book (and the series SWB is working on). This book (designed for four years, unless you want to double up on lessons and get the older child up to par faster) will teach copywork/dictation skills, as well as narration (learning to summarize reading, A.K.A. putting thoughts into words), and then how to put these skills together, where the child can put his thoughts into words AND onto paper by himself. There is a process to this, which doesn't always get taught elsewhere. And SWB is brilliant at teaching us how to teach that.

 

Next, if this book intrigues you, then I recommend downloading SWB's writing lectures from Peace Hill Press. There is one each for grammar stage, logic stage, and rhetoric stage. There is also one for literature analysis all through the grades, and all four of these lectures for a GREAT overview for teaching writing skill all through the years. They gave me the "big picture." In a very practical and easy to understand way. Also, the rhetoric stage one contains recommendations for studying the topic of rhetoric, which contains teaching in the progymnasmata.

 

hth

[nansk]

First, I would recommend you look at Writing With Ease at the Peace Hill Press website.

 

SaDonna,

I was going to say the same thing as I read your op. I don't have any experience teaching a 4th grader, but from what I have read of CW, I'd say that if your daughter still needs help putting her thoughts on paper, she is probably not yet ready for Aesop. WWE will be perfect to start with, and as Colleen suggested, you can go faster to complete WWE1/2 in a year.

 

Reg. Killgallon's books, Crimsonwife (in another thread) suggested a sequence for doing MCT and Killgallon. I think it was MCT Island -> Sentence Composing -> MCT Town -> Story Grammar. You may want to search for that thread for more info.

 

Overall, your plan does look a bit ambitious :-P You may want to pare it down to (my suggestion) MCT Island + WWE + PLL. Then you can add in one other component later in the year or leave it for next year.

 

HTH

[Create Your Ritual]

I would love to hear SWBs writing lectures, unfortunately I can't download with satellite internet access as they severely limit the downloading. I have read the WTM and KNOW in my heart that I need to slow things down to the beginning. There are just soooooo many good choices and coming in from years of PS I feel at a great disadvantage from all those "other" students in 4th grade here on the forums that are doing any number of things that we haven't even gotten to yet (IEW, CW, WT, WS, and on and on and on) ;-) I know... I know... we WILL get there. I just wanted to BE there ALREADY... darn it. ;-)

[Aubrey]

Before you spend any $...I've been asking about a writing program on these boards for...4yrs, I think. *I* have not found anything remotely to my liking until now...& I'm too few days into BW to say if we love it or not. More importantly, if it works or not.

 

So...I'd read the articles here: http://www.bravewriter.com/program#4. They're pretty great no matter what you decide to do.

 

Poke around the BW site/blog if that doesn't overwhelm you (it does me).

 

Then go here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bravewritermoms/ & do. not. sign. up. for. the. emails. You'll get like 12 a day & end up in tears, lol. BUT if you sign up for the group & choose a more digestible version, then you can look at the calendar.

 

I copied this onto a document & modified it for us. Basically, my plan is to spend an hr w/ 1 kid on Mon's on a rotating basis. Work on bigger writing projects on Mon & call it Mon w/ Mom. Hehehe. Apparently, I'm amused by her alliteration.

 

Tuesday Tea (poetry) & copywork

 

Wednesday movie + 15min 1-1 time w/ ea kid (1hr total for me)

 

Thurs

copywork; expand Mon's writing project

 

Friday Freewrite + Art

 

Lots of talking & realizing that that (esp asking why, clarifying, describing, listening) counts twd learning to write.

 

Being more open to helping them get ideas to paper. Like carrying wet art to a safe counter.

 

The result really is a lifestyle. Today we didn't do anything BW in particular, but we wrote more than we normally do in a month, & although there were tears, it didn't escalate like it normally...might. :001_huh:

 

You can try all of these ideas for free. If they seem to be a fit for you, BW might be the way to go. You could buy WJ or just start purchasing more of the Arrow. :svengo: (at the price) If not, you've spent a lot of time being a great mom, building a relationship, listening to your kid, AND writing. For free.

 

Anything that makes me feel like a better mom (and assuages guilt about writing, childrearing) is *AWESOME* in my book.

[Create Your Ritual]

Yes.. my daughter ATE UP the Arrow Sample and loved it. (We've been sampling nearly every conceivable thing this summer) I also have been reading a bit about the BW lifestyle, although I hadn't checked out all your links, so thank you. I have a "feeling" that she will be more geared towards this style of writing, and maybe it would be a nice place to start (mixed in with WWE). She would love all of that. Are you writing all of this down on your blog where I can check it out more extensively? ;-) ;-)

 

I will say that I ran across a website http://www.writingfix.com which has free writing lessons based on popular kids picture books (and ch. books). It uses the 6 traits of writing style that I was talking about in my op earlier. It's something that I can see some value in teaching. Identifying good authors & good writing using books they already have some knowledge about. We will see how far I go with that.

 

That being said, I am beginning to see at least this first semester as a basics in grammar and writing course that should be fun for them rather than stressful.

 

The

[Create Your Ritual]

Oh... and I learned my lesson about Yahoo groups earlier this month when I mistakenly signed up for quite a few.. and their daily onslaught of emails filling my in box. ;-) On a good note, I now know everything I ever wanted to about 5 different curriculums that I probably will never use & how to teach them in a CO-OP environment. ;-)

[MSNative]

If you're trying to help her organize her thoughts for more clear writing, have you searched for graphic organizers online? There are tons of free ones out there. We use those with IEW and WA, but I think they would help with any choice you make. (hint for faster searching - do an image search from google. Then you don't have to pull up each site.) As silly as it sounds, using graphic organizers really helped my kids get their thoughts out on paper in a coherent manner.

[Colleen in NS]

I would love to hear SWBs writing lectures, unfortunately I can't download with satellite internet access as they severely limit the downloading. I have read the WTM and KNOW in my heart that I need to slow things down to the beginning. There are just soooooo many good choices and coming in from years of PS I feel at a great disadvantage from all those "other" students in 4th grade here on the forums that are doing any number of things that we haven't even gotten to yet (IEW, CW, WT, WS, and on and on and on) ;-) I know... I know... we WILL get there. I just wanted to BE there ALREADY... darn it. ;-)

 

There *are* many good choices out there, but please don't feel at a disadvantage. For every 4th grader here on the forums who is doing IEW, CW, WT, WS, there are also 4th graders here who are still struggling with dictation and narration and couldn't possibly do those other programs yet, even though they've been homeschooling from the beginning. My son was one of them! :D Kids in those grades vary so much in their abilities.

 

I think of WWE/narration/dictation as being the very foundation *before* IEW/CW/WT/WS. And it's perfectly OK for a 4th (and 5th, 6th, 7th...) grader to be working on those basic skills before going to another writing program. I think it's better to be simple for the early grades: basic composition skills in WWE, a simple grammar program, a simple spelling program, a simple learning to read program. And if it's a 4th grader trying to catch up, simple is STILL good! It'll keep his or her mind clear to learn these skills, making it possible, whenever she's ready, to go on to the next level of skills and to be able to concentrate on those, without the frustration of not knowing how to put thoughts on paper.

 

As for the writing lecture downloads - if you like WWE, you could skip the grammar stage download. The logic stage one just goes into detail about how to make the jump from doing narrations to doing outlines and rewriting from outlines. But anyone here could help you with that when the time comes, if you can't get the downloads yet. And the rhetoric stage one goes into detail about how to teach how to write persuasive essays, as well as recommendations for a rhetoric study and how to conduct it. Those recs (along with instructions on how to study) are in the WTM anyway, and if you can get hold of those books, you will see the progym contained in there. There is one book she recs on the audio that she won't recommend in print (due to bad examples, but the instruction is good, she says) - d'Angelo's Composition in the Classical Tradition - which is full of progym teaching.

 

Also, she is working on a logic stage followup to WWE, which, who knows, could be out by the time you need it, then you won't need the download anyway! :D

 

That being said, I am beginning to see at least this first semester as a basics in grammar and writing course that should be fun for them rather than stressful.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree: