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Writing, help me think through this...


Pata
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Which writing program should I choose?  

  1. 1. Which writing program should I choose?

    • Classical Writing
      12
    • The Complete Writer (WWE, WWS and ??)
      9
    • Other (explain, but please don't leave another curriculum for me to stress about!!)
      1


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A bit long, but bear with me :D. Thanks to all the recent threads on CW and WWE, I'm wondering what to do for next year. I was all set to go onto WWE4, but I also have CW Aesop on my shelf calling to me. Here's my pros/cons/concerns about each...

 

Classical Writing:

Pros-

• It gradually introduces the progym

• It teaches her to add interest, dialouge, etc.-in short how to make her paper interesting so that others will want to read it

• It spoke to me and I loved it from the moment I saw it

Cons-

• Complicated

• Takes a lot of time commitment

Concerns-

• Will I have the time to figure it out?

• Does it make writing more complicated than it has to be?

 

The Complete Writer:

Pros-

• Very, very easy to use

• Puts more emphasis on working on foundational skills

• SWB knows her stuff

Cons-

• She (Dd) is not a big fan of it

• Can't see the higher levels

Concerns-

• Will it really teach enough to make her a strong writer (really, will it get us to the same place that CW does in the end)?

• What will the future levels look like?

• What if it gets crazy hard at the end and we can't handle it?

 

Can you help me think through this? I don't have a ton of time as I've got the business to write for and a very active toddler on my hands, but I also believe that we make time for what is important. Dd is tending to take after mom and dad (strong in science & math), so I want to be sure to give her a good foundation in writing. I'll attach a poll to this, but please do comment :)!

Edited by Pata
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I voted for CW because that is what I'm going to use. :D

 

Seriously, though, my dd does not enjoy WWE either. As for your concerns, well, if anyone can figure out CW, you can! Would you be starting with Aesop A? If so, we can support each other.

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I voted for CW because that is what I'm going to use. :D

 

Seriously, though, my dd does not enjoy WWE either. As for your concerns, well, if anyone can figure out CW, you can! Would you be starting with Aesop A? If so, we can support each other.

 

:lol: I think that you seriously over estimate my skills, seriously, thanks for the encouragement :D. We have already done the first half of Aesop A before I realized that my dd really needed to shore up her dictation skills, so we went back to WWE3 for the rest of 3rd grade. We are in a good place right now with that, so I'm just re-examining my goals for next year.

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We have already done the first half of Aesop A before I realized that my dd really needed to shore up her dictation skills, so we went back to WWE3 for the rest of 3rd grade. We are in a good place right now with that, so I'm just re-examining my goals for next year.

Since you've already done some of Aesop, what did you think of it? Did you find it complicated or is that just something you've heard? IMO, CW isn't nearly as difficult as people make it sound.

• It spoke to me and I loved it from the moment I saw it

If you love CW then give it a try. :) Even if you end up going back to WWE you certainly won't have wasted a year.

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I have the same dilemma going on in my head.

 

Here is what stood out to me from your post, though, about CW:

• It spoke to me and I loved it from the moment I saw it
This is the reason you should try CW. :)

 

I (mostly) feel the same way about SWB's approach when I listen to all her lectures about writing, which I did again recently. And I know from experience that I like PHP materials and have it easy to make them work for me. I am still looking around at CW and other things, because I haven't seen WWS yet, and I want to be thorough. And I'm also a worrywart about missing something or finding the next great resource that will solve every problem and take away every doubt. :lol:

 

If CW speaks to you, you will probably figure out a way to make it work.

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Thanks guys, I know that I should teach what I love, but I also love the simplicity of SWB's writing plan. Her lecture's made so much sense, they made writing seem easy, almost too easy.

 

Aquinas Academy, I found CW Aesop to be fairly straightforward, once I stopped using the teacher's guide and read through the core book about 20 times :D. Once I read through the core book multiple times and had an idea of what and where we were going, it wasn't too bad. In fact, I recently sat down with the Core book and some models and it didn't take all that long to plan out several weeks. I just have this nagging fear that Homer won't be that easy, plus I know that SWB knows her stuff when it comes to writing.

 

ARGH :banghead:, I wish I didn't have to figure this out, both sides of the grass just look so green!!

Edited by Pata
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I should be ordering soon also. I have an order pending and will be including CW to it. However I did not vote because I think you should do whatever your gut tells you will work best for you and your child. No one knows your family better than you. At least this is what I base my decisions on. I know my kids. I observe them daily. I see what bothers them and what makes them happy, and I base my decisions on what I feel will work best for them. I adjust as I go along so no decision you make today is irreversible. Just remember that ;).

 

Good luck with whatever you decide :)

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Having a tie vote probably doesn't help you much does it?

 

I know! It seems that even the hive shares my indecisiveness :lol:.

 

I've been thinking about it more and I think that we may do both next year and just see how it goes. I have the WWE text and CW Aesop on my shelf, so we'll alternate back and forth, one week of WWE and then 2-3 weeks of CW, doing the A&I and writing in one week. I can always order the pdf of WWE or pull together my own if it doesn't work. Then I'll decided about Homer vs. WWS based on how things go, procrastination is a beautiful thing :).

 

Thanks to you all who helped me to think through this, it's what I love about the hive!

 

I bit the bullet and ordered CW today. Now I can't wait for it to come so I can spend the summer reading and rereading the core book!

 

Happy Summer Reading!!

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I should be ordering soon also. I have an order pending and will be including CW to it. However I did not vote because I think you should do whatever your gut tells you will work best for you and your child. No one knows your family better than you. At least this is what I base my decisions on. I know my kids. I observe them daily. I see what bothers them and what makes them happy, and I base my decisions on what I feel will work best for them. I adjust as I go along so no decision you make today is irreversible. Just remember that ;).

 

Good luck with whatever you decide :)

 

Thanks Marie! I needed to hear this again today.

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Thanks Marie! I needed to hear this again today.

 

:grouphug: Glad to help. I know there are certain days when I just stress too much also so I know exactly how you feel :).

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