S/O Saxon Grammar and Writing

[iamrachelle]

In regards to the previous thread asking about Saxon Grammar & Writing. I understand that the grammar portion is comprehensive and includes writing, dictation and some vocabulary. Do you think that the writing portion is comprehensive enough or would you need to supplement with something else (like IEW)?

[iamrachelle]

:bigear: Anyone?

[RegularMom]

It's hard for me to say accurately, because we've just started using it. By the end of this academic year, I expect I'll have a better grasp on whether or not it's enough.

 

But, after perusing the writing workbook and seeing what they cover and how they cover it, I'm pleased. They cover paragraph writing, including forming topic sentences, putting things in proper sequence, brainstorming for ideas, and then move on to the traditional 5-paragraph essay, and include lessons about editing one's work. At the end of the book, they cover a bit of creative writing and assign some creative pieces. That, along with the schedule of copy work and dictation, plus 5-minute journal entries, seems to get the job done.

 

I don't really feel a serious need to supplement, but that's because the history program I'm using for my 5th grader covers outlining and writing summaries, and the science program I use also requires writing science reports, experiment summaries and at least one biography of a scientist during the course of the year.

 

For poetry, I'm more interested in having them read poems than write them at this point. I use poetry as handwriting practice too. They both keep commonplace books that they copy poems into, using their best penmanship. I require them to check poetry books out of the library on a regular basis. From time to time, I'll come across an activity in SOTW that involves writing a poem or some other creative thing, and we'll do that, but I'm more inclined to make it a pure fun kind of thing.

 

Also, both of my children don't seem to be reluctant writers. They often write in their own private journals, and will write poems and stories as well. Last spring, my dd11 collaborated on a little fan fiction writing with a friend of hers just for fun. They'd each write a scene and then we'd email it back and forth and they'd add to it scene by scene. I rarely ask to see those things because I don't want to mess with their creative outflow. They come from a family of creative writers, so this is to be expected.

 

Even with all of that, if I feel the need to add in any other more creative type writing assignments, I'll probably use some Writing Strands assignments. I've got a couple of WS books around here that I can use, if needed.

 

Again, take all this with a grain of salt. We're only a few months into Saxon Grammar and Writing, so I may have different thoughts on all this in May or June. But right now, I'm feeling pretty good about how it's going.

 

HTH.

Edited October 4, 2011 by RegularMom