jar7709 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 OK you helpful people. :) I am thisclose to buying The Writer's Jungle. My DS (an accelerated 1st grade, more like third grade for LA subjects, reading level off the charts but reluctant to the physical act of writing) needs more writing enrichment so I'm looking forward to reading The Writer's Jungle and incorporating those ideas into our relaxed/eclectic approach. I currently use WWE text picking our own reading material but it lacks that spark. At the same time, though, DD is still learning to read. She is almost done with the 3 Ready-Set-Go ETC books. We'll probably give ETC1 a try, but I am wondering if anyone has any experience with Bravewriter's Wand program? Would it be redundant to ETC? Or more complete? Complementary to TWJ at the 3rd-grade level? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I wrote a little about The Wand here on my blog. There was also some good discussion on these forums about it; if you search on "Wand" I am sure some things will come up. It is a meaty program. If your DD has only done the 3 ETC Get Ready books then I would say she is probably not ready for it. We were far beyond that -- had actually finished most of Reading Made Easy when we started and have still slowed it way down. We are doing the first of November's books right now -- taking about three weeks to do every one of the program. The program is really for about second grade and up I would say. It is more of a phonetic spelling program to me than it is a learn-to-read program. It has a bit of grammar and usage (taught through copywork) and word study thrown in. I was really a bit surprised at how dense it is given the relaxed feel of The Writer's Jungle and The BW Lifestyle. If you follow it as written it goes at a fast clip and is pretty regimented. We take it much easier and gentler than that simply because my DD is not ready to move so quickly. We add in extra practice. I would say DD is about average for a first grade reader -- not accelerated, but not "behind" average either. Right now we are reading Frog and Toad are Friends and if she chose to she could read most of it alone, missing maybe every eighth or ninth word on average. She struggles more with spelling (I think she is more of a sight reader than a phonetic one.) so needs lots more practice with that. HTH. Let me know if you have some more specific questions and I will try to answer them. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Thank you! Your blog is lovely. I will look again at the previous threads--I did a search but the only one I found was older, from when the program just came out. So, the program ramps up quickly in difficulty? I thought it might be a good fit for DD since the sample lesson was Hop on Pop, which she can *almost* read, now. But if that one is not representative of the other titles, maybe I'll just keep the program in the back of my head for 6-12 months from now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 OK you helpful people. :) I am thisclose to buying The Writer's Jungle. My DS (an accelerated 1st grade, more like third grade for LA subjects, reading level off the charts but reluctant to the physical act of writing) needs more writing enrichment so I'm looking forward to reading The Writer's Jungle and incorporating those ideas into our relaxed/eclectic approach. I currently use WWE text picking our own reading material but it lacks that spark. At the same time, though, DD is still learning to read. She is almost done with the 3 Ready-Set-Go ETC books. We'll probably give ETC1 a try, but I am wondering if anyone has any experience with Bravewriter's Wand program? Would it be redundant to ETC? Or more complete? Complementary to TWJ at the 3rd-grade level? Thoughts? Since your DS is a reluctant writer, The Wand might work for him, despite his accelerated reading level. (I think that spelling and handwriting ability are more important than reading ability when determining if The Wand is a fit.) He'll probaby enjoy reading the selected books himself. The only handwriting in level one is one short copywork passage per week. Level two adds French Dictation, where the student writes a handful of words from dictation. The student doesn't even have to do any handwriting for the spelling tests! The Wand is not a learn-to-read program. It is also assumes that your child knows how to form all her letters. So, The Wand might be too advanced for your DD. Here's some threads with reviews from when it first came out. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291910&page=2 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306869 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Since your DS is a reluctant writer, The Wand might work for him, despite his accelerated reading level. (I think that spelling and handwriting ability are more important than reading ability when determining if The Wand is a fit.) He'll probaby enjoy reading the selected books himself. The only handwriting in level one is one short copywork passage per week. Level two adds French Dictation, where the student writes a handful of words from dictation. The student doesn't even have to do any handwriting for the spelling tests! That's a good thought, thanks! For anyone that has been using it, now that it has been out a while, what are some of the other titles besides Hop on Pop? I don't see them listed either on the Brave Writer website or HSBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 We haven't done the wand but we love the arrow. It's perfect for third grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Titles used for the first seven issues/months of The Wand: Hop on Pop Fox in Sox A Kiss for Little Bear Danny & the Dinosaur Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea Mr. Putter & Tabby Pick the Pears Frog & Toad Are Friends Frog & Toad Together Harry & the Lady Next Door Owl Moon Chicken Soup with Rice Big Max: The World's Greatest Detective Harold & the Purple Crayon Olivia Goes to Venice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 what are some of the other titles besides Hop on Pop? The book list is on the Brave Writer web site. Just scroll down the following page until you see it. The books get harder as you go along. http://www.bravewriter.com/program/language-arts-programs/the-wand/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 The book list is on the Brave Writer web site. Just scroll down the following page until you see it. The books get harder as you go along.http://www.bravewriter.com/program/language-arts-programs/the-wand/ :iagree: Yep, much harder pretty quickly. Since we are working slowly I have tried to supplement with other readers for practice. So when we read Little Bear I added in some other LB books. Earlier this month we read one of the Cynthia Rylant books. We added Toad and Frog All Year to our week this week. That gives her more practice with similar titles instead of rushing on to the next level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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