Writing for a kid who hated IEW Writing Lessons

[elevee]

My 9yo girl is creative and has always liked to write stories about imaginary worlds and such, but last year (3rd grade) I tried IEW Fun and Fascinating with her to help her get the idea of beginning and end, plot, resolution, topic sentences and stuff. She hated now structured it was, having to fill out these boxes on her writing process. She'd get so angry she'd leave out all the good stuff and end up with a much more boring piece, even though it was structurally correct. It turned into a disaster, and she ended up refusing to write anything, ever, until I distracted her with the much more fun Moving Beyond the Page. There is lots of fun stuff to write about there but it doesn't really cover mechanics and usage. Any suggestions?

 

Addendum: A lot of you are saying to focus on academic writing. I wish a could afford the whole IEW TWSS thing (just for myself!) but given that I can't, what are some recs on academic writing? I was looking at WriteShop and Stack the Deck. Writing Tales looks a lot like IEW Fun and Fascinating. I don't think I'm gong to get away with making her retell anymore fables!

Edited August 10, 2011 by elevee

[angela in ohio]

I don't make my dc do creative writing programs. I let them write stories in their free time and leave them alone.

 

In the meantime, I teach them academic writing, and the skills carry over into their own free writing.

 

So my suggestion would be to leave her stories alone, and stick to copywork and dictation and an elementary writing program (the regular IEW program is excellent, as is SWB's program) that doesn't focus on creative writing.

[Hunter]

If you like--or don't mind--unabashedly Christian books, Undertstanding Writing has some suggestions on dealing with reluctant writers, that I think is worthy of reading. Sometimes Exodus Books has used copies for $25.00.

 

The curriculum focuses on letter writing to teach writing, rather than writing stories. The author believes that story writing as an assignment is a secondary level technique only.

[NorCalMom]

I don't make my dc do creative writing programs. I let them write stories in their free time and leave them alone.

 

In the meantime, I teach them academic writing, and the skills carry over into their own free writing.

 

So my suggestion would be to leave her stories alone, and stick to copywork and dictation and an elementary writing program (the regular IEW program is excellent, as is SWB's program) that doesn't focus on creative writing.

 

:iagree:

[Jim]

I hate to say it, but as someone that is a writer and has terrible mechanics I love the IEW approach. Granted, it puts a box around the effort but I see it as an excellent foundation.

 

We purchased the teacher disks and their SWI-A set and it take my non-writer a very short time to complete each step. It's short enough that I'd figure out a way to gently force the issue if I had to. So far, I haven't.

 

Clearly, your dd will see the box as restricting her creativity and see has a point. Good for her. Would it be possible to push through IEW and have creative writing?

 

My angle comes from having learned the importance of being able to get my thoughts to paper in a clear and mythodical manner. I'm blessed with great editors. While they say I do alright the reality is they take my idea and rewrite the piece. I hate, hate, hate it. It may be too late for me to learn the basics but my son will at least know how to write. He'll thank me later.

[Tiramisu]

My 9yo girl is creative and has always liked to write stories about imaginary worlds and such, but last year (3rd grade) I tried IEW Fun and Fascinating with her to help her get the idea of beginning and end, plot, resolution, topic sentences and stuff. She hated now structured it was, having to fill out these boxes on her writing process. She'd get so angry she'd leave out all the good stuff and end up with a much more boring piece, even though it was structurally correct. It turned into a disaster, and she ended up refusing to write anything, ever, until I distracted her with the much more fun Moving Beyond the Page. There is lots of fun stuff to write about there but it doesn't really cover mechanics and usage. Any suggestions?

 

I think of mechanics and usage as something that would be covered in a grammar program.

 

I have a dd who really liked Writing Tales at your dd's age. It incorporates some grammar, mechanics, and even basic literary analysis, but it's really a writing curriculum. It provides a basic structure for story writing but makes room for creativity. One dd is moving on now to Classical Composition which also includes analysis. Classical Writing would also do the same job and more. I wonder if something like that would appeal to your daughter. Fourth grade is a good time to start.

 

It's terrible to see that spark of creativity and have a writing curriculum that doesn't click spoil it.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I agree with the others that you really need to be focusing on academic writing right now. She may not like it but it is something you just need to make her do or your going to find yourself with an upper grade student that can't write an essay. Ask me how I know.

 

I have two dds that write amazing stories, plays and poetry but, as Angela mentioned, I don't mess with those unless they ask my advice. We use IEW TWSS\SWIB and I can already see them carrying over what they are learning into their creative writing.

 

I will, on occasion, let dd12 add in a bit of creativeness when we are working on an assignment, but for the most part I make her stick to the checklist. On a couple of occasions she has wanted to change the assignment a lot and in that case I tell her she can re-write it any way she wants after school...and she has.

 

Just my.02.:001_smile:

[MerryAtHope]

For a different approach...take a look at bravewriter.com. She would say to focus on writing formats later on in high school. For a child who likes to write--I'd let her write and let her pursue fun writing as much as she wants. My daughter is enjoying Karen Andreola's Story Starters this year. You might also look into The Writer's Notebook.

 

I teach some formats as they come up in other classes (the Lab report when we do Apologia, Research papers as required for history or science, and so on). We write narrations etc... as well.

 

You might look at something like Deconstructing Penguins and teach things like plot & setting through what you read, rather than what she writes.

 

Merry :-)