Is WWE overkill?

[Kidlit]

We do a lot of read-alouds, and I have begun requiring narrations for history (which we do twice a week) and have always required narrations for science (which we also do twice a week). I have also been doing WWE with my girls, but the copywork bit is more or less covered (I think) in other ways. For example, I have my 1st grader keep booklists (science and reading, primarily), so she almost always has a title to add to a list. I can't think of what would be missing if we dropped WWE altogether, unless it would be purposeful copying of sentences, etc. I think I could remember to work that in, though.

 

Opinions, anyone? Is it necessary to use WWE if you do narrations and lots of reading aloud anyway?

 

(My girls are going to be really mad if I do drop it. They LOVE it, even if 75% of the excerpts so far have been from literature we've already read.:tongue_smilie:)

[TracyP]

If you haven't yet, you should read The Complete Writer. It is the WWE "textbook". We started w/ WWE 1 but are way better off implementing those ideas in other subjects. My understanding is that is how SWB intended it to be done. The workbook is only there because she knows that some parents want it a little more laid out.

 

On the other hand, if your girls love it - and you like it too - it may be overkill but it doesn't hurt anything.

[prairie rose]

So if your daughters really like it why are you thinking of dropping it? I would consider the fact that they have already heard most of the books a plus, built in review.

 

This is part of the reason I prefer the instructor's manual to the worktexts per grade level. I can use our science, history and literature to complete the WWE assignments rather than the arbitrary excepts in the worktext. Just enough planning in the instructor's manual to make my life easier and I can use what we are already reading so it's not another thing added to our day. Perfect, imo. ;)

[Kidlit]

If you haven't yet, you should read The Complete Writer. It is the WWE "textbook". We started w/ WWE 1 but are way better off implementing those ideas in other subjects. My understanding is that is how SWB intended it to be done. The workbook is only there because she knows that some parents want it a little more laid out.

 

On the other hand, if your girls love it - and you like it too - it may be overkill but it doesn't hurt anything.

 

Thanks! I do have The Complete Writer--I guess it might be time to pull it back out. I'm just looking for a way to streamline our day without losing quality. :)

[Kidlit]

So if your daughters really like it why are you thinking of dropping it? I would consider the fact that they have already heard most of the books a plus, built in review.

 

This is part of the reason I prefer the instructor's manual to the worktexts per grade level. I can use our science, history and literature to complete the WWE assignments rather than the arbitrary excepts in the worktext. Just enough planning in the instructor's manual to make my life easier and I can use what we are already reading so it's not another thing added to our day. Perfect, imo. ;)

 

So do you pre-plan exactly the excerpts that you'll use for narration? Do you follow the two days of dictation and two days for narration? (This probably will depend on the age of the child--it's been a while since I've looked at TWTM specifically for this.)

 

Thanks for you input!

[Allearia]

I would probably see copying the sentences and doing the narrations as a better method of copywork than writing titles, so I might switch to writing the titles myself and having the girls copy the sentences in WWE. They are learning about sentence structure, capitals and punctuation. If they enjoy it and you obviously already own it, I would probably keep doing it. Otherwise start having them copy some of the sentences for their narrations in history and science. You will be moving towards dictation.

[Capt_Uhura]

I think it's important. We did copywork today. The copywork covered similes, punctuation of dialogue w/ 2 different speakers, lots of capitalization of proper nouns which my boys forget. It also contrasted copywork from yesterday where the dialogue tag split the sentence and therefore when the dialogue started again, it required a lower case and not an upper case letter. Today's copywork had a dialogue which didn't break the sentence, therefore when the speaker continued speaking, the dialogue started w/ an upper case letter. We did all that discussion with simple copywork.

[prairie rose]

I've not had the instructor's text very long but sometimes I pre-plan and sometimes I just see a perfect sentence in what we are reading and use it for the next day's copywork or narration (or that day's if I haven't planned it yet :lol: ) My kids that are working through WWE are doing it accelerated so we do copywork one day and dictation the next with my 9 and 10yo and just dictation 3 - 4 days a week with my oldest. They narrate literature, science and history and always have so I don't see a need to do it with WWE also.

[Halcyon]

I think it's important. We did copywork today. The copywork covered similes, punctuation of dialogue w/ 2 different speakers, lots of capitalization of proper nouns which my boys forget. It also contrasted copywork from yesterday where the dialogue tag split the sentence and therefore when the dialogue started again, it required a lower case and not an upper case letter. Today's copywork had a dialogue which didn't break the sentence, therefore when the speaker continued speaking, the dialogue started w/ an upper case letter. We did all that discussion with simple copywork.

 

 

:iagree: We continue to use WWE even though we do daily copywork in Science, narrations in History, and a separate grammar program with writing. I think it keeps me on track with what they're learning specifically, and I agree that the built in grammar review is wonderful.

[Kidlit]

Okay, I'm convinced we need to keep on keeping on with WWE. Thanks for all your input. Honestly, I think I just needed to blow off a little steam--we didn't get to WWE or FLL today, and I'm usually a stickler for getting it ALL done. Homeschooling with a 5 month old (not to mention all us girls who occasionally have a case of the crabbies!) continues to rock our world! :tongue_smilie:

[razorbackmama]

You can do both - streamline AND keep WWE.:D

 

If you want to do WWE per the textbook only but get rid of the workbook (which is what we have done), you can follow the guidelines in the textbook to find copywork/narration passages from your science/history/literature. The only reason the workbook is there is if you don't want to have to find passages yourself. But finding them is very easy to do.

 

So you CAN do WWE yet not have something "extra" (the workbook).

[Kidlit]

You can do both - streamline AND keep WWE.:D

 

If you want to do WWE per the textbook only but get rid of the workbook (which is what we have done), you can follow the guidelines in the textbook to find copywork/narration passages from your science/history/literature. The only reason the workbook is there is if you don't want to have to find passages yourself. But finding them is very easy to do.

 

So you CAN do WWE yet not have something "extra" (the workbook).

Okay, Razorbackmama, how do you make sure you're covering it all? Or is this something that's addressed in The Complete Writer?

[Capt_Uhura]

You don't have to do WWE. If you can discuss grammar, spelling, etc in the history and science and literature copywork, moving into dictation, then you're good to go.

[razorbackmama]

Okay, Razorbackmama, how do you make sure you're covering it all? Or is this something that's addressed in The Complete Writer?

 

Covering what all?

 

The Complete Writer is a series. The first book in the series is Writing With Ease. There is a textbook called Writing With Ease that covers all 4 years of the grammar stage. Then there are workbooks to go with each year, but they are completely optional.:001_smile:

 

The textbook will give you guidelines as to the length of the copywork and passages to do narration on. It will give you guidelines as to what grammar concept to cover each week as you do copywork. (I don't do those really since we do another grammar curriculum.)

 

Is this what you mean?

 

Truly, the hardback text is all you NEED to do WWE.:D

[Kidlit]

Covering what all?

 

The Complete Writer is a series. The first book in the series is Writing With Ease. There is a textbook called Writing With Ease that covers all 4 years of the grammar stage. Then there are workbooks to go with each year, but they are completely optional.:001_smile:

 

The textbook will give you guidelines as to the length of the copywork and passages to do narration on. It will give you guidelines as to what grammar concept to cover each week as you do copywork. (I don't do those really since we do another grammar curriculum.)

 

Is this what you mean?

 

Truly, the hardback text is all you NEED to do WWE.:D

 

Okay, duh. I'm sorry to be so dense. I finally pulled out my own hardbook copy of WWE: Strong Fundamentals and saw that it has "the Complete Writer" on the corner of the cover. Duh! I also now see that SWB has spelled out exactly that to look for for the copywork/dictation sentences in terms of grammar, punctuation, mechanics, etc.

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[lovinmomma]

Covering what all?

 

The Complete Writer is a series. The first book in the series is Writing With Ease. There is a textbook called Writing With Ease that covers all 4 years of the grammar stage. Then there are workbooks to go with each year, but they are completely optional.:001_smile:

 

The textbook will give you guidelines as to the length of the copywork and passages to do narration on. It will give you guidelines as to what grammar concept to cover each week as you do copywork. (I don't do those really since we do another grammar curriculum.)

 

Is this what you mean?

 

Truly, the hardback text is all you NEED to do WWE.:D

Ok, just a side question: if it covers grammar why would you need FLL?

[Kidlit]

Ok, just a side question: if it covers grammar why would you need FLL?

 

I'm pretty sure this question has been addressed much better elsewhere on the forum than I'll do here :tongue_smilie:, but I think FLL is more intentional and scripted. This means that rather than it being incidental to what the student is copying or writing for dictation, the lessons in FLL are intentional--i.e. "A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea."

Anyone else want to chime in and clarify?

[razorbackmama]

I'm pretty sure this question has been addressed much better elsewhere on the forum than I'll do here :tongue_smilie:, but I think FLL is more intentional and scripted. This means that rather than it being incidental to what the student is copying or writing for dictation, the lessons in FLL are intentional--i.e. "A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea."

Anyone else want to chime in and clarify?

 

Yep, this is exactly it. In WWE it's more "natural," if that makes sense. So you'd find sentences that had a proper noun, and as you were explaining the copywork to the child, you'd point out the proper noun and how it's capitalized.

 

WWE isn't a "complete" grammar program like FLL is.

 

hopeistheword, I'm glad I was able to help!:001_smile: