Who out there doesn't use the WWE Workbooks, but just uses the main book?

[Halcyon]

I decided after finishing WWE2 that I would purchase The Complete Writer and try and incorporate narrations, dictations etc from our readings in history, science and fiction reading. I've been doing this for about a month now, and I am not sure how it's going--can't decide if I like more hand-holding. I am generally following TCW's recs in terms of choosing selections, but sometimes not. I feel more confident when we're following WWE itself...do you think this will just take a little time for me to get comfortable? I like the idea of incorporating writing diretly into our other curriculums...

 

Does anyone out there do this, and if so, how do you feel it's going? Had you used the workbooks before and switched to doing it more independently? Pros and cons?

[boscopup]

:lurk5: I'm still trying to decide whether to do workbook for WWE2 or not. I have the instructor text. We're using the workbook for WWE1. I have plenty of time to decide though. We're only on week 10. :D

[Guest]

What I found is if you are using SOTW, the WWE workbook is redundant.

[razorbackmama]

I found I actually found it EASIER. The passages in the workbooks were way harder/longer than what the textbook suggests to use, so that was making it really difficult. Using our own history/science/lit passages also helped reinforce what we were already reading, so it helped streamline things.

 

What sort of things are you feeling uncomfortable about?

[lionfamily1999]

I bought the workbook this year for the first time (we've been using WWE since 2nd grade). On one hand, it's easier for me to use the workbook, on the other the stories don't go with what we're studying. When I start Luke I'm going to go back to picking it out myself.

 

I know we're doing well, because ds is getting better at dictation and narration. While he can still be long winded, he's not nearly as bad as he was ;)

[Woodland_Mom]

I see you're still trying to figure out writing!:lol: I feel for you. It is no easy task!!!!!

 

I'm using IEW with my 5th grader and WWE with my 3rd grader. I only have the Complete Writer -- I didn't purchase the workbooks because I thoght I'd use things we read for literature and history for our writing assignments. Although I feel WWE is an easy program to use, I find that I don't use it often enough because I don't have set assignments to open up! Obviously, using the Complete Writer requires that I sit down an plan our assignments. Unfortunately, I don't do this enough, so I'm not hitting the my intended goals with my younger son.

 

For me it's a double edge sword: If I have the workbook, I have no planning, but we'd be writing about things that we're not studying. If I don't use the workbook, we don't write as often as I'd like because I don't have a "set plan"! At any rate, I'm not *that* concerned because he does plenty of narration and copy work with FLL and SOTW.

[lionfamily1999]

For me it's a double edge sword: If I have the workbook, I have no planning, but we'd be writing about things that we're not studying. If I don't use the workbook, we don't write as often as I'd like because I don't have a "set plan"! At any rate, I'm not *that* concerned because he does plenty of narration and copy work with FLL and SOTW.

:lol: I'm right there with you.

 

I finally figured out, though, that I could be pretty darn lazy and grab whatever he's doing and just find a passage that fit my needs. So, I don't plan, I just grab something and dig till I find what I need. Aren't I terrible?

[razorbackmama]

:lol: I'm right there with you.

 

I finally figured out, though, that I could be pretty darn lazy and grab whatever he's doing and just find a passage that fit my needs. So, I don't plan, I just grab something and dig till I find what I need. Aren't I terrible?

This is what I do. I typed out all of the guidelines from the book into HST, for a year's worth of writing. Then when I print out my assignment sheet the guidelines are right there. So I just grab the book we're currently reading for history/lit/science and find something.

[MelissaMom]

I just bought TCW and know this will be my struggle too. For copywork, do you type it into a word processing program, or write it out for the child on handwriting paper? I have Startwrite, so I was thinking I'd used that.

[razorbackmama]

I just bought TCW and know this will be my struggle too. For copywork, do you type it into a word processing program, or write it out for the child on handwriting paper? I have Startwrite, so I was thinking I'd used that.

I've done both. I found it easiest to just write it out on handwriting paper for them.

[boscopup]

I definitely would use Startwrite for copywork. I don't want my child copying my handwriting!

[sassenach]

I did the workbook for wwe1 and then switched to picking my own text for wwe 2. I made the switch because I wanted to save money and I also wanted to put everything in cursive. I also don't think the workbook does the best job of staying within the guidelines that the text sets out. The chosen passages are often longer and more complex than what is called for. Lastly, since we're not doing fll anymore, I want to be able to choose passages with different grammar connections. I have found it quite easy to choose the passages. It generally takes me about 10 min a week to prep. I just browse through our current read aloud, reader or science book until I find something that works. Someone else on the board used Aesop's fables as their source for the whole year. I use startwrite to create the copywork pages.

[abbeyej]

What I found is if you are using SOTW, the WWE workbook is redundant.

 

See, and I would say that if your child is doing WWE, the practice makes doing SOTW narrations easier -- and using WWE helps the parent to see the patterns and learn *how* to teach this way. I don't consider it redundant to do narrations in history and occasionally in science and literature beyond what's in WWE. ... But I think writing is one area in which many home schoolers simply don't do or expect enough.

[Michele B]

I go back and forth on this quite a bit. I am currently using WWE with dd6.5 and sporadically using WWE with dd10. I really try to incorporate dd10's writing into her history and science studies, but I don't do much with dictation on my own. When we do dictation from WWE, I see her getting better at it. I am not very confident about picking dictation selections myself. When we have time to do WWE, I feel it is a nice change of pace from our other studies. She gets to read science or folk tale selections that are new and interesting or are a good review. I also value WWE for the new books and writers it has introduced us to.

[TracyP]

This is what I do. I typed out all of the guidelines from the book into HST, for a year's worth of writing. Then when I print out my assignment sheet the guidelines are right there. So I just grab the book we're currently reading for history/lit/science and find something.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Why is the most obvious answer the hardest to see sometimes?

 

OP, I have gone back and forth. I really want to use the text but find it hard to implement. (razorbackmama may have just helped here:)) We were very bored with WWE 1. I was going to give up on the whole thing until I looked at The Complete Writer. The end goal made sense and I could see that we were very ready to move on. I like the text because it is more 'tweakable' and I want writing tied to our other subjects not just standing alone.

[Moniksca]

I don't use the workbooks at all. I find my dictation passages at the start of the week that way I'm sure it will be done. I like doing it this way because I can choose where the passages are coming from (history/sci/lit). It's super easy and I don't have a separate writing subject I have to teach, it's woven into another subject, just like previous poster.

[SnMomof7]

I really, really thought about getting the workbooks, but ultimately decided this is something that I need to learn to do for my children, myself, so I can be a better teacher for them. Also, I just can't stomach giving my children isolated passages! I let DD pick her own copywork selections from her independent reading selections :O!

 

I am still trying to figure out dictation, so I'm just using the sentences in AAS 2 for that :). She actually has a blast with that, a bit of a perfectionist so she likes that she can spell the words herself without asking me for spelling help.

 

Narrations are pretty easy!

 

Now, that being said, I know your feeling OP! It seems like it is too easy, or like it isn't getting done because you aren't making progress through the pages of a workbook! (Or...maybe that's just me!!) I had the Complete Writer on loan from the library, but it had to go back, I bought a copy and hope it's waiting for me at the post office next time we go to town, with my very own copy of WTM as well. I hope re-reading them will help quell the voice of my internal box-checker/page flipper! (Because, to be honest, sometimes the workbook still tempts me!)

 

I need to draw up an LA schedule that I can check off that shows me how often I need to do narrations/dictation/copywork, then I can just check them off and satiate that inner box checker of mine!

[iona]

:bigear:

i was planning on just using the manual, writing across the curriculum as they say, but i don't really have a curriculum:001_smile: I may end up using wwe1 this upcoming year to get more of a feel of the process...and I can use many of the wwe1 selections for read aloud time. then again, maybe i'll go through aesop's fables(as a pp mentioned) or 50 famous stories retold.

still :bigear: i love hearing from all of you.

[Kidlit]

My 1st grader has almost finished the WWE 1 workbook, and I, too, have been going back and forth about whether or not I want to purchase the workbook for next year. I do think it would help me figure things out more if I actually invested time in picking out the passages. On the other hand, we have gotten lots of ideas for future read-alouds thanks to the excerpts in the workbook!

 

I just wanted to say thanks for posting this thread--it's helping me think through things! :tongue_smilie:

[Critterfixer]

I use WWE without workbooks. What I did at the start of the year (since I have two using the same material) was to purchase a reasonably priced printer/copier with a scanner. I copy out the chosen sentence on paper and just copy it for both of them.

I happen to like looking for the right pieces of literature, history and science; so it is actually fun to hunt for the perfect one. I have also found that if I do get tired, I can always pick something out of our other studies, and for beautiful sentences at all times I go grab a piece of poetry from an anthology or from the Bible.

We are still learning the narration skill, so we have a great deal to chose from. If I have a choice, I typically try to pick a story from mythology, a folk tale or a story that has a reasonably simple plot line to follow.

[EarthyMama]

I feel like a moron reading this thread. I thought WWE was just the workbooks, I didn't know there was a teachers book with it? Crap.

[inthenightkitchen]

I happen to have available a like new copy of the WWE handbook level 2. PM me if interested! (I hope this isn't considered advertisement.) :001_smile:

[Homemama2]

maybe i'll go through aesop's fables(as a pp mentioned) or 50 famous stories retold.

 

These both work really well for narrations/copywork/dictation (we used them with Ambleside online for narrations and copywork). I had started doing narrations, copywork and dictations (before there was WWE) from reading the WTM. Also we were using Ambleside Online which has you do the narrations and copywork (although they start dictation later). But when WWE came out I got the workbook AND Complete Writer cuz I figured I was missing something. :D We mostly do our own thing, pulling from whatever we are reading that week...but I have to admit those workbooks come in handy too (just yank it off the shelf and go!)