Can someone explain IEW to me?

[Mimm]

Or point me to a thread that does?

 

I don't really understand it. Could you buy the Teaching Writing DVDs and just know how to teach writing from there? The site says to buy a Student Writing Intensive to "make your first year easier". Does that mean that they aren't necessary? I see level A, B and C, but no indication for what age range these are appropriate for. Are you supposed to start at level A, regardless of your child's age? It all seems very expensive to me. $239 for a combo pack for a single level? Ouch. Is that totally reusable for your other child? In my case, I have only one other child, so that wouldn't be a huge savings. Is the program really that great? And then I assume I just have to buy the next intensive which is another $99 then after level C there are the continuation programs which seem to be another $240 per year. Do I have all this right?

 

Edit: I'm considering this for my daughter going into fifth grade next year. She's finished WWE4 and that went well for us this year.

[scrapbabe]

Having a hard time deciding if I want to tackle this question or not. :001_smile: But here goes....

 

In theory you could watch the TWSS (Teaching Writing: Structure and Style) and be able to teach writing. However, it would be a ton easier to watch the TWSS and then use either SWI (Student Writing Intensive) or one of their themed units... like Ancient History Based Writing Lessons, or Life Science Based Writing Lessons(they have several). The TWSS would teach you how to teach the units and the themed books would give you everything you needed to put the program together, saving you lots of time. The SWI would have Andrew actually teaching the units to your child, making it even more easy for you.

 

If you choose the SWI the most optimal thing would be to watch the TWSS for yourself and then have your student watch the SWI. But let me say that the two are very similar. Andrew Pudewa teaches the TWSS to a group of parents, and teaches the SWI to a group of students. Now there is a little more information in the TWSS than in the SWI, but you could get by with the SWI. I found it easier to have watched the TWSS first so I knew what to expect and then watch the SWI with my son. Alot of people do just the SWI.

 

As for ages... SWI A is for grades 3-5 ish.... SWI B is 6-8 ish and SWI C is 9 and above. If you're teaching more than one student though, just pick the middle ground. As for moving on to the SICC (Student Intensive Continuation Course) - you could choose one of the themed programs I mentioned above and it would cover the remaining units not covered in SWI. And after a year of SWI you'd feel pretty comfortable teaching out of the themed books. Therefore you could skip the SICC.

 

Anywho, all of these acronyms are making my head spin. :lol: Does any of that make sense?

 

If you want to see some possible sequences, check the IEW website and look at the magalog (bottom right corner of screen). Page 4 and 5 has a great spread on how to proceed through the different programs.

 

I love IEW because I wholeheartedly agree with Andrew Pudewa's philosophy on how to teach writing. It might help to download some of his talk/presentations on writing and see if you agree or not.

[GTJo1996]

Thank you ladies for this discussion! I have been wondering the same things about IEW and if the investment was really necessary for both components. I have watched one video on the website but maybe I should investigate more. Although I have to say the return policy is 100% guaranteed and that makes it attractive to this frugal (read: CHEAP) mama! BTW there is someone on the boards who has a used copy of TWSS for sale. If interested PM me and I'll hook you up with her.

[angela in ohio]

You really only need the TWSS. Many of us taught IEW for years before there even were SWIs, etc. :001_smile: I have used a few hsitory-based books to teach various co-op/tutorial classes, as well as the SWIs to teach workshops, and I still say the TWSS is the best way to go.

 

The TWSS will teach you how to teach your child to write. That is the ideal situation. You can then incorporate your writing assignments into your content areas (history or science or literature,) which streamlines your schooling and makes the writing more relevant. There are several of us on this board who just use TWSS and do writing across the curriculum, and you can search old threads to see how it is done or ask questions if you need to.

 

The TWSS costs about $150 (I think, haven't kept up,) and will teach all of your dc writing at least until junior high.

[1Togo]

Here goes.

 

IEW's core curriculum consists of nine units:

 

Unit 1 & 2 - writing a key word outline from a source and writing from that outline

Unit 3 - writing a three-paragraph story summary/sequence - character/setting, problem/conflict, climax/resolution

Unit 4 - writing a one-paragraph report/summary from a source

Unit 5 - writing a three-paragraph story from pictures

Unit 6 - writing a multi-paragraph report from several library sources using a fused outline

Unit 7 - writing from the brain; i.e. your dog, etc. - intro, 3 paragraphs/topics (his looks, his food, his tricks), conclusion

Unit 8 - writing a basic five-paragraph essay

Unit 9 - writing a book report - a variation of Unit 3 with an intro and conclusion

 

The nine units are meant to be used during one school year; i.e. approximately one unit per month. The units can be repeated for several years during the elementary, middle, or junior high years with more sophisticated topic and sources. They can also be used with remedial high school students. In addition to learning the unit models, IEW teaches various style techniques. In the beginning, the style is required, but as the student matures, the style techniques become internalized, and the student uses the techniques in a natural way.

 

Teaching with Structure and Style is an instructional dvd set for the parent. In the dvds, Andrew Pudewa, the author of IEW, demonstrates how to teach each unit. The set also includes a syllabus. Think of TWSS as the teacher's manual of IEW. When I used IEW, I watched the dvds, took notes, and worked through the samples, so I was able to teach the IEW units without any other materials. However, this meant that I needed to put together my teaching plans/schedule and sources. IEW sells inexpensive packets with sources for Units 1 & 2, 3, 4 and 6, and I often used those to introduce the units to my students. After they understood the writing process for a unit, I used library books as sources, and we wrote on history or science topics. I believe the TWSS set now includes a disc, Tips and Techniques, which gives implementation and expansion ideas from parents and teacher who have used IEW. It is excellent.

 

Many mothers do not want to develop their own lesson plans and find sources, so they use resources from IEW that have everything mapped out. There are theme-based lessons; i.e. ancient history, medieval, U.S. history, in print form. The theme-based lessons usually include a teacher book and student workbook, and they cover all nine units. There are also dvd sets that cover the units. The Student Writing Intensive (SWI) are geared for certain age groups (A - 2nd to 5th, B - 7th to 9th, C - 9th to 12th) and cover a select group of units. The rest of the units are covered in the Student Writing Intensive Continuation Course (SICC). In the SWI and SICC sets, Andrew Pudewa teaches your student. However, you need to understand the methodology to facilitate and mentor, which is the reason IEW sells TWSS and SWI as a package ($239).

 

When we started homeschooling, we had two confused and struggling writers, and I had no idea how to help them. IEW was a lifesaver for all of us. They learned the basics of writing, and I learned teaching techniques that I continue to use ten plus years later.

 

P.S. After working through the nine units, IEW suggests The Elegant Essay, an expansion of the Unit 8 essay. IEW also sells dvd sets for more advanced writing; i.e. Advanced Communication Series and High School Essay Intensive.

Edited June 9, 2011 by 1Togo

[Mimm]

Thank you so much for the detailed explanations. Are the SWIs consumable? Do people often sell their TWSS used?

[1Togo]

Yes, there is an active IEW sale group. You can get information about that and a wealth of information about IEW on the IEW yahoo group. It is a large, busy group with an experienced IEW mom/IEW staff member as the mod. I think most people hang on to their TWSS sets because those dvds are the core of the program. In addition, they aren't updated because Andrew liked what he recorded and decided to supplement rather than update. People do sell TWSS, but if you want to use IEW in the fall, I would buy a TWSS combo package; i.e. TWSS and age-appropriate SWI set, and spend time summer watching TWSS, taking notes, and working through the examples. Then, you will be ready to go for the next year.

Edited June 9, 2011 by 1Togo

[angela in ohio]

Thank you so much for the detailed explanations. Are the SWIs consumable? Do people often sell their TWSS used?

 

It is much harder to find the TWSS used than the SWI. I snagged my TWSS (on video :D) used for about half price at a local homeschool book sale, and it remains the best score I ever got at a used book sale.

 

The SWI comes with DVDs and a student notebook. You technically need a student notebook for each student, so that part (the cheapest part) is consumable. If you buy a used set, you may or may not get the notebook with it, so you will need to buy one through IEW if you don't.

[matilda]

Thank you for this. I have spent a lot of time looking at old threads and looking at the IEW site and this is the best explanation I have seen. Thank you!

[5LittleMonkeys]

Is there someone you know who would be willing to split the cost of the TWSS with you?

 

I'm on the verge of purchasing the TWSS and the SWI B. I tried to find someone who would split the cost of the TWSS but I couldn't. I do have other dc coming up but I know If I end up wanting to get rid of it the resale is really excellent.

[Mimm]

Is there someone you know who would be willing to split the cost of the TWSS with you?

 

I'm on the verge of purchasing the TWSS and the SWI B. I tried to find someone who would split the cost of the TWSS but I couldn't. I do have other dc coming up but I know If I end up wanting to get rid of it the resale is really excellent.

 

That was my husband's question, but I literally have no homeschooling mom friends. :p homeschoolclassifieds.com has a couple listings for VHS, but we don't even have a VCR anymore. :)

[Miselainia]

Thank you for taking the time to write this out. We're just getting started with it and are feeling a little overwhelmed. Now we have a better idea of what we're jumping into.

[Clover11]

This thread has been a huge help to me as well :)

[Jeanne in MN]

Bless you for the detailed explanations!! I've always heard great things about IEW, but understanding how it worked and trying to get past the cost were difficult. I think I've got it now!! Thank you ladies!!

[Mommamia]

I'm pulling up an old thread wondering if any of the previous posters tried IEW and decided it wasn't a good fit?

 

Thanks in advance for any input!

[HSMom2One]

Or point me to a thread that does?

 

I don't really understand it. Could you buy the Teaching Writing DVDs and just know how to teach writing from there? The site says to buy a Student Writing Intensive to "make your first year easier". Does that mean that they aren't necessary? I see level A, B and C, but no indication for what age range these are appropriate for. Are you supposed to start at level A, regardless of your child's age? It all seems very expensive to me. $239 for a combo pack for a single level? Ouch. Is that totally reusable for your other child? In my case, I have only one other child, so that wouldn't be a huge savings. Is the program really that great? And then I assume I just have to buy the next intensive which is another $99 then after level C there are the continuation programs which seem to be another $240 per year. Do I have all this right?

 

Edit: I'm considering this for my daughter going into fifth grade next year. She's finished WWE4 and that went well for us this year.

 

For the op, I am just curious to know why you won't be going with WWS next since WWE has gone well for you?

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[5LittleMonkeys]

I'm pulling up an old thread wondering if any of the previous posters tried IEW and decided it wasn't a good fit?

 

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

We ended up purchasing TWSS and SWI-B for my two oldest. We worked halfway through the SWI-B and then stopped because the DVDs were driving my girls nuts. They aren't bad...don't get me wrong. My girls just thought they drug on and on and on. They wanted the instructions and then wanted to get on with what they were doing. Sitting and listening to the DVD class go over every possible option for a strong verb was maddening to them. I don't know if the next level would have been more fast paced or not but I had watched TWSS by then so I felt confident to facilitate their writing just using what I had learned. So, we dropped the SWI and are using some of the methods from TWSS while writing in other subjects. We use WWS as well, just finished Killgallon Sentence Composing, and are about to start Lively Art of Writing (as soon as I can find my book:glare:).

 

I have found that I like to use several different programs for writing since they all add something different. I also don't want my dc's writing to ever seem stilted or formulaic...using different ideas from different programs has proven to prevent that from happening here.

 

Do I regret the purchase of TWSS since we aren't using it exclusively? No. I feel it gave me some insight to teaching writing and took away the mystery of how to help my girls with something that just comes so naturally to me. I do regret the purchase of SWI but at the time I had no idea that the DVD element would be a bust for these two students or that after watching the TWSS myself I would have felt confident enough to teach the IEW methods on my own without the help of the SWI DVDs.

 

So, my recommendation to others would be to purchase (or borrow) the TWSS first and watch it before determining if you still need the SWI. They do have, to my knowledge, a fairly generous return policy so there is really no risk if you decide that it isn't a good fit for your students.

 

Hope that helps!:001_smile:

[angela in ohio]

Lively Art of Writing (as soon as I can find my book:glare:).

 

That little yellow book is also slipping between other papers or books and going missing at our house, too. :D For such an awesome resource, it needs to be bigger.

[brownie]

To get started, I bought the TWSS, watched it, took notes and sold it. I bought a couple of "theme books" - I forget what they call these. We really liked the one that was heavy on the fables and I used Ancients as well.

 

Now for ds2 who is more writing averse, (and for mom who is now busier with 3 school aged children) I bought SWI-A and we are doing it as prescribed. DS1 has moved onto Continuation Course A but I just bought the workbook, no dvd's for him. That was a cheap way around it! However, you need to know what you're doing from the TWSS!

 

I would actually have my ds's take an online course straight from IEW despite the high pricetag if they would offer the right levels and manageable times on the east coast!

 

Brownie