IEW veterans -- how to start?

[StephanieZ]

This coming year, my dc will be 11 (6th gr), 9 (4th gr), and 6 (K). I'm thinking of trying out IEW with the olders. I have been considering it for approximately forever but I still don't have a good vision on how to start.

 

I feel like I need more structure in my approach to writing instruction and I also love the idea of being able to use the IEW techniques to write about our studies. We'll be doing SL 5 next year -- which is a country by country study of the Eastern Hemisphere. . . So, I do want to use the IEW in a manner that is flexible enough that I can set the assignments (reports on a country, book reports on a reader, rewriting fables/folk tales/myths. . .) to go along with our SL.

 

My dc are advanced in most areas and they really like to write creatively but I don't think they have particularly advanced writing skills, probably at their grade age or +1 year maybe.

 

I am an information junkie so I figure I'd better get the TWSS core for sure. Plus ??

 

So, should I go ahead and get a SWI level? If yes, will Level B be ok (on the catalog it notes that it works for "multilevels" or should I get the Level A instead to start with? If I start with A will I need B later?

 

TIA!!

 

Stephanie Z

[Rhonda in TX]

I begin using IEW with my 2 a couple of months ago. I just had TWSS, so that's what I started with. And, honestly, I feel that I could very easily use just that and do a good job with it. (and I am very writing-challenged, so that's saying something). However, I did order SWI this week just because my kids like Andrew Pudewa so much and I felt it would make things a bit easier on me.

 

We are also doing Sonlight Core 5 next year. I plan on using the basic SWI assignments for writing instruction, but for history writing, I will definitely be pulling things out of topics from Core 5. I would like one writing assignment per country, maybe two if it's a long study (like the 6 weeks in China).

 

If you want SWI, I think B would be a good fit. It's easy to make it simpler by assigning the "A" level assignments. If you join the IEWFamilies yahoo group, you can get some great specific help on how to do this. It is a very helpful group.

 

I ordered SWI-A because my oldest is behind in his writing skills and I wanted it to be easy for him. It will be easy enough to beef up when it's time.

 

HTH!

[angela in ohio]

If you want to integrate writing into the SL, you can just do it with the TWSS. I have been using just the TWSS for the last several years, and it is working well.

 

If you decide to go this route, let me know, and I can give you some tips on planning out the year and choosing which units to cover. I can think of all kinds of ways to integrate the Eastern Hemisphere study! There is also a lot of help on IEW Families - extra charts and schedules and such.

[Rhonda in TX]

If you want to integrate writing into the SL, you can just do it with the TWSS. I have been using just the TWSS for the last several years, and it is working well.

 

If you decide to go this route, let me know, and I can give you some tips on planning out the year and choosing which units to cover. I can think of all kinds of ways to integrate the Eastern Hemisphere study! There is also a lot of help on IEW Families - extra charts and schedules and such.

 

I love your book lists on your blog! I've been trying to get together a list of books for my kids to read and this is perfect. Thanks for doing this!

 

I'm also very interested in your thoughts on integrating the Eastern Hemisphere study with IEW.

[WTMindy]

Here is what I am doing... and I just have the one written to the teacher (I can never remember all the abbreviations).

 

1. Watch the DVD for teaching unit 1.

2. Choose the topic and a short paragraph that goes with this lesson. (Usborne is good for this, or you can write one up yourself. When I used SOTW I would type up their narration suggestions and this worked very well.)

3. Teach them how to do a key word outline.

4. Each week do this adding in a couple of the new dress-ups (that you will learn about on the dvd).

5. When you feel they have mastered unit 1, go to unit 2 and watch the dvd and teach them how to do it. Keep adding in the dress-ups as you go.

 

This feels overwhelming, but if you just take bite-size pieces, you can do it. The most difficult part is to find the piece of writing that you want you student to use, but that gets easier as you go. The thing I love about this is that I can use it with any history (or science, or....) program. It is working perfectly with our TOG studies right now.

[Shasta Mom]

Could I bother you when you have a free moment, to go to Rainbow Resources and then post the item #'s of what you are talking about using? I hate to sound so helpless, but I have to admit I AM confused :). You wrote a wonderful response to my questions regarding CW and WS and IEW and I think it sounds like I need to explore IEW more seriously, but when I go to the IEW website and RR, I get confused about what to buy. This will be for a 4th grader. Also, what I haven't seen addressed are whether or not to use the history-based IEW programs. I know this program must have merit from all the responses, but I'm still not sure how to proceed.........

 

THANKS!!

[WTMindy]

Could I bother you when you have a free moment, to go to Rainbow Resources and then post the item #'s of what you are talking about using? I hate to sound so helpless, but I have to admit I AM confused :). You wrote a wonderful response to my questions regarding CW and WS and IEW and I think it sounds like I need to explore IEW more seriously, but when I go to the IEW website and RR, I get confused about what to buy. This will be for a 4th grader. Also, what I haven't seen addressed are whether or not to use the history-based IEW programs. I know this program must have merit from all the responses, but I'm still not sure how to proceed.........

 

THANKS!!

 

Here is the link I looked carefully at the history lessons, but what I found was the topics didn't match up very well with the topics I wanted to study. The real strength in the program, to me, is that I can incorporate it into what I am already doing. I'm sure the lesson plans and the DVDs for the students are very good, but they don't fit with what I'm trying to do. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[rafiki]

.

[Shasta Mom]

Ok - so I don't have to buy the $135 video series? When people say TWSS- are they refering to the videos? The link you sent me was of TWSS Student wkbk/syllabus ($24)..............sorry - I'm still trying to figure it all out....;)

[Shasta Mom]

Also, - another question. We have R&S 4 and are totally happy with it. Doesn't CW cover grammar also? If so, then if I don't want to drop R&S, then that would eliminate CW as a candidate, since I'm looking for a writing program and not a writing/grammar package, right?

[StephanieZ]

If you want to integrate writing into the SL, you can just do it with the TWSS. I have been using just the TWSS for the last several years, and it is working well.

 

If you decide to go this route, let me know, and I can give you some tips on planning out the year and choosing which units to cover. I can think of all kinds of ways to integrate the Eastern Hemisphere study! There is also a lot of help on IEW Families - extra charts and schedules and such.

 

Yes, please do share any tips you have!! Yes, thank you!!

 

I have decided to purchase TWSS and integrate it into SL Core 5 (and hold off on any SWI unless I feel stuck later). We'd be starting Core 5 in November (my school year goes Nov 1 - Sept 30. . ). I think I'll get TWSS sooner to get a feel for it so that I am in a groove with IEW before starting Core 5 (as I know that core will be a change from the pace I've become accustomed to with 3 & 4). Maybe I'll even get the fables, myths, thing that another poster suggested to start with over the next few months along with the TWSS. I'm off to the IEW site to select stuff and put my shopping list in order.

 

And then off to find the IEW families group as well.

 

THANK YOU all so much for your wonderful advice. Gosh, I don't know how I'd school w/o all you amazing women sharing your knowledge. THANK YOU!!

[WTMindy]

Ok - so I don't have to buy the $135 video series? When people say TWSS- are they refering to the videos? The link you sent me was of TWSS Student wkbk/syllabus ($24)..............sorry - I'm still trying to figure it all out....;)

 

Oh, I'm sorry. I have the DVDs also and those are needed to learn the program. I didn't pay close enough attention!!

[LlamaMama]

Ok - so I don't have to buy the $135 video series? When people say TWSS- are they refering to the videos? The link you sent me was of TWSS Student wkbk/syllabus ($24)..............sorry - I'm still trying to figure it all out....;)

 

Yes, when people say "TWSS" they are referring to the DVD set called "Teaching Writing: Structure and Style". Like Mindy said, you do need it to learn the program that you can than use to teach your children. The DVDs with the teacher's manual costs $169 from the EIW website. I recommend buying the manual along with the DVD set.

 

I've been using the program for a couple of months with my 15 year old sister. There's enough meat in it to not need a supplement, but I might want more "hand-holding" (just like others have mentioned). When I go the convention this summer, the EIW supplements is one of the items I'll be looking at. Once you watch some of the TWSS DVDs you'll be more confident deciding which supplements you might need.

[angela in ohio]

I love your book lists on your blog! I've been trying to get together a list of books for my kids to read and this is perfect. Thanks for doing this!

 

I'm also very interested in your thoughts on integrating the Eastern Hemisphere study with IEW.

 

(For Stephanie and Rhonda: )

 

Awww, thanks. :blushing:

 

I wrote up a blog post about how I integrate IEW each year. It is long and overly detailed :001_smile:, LOL, so it's probably best to read after you already have the IEW TWSS.

 

Here are my thoughts specific to SL 5 (I haven't used it, but I have been considering using it to supplement a Geography year next year, so I have spent much time reviewing it at convention, LOL):

 

Units 1 and 2 (Note/Outline Making and Summarizing from Notes): Use factual paragraphs about the country being studies, a geographic landmark specific to the area, a cultural group, a historical figure from the country, etc. You can use the World Book to pull some paragraphs.

 

Another way to go would be to do the Unit 1/2 exercises on missionaries that are covered (at least David Livingstone, Eric Liddell, Mary Slessor, Mother Teresa, and William Carey are listed in the books used, and I'd bet more are discussed) and compile them into a book for dc.

 

Stylistinc Techniques: My advice would be to integrate the dress-ups and sentence openers into the first three units. Then add a technique on the weeks throughout the year when you aren't introducing a new unit.

 

Unit 3 (Summarizing Narrative Stories): Use fables and myths from the Eastern Hemisphere.

 

Unit 4 (Summarizing References): These are the pre-report-writing skills. They learn to take notes from one source and write a short report. You could also use the missionary idea here, or another "theme": animals of the Eastern hemisphere, biographies of the authors of some of the read-alouds (J.R.R. Tolkien, Scott O'Dell, etc.), an article per country covered (also completed into a book,) religions of the Easstern Hemisphere, etc.

 

Unit 5 (Writing from Pictures): I don't spend a lot of time on this, and I usually just use the picutre strips provided in the TWSS. You could also copy a few pictures from a read-aloud and use them.

 

Unit 6 (Library Reports): Here they are summarizing more than one source and writing a longer report. Same topic ideas as Unit 4, just longer reports.

 

Unit 7 (Creative Writing): Write letters to current missionaries in the Eastern Hemisphere, describe an imaginary trip to one of the countries, or take a break and let them follow their own interest in this unit (writing about a pet, something that happened to them etc.)

 

Unit 8 (Essay Writing): This could include a persuasive essay on a political issue from one of the countries or why or why not to visit one of them, or it could be an essay on a historical figure (Gandhi, Genghis Khan) studied at some point in the year.

 

Unit 9 (Critiques): I would go for The Hobbit with this one. If you had done a report on J.R.R. Tolkien earlier in the year, you could add it to this critique and have a nice little presentation.

 

I would strive, with the ages of each of your oldest, to make it up to Unit 7 at least, and possibly Unit 9. I write out the plans for my oldest (6th grade now) and then I just water them down and slow them down for my next (4th grader,) so that I am not finding all new models and such.

 

I but a set of "legal" dividers at Staples, which go from 1-25 or 26-50, and use the amount of weeks we have of school. I put a copy of my master schedule in the front (a few pages for each dc.) Then behind each week, I file the model we will use, a check sheet, any hand-outs (many fropm IEW Familes,) and some lined paper (I like to print lined paper from DonnaYoung.org, so that it holds up in their binder better.) I do this all at the beginning of the year now, but for your first year, maybe just plan out the first two units to start with, unless you are really into planning. :001_smile:

 

HTH!! :D

[StephanieZ]

Thank you Angela! I've printed out your post and am off to visit your blog. Bless you!

 

Stephanie