TOG Moms - Talk to Me About Writing?

[SnMomof7]

I'm really liking writing the WTM way for my grammar student (easy!)

 

I've been looking at the writing components of TOG and it seems...so...much...more. Even at the lower levels.

 

So, talk to me TOG moms. Are you using the TOG writing component, or are you just blithely WTMing away at copywork, narration, dictation across the curriculum for grammar aged students?

 

Is anyone else feeling like ...woah! when you read the TOG writing assignments for the various levels, or is it just me?

 

If you are using it, how's it going? How do you feel it meshes with SWBs pedagogy?

 

You know we needed another TOG thread today....;)

[bethben]

I'm using Tog with IEW for my older (4th grade) and just copywork/dictation/narration for my younger (K).

 

Beth

[jewel7123]

:bigear:

 

I'm interested to hear this as well. Does anyone use the writing component in TOG and Writing Aids as your sole writing instruction, or do you use something else to go along with it? I have purchased Writing Aids and I figure we will use the writing portion of TOG more when my dc get a bit older, but for now I'm going to try Writing With Ease next year with my rising 1st grader.

[siloam]

I use WWE then CW, but I have played with TOG writing and will use it with CW as we move ahead.

 

When I did play with TOG writing, I used it about 2 levels lower then my dd's grade level...or was it 3? I was trying to teach her paragraphs, which TOG did do a good job of, but long term I found it worked better to have her outline the original model showing their paragraph breakdown (each paragraph has a new bullet point on the outline). The instruction just broke down when you moved from nonfiction to fiction. At least at her age at the time (probably 5th grade).

 

Now that she is moving into CW Diogenes it focuses on essays. I plan to take about one week a month and have her also work on a TOG topic. But it will be just the topics will we be using and not the instruction.

 

Heather

[AngelBee]

I see them more as a suppliment so far.

 

However, we just started TOG. I also do not own the Writing DVD yet. So that may change. I have just been focusing on figuring TOG out first. :)

 

Editted to add that we are using PR, FLL, and WWE right now.

Edited February 28, 2011 by AngelBee

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I use IEW.-once they are old enough I use the history based writing components. It does a decent job of paralleling what is being studied. Not perfect but good.

[AStableBeginning]

I use IEW.-once they are old enough I use the history based writing components. It does a decent job of paralleling what is being studied. Not perfect but good.

 

I am switching my middle girls (rising 3rd/5th) from SL to TOG and I would love to use IEW, where would I start? Can I use the history based writing components just starting out? I also have a rising 9th grader (staying with SL) who I want to use IEW with too...just a bit confused as how and where to start.

[Tracy]

I have been researching writing programs because my dd is just turning 6yo. Since we are already doing TOG, I naturally looked as WA, and I actually bought it when it was on sale. I think it will be a tremendous resource for middle and high school, but I just don't see using it for grammar level. In my research, I read SWB's philosophy of writing, and I really like her perspective on first learning narration and summarizing and then outlining before requiring original writing. We will probably be using WWE.

[SewLittleTime]

We are using WWE right now. When we start our next year plan, I plan on giving some of the writing portions a try. I'm also looking for a used copy of Writing Aids or a good sale at Lampstand Press!:)

[strawnfam]

I was just about to start a similar thread. I am looking to start TOG soon - probably in May or June. We school year round, and I'm ready to get on with it!

 

We haven't had as much writing here as we should have and so my kids are behind. I'm not sure what to do with them. Sigh. I was hoping that the TOG writing element would be enough to get them up to speed, if I started gently. Now I'm thinking maybe not...I'm not sure what to use.

 

I have:

Wordsmith Apprentice (they have done about 1/2)

Wordsmith (never used)

Writeshop (never used)

Writing Strands 4 (did one assignment)

IEW Ancient History (did about 1/2)

R&S English 5 and 6 (never used)

 

My oldest 2 dc are good with reading, spelling, vocabulary, fairly good with grammar. I have just never been consistent with writing and it has been something that has been an abandoned topic when things got crazy (like they are most of the time).

 

Any suggestions?

[Susan in TN]

I use Writing Aids - with my 2nd grader we do most of the writing but in a much more relaxed form. For example, in our current unit she is writing a "newspaper" which includes several "articles" on the Revolutionary War. She does the graphic organizer/pre-writing in a very simple manner. I will type out her paragraphs and put them into newspaper form. We also include drawings with captions, or pictures printed from the web with captions.

 

If I remember correctly, in 1st grade we did some of the writing, but not all. We primarily use FLL.

 

My upper grammar and dialectic students use Rod & Staff for grammar, but leave out the writing and do the TOG writing instead.

 

FWIW, for many years I was all over the place with writing. I must have used 10 different programs and methods. Even though Writing Aids doesn't necessarily follow a "classical" style writing method like most of the others I've used, I finally feel as though I have a solid program to follow with the guidance I need to teach and grade writing, especially through the dialectic and rhetoric stages.

[specialmama]

Writing Aids rocks. It dovetails perfectly with the curriculum, and the teacher helps are great. I played around with CW last year, but I missed WA too much to continue LOL! The best part of WA is the grading rubrics. Grading writing is sometimes hard to do (even for an english major turned editor) and WA provides clear expectations and grading opportunities. They tell you to do dictation from the books you've read that week, and spelling and grammar should be added. I like WA because TOG is a huge unit study, and if I'm investing time reading through the week plan, I want to get the most out of it as possible.

[prairiewindmomma]

For grammar level kids, yeah, I'm just going to 4 strand away.

 

I like TOG's grading rubric, but I really feel like there isn't enough support there to truly teach writing. For a natural writer, I think TOG's approach would work, but it's not flying here.

 

We're using IEW and we plan to just use the TOG themes for writing assignments within the IEW framework with the hope of transitioning to more of a progymnasta approach in high school. (We'lls ee what actually happens. ;)

[lcelmer]

I am doing WWE with both kids, and am adding in IEW style assignments for the older kiddo (4th) after the first 3 months.

 

WWE has been very helpful to us, my older kiddo has a VERY hard time with writing, and is a horrible speller. This is probably because I didn't find WWE till the end of his 3rd grade year, and because we were using a phonics curriculum aimed more at reading, but not spelling. In 2nd we did an Abeka grammar/writing book, and he was TOTALLY frustrated about 1/3rd into the book.

 

WWE at a lower level is perfect & at a pace he can handle.

[strawnfam]

Anyone else want to chime in?

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

My son is starting TOG Yr 1 (rhetoric level) next month. I decided not to go with Writing Aids for our first year with TOG, except for assignments that can be done quickly and easily.

 

I want another year of Write Shop for him, instead. He's finishing Write Shop I right now, before he starts TOG.

 

After completing Write Shop I and II, he will be prepared to use Writing Aids as-is for 10th to 12th grade. That's how it seems to me, anyway.

 

My second son is using Write Shop I in 7th grade and Write Shop II in 8th grade. He'll use Writing Aids for all four high school years with TOG.