Jayne J Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I really want to use CW Aesop A for my ds next year but I have read so many posts that say it is difficult, confusing, and teacher intensive that I am beginning to get scared off. I looked at the CW site, and it seems to say that things are well structured and fairly "open and go" (I believe that say "pick up and go" on the site.) I plan to get the whole package, including workbooks and teacher books, if I go this route. So, can you tell me just *what* is hard/time intensive about it? I am wavering between starting CW or just finishing up with WWE2 and 3 and FLL3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) I haven't found the Aesop levels to be overly teacher intensive at all, nor difficult and confusing. There's a weekly pattern to it that flows smoothly for us. I'd suggest looking at some of the schedules CW users have made and see how they'd fit your week best. When you get the books I'd suggest reading through the core first. This will give you a big picture idea of what skills are worked on. You'll reference back to it as needed as you go through the curriculum. Then look at the workbook and see how it's laid out. This book will run the show. Lastly, see how the IG coordinates with it. You'll want it for the answers, or to hold the models in your own hands. Assuming you'll be doing Aesop A with the rising third grader in your sig, I'd stretch one model over two weeks, doing all A&I one week, and the actual writing assignment the next. If I'm remembering that book correctly, a sample schedule could look something like this. Week 1 Day 1: read the story to the student, discuss any unknown vocabulary, spend some time analyzing the story orally, have the student read it back to you, then narrate it back to you Day 2: word analysis and imitation (A&I) Day 3: do the grammar and rewriting exercises Day 4: dictation, as small or big as your student needs, or copywork if your dc isn't ready for dictation Week 2 Day 1: outline the story, keyword or short phrases are fine (CW calls this optional. It was vital for my kids however.) Day 2: rewrite the story, change character names, settings and details if he/she so desires, so long as they stay true to the moral of the story and the sequence of events Day 3: edit, look at the writing assignment page in the SW for specifics, otherwise just fix grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. I have them edit it themselves first. Then they and I will go over it together. Day 4: final draft When my fourth grader started Aesop A we condensed each lesson into one week. That looked something like this. Day 1: Read, analyze orally, narrate, outline Day 2: word and grammar A&I, small dictation piece Day 3: rewrite Day 4: edit Day 5: final draft Edited January 30, 2011 by SilverMoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 :iagree: Aesop is pretty straightforward, especially if you use the workbooks. Homer was the hard one for me, Maxim and Chreia have been easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Aesop is fairly easy to implement. You just have to read through the core and get a rhythm going. I don't find it teacher intensive. I am going through it the second time and both times did it without the workbook. If you did it with the workbook, then I think you would be just find. Homer is where the learning curve appears. We are on Homer B with my oldest (we are taking a break right now to do CW Poetry.) I found that it helps to read the Core over a few times and then read over the particular Core section when you get to that skill level. Yes, it is a lot of work for me but my dd enjoys doing CW so we keep on. As the pp said, I have heard that Diogenes is easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne J Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thank you, and especially thanks for the suggested outline/schedule. I have read lots of threads about CW and when people actually wrote out their schedules. it didn't seem too hard. But then others would say how teacher intensive it was and I began to quake. So, maybe the hard/teacher intensive year that everyone is referring to is Homer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2blessings Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We are starting Homer in a month or so (after using Writing Tales)--so I don't have hands-on experience yet. But have read A LOT on this forum and the CW forum, and it seems that Homer is the most challenging to get through. But it's such a wonderful, quality program and I'm going to brave it and hope for the best:) Gina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallory Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Aesop is pretty straightforward, especially if you use the workbooks. Homer was the hard one for me, Maxim and Chreia have been easier. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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