ereks mom Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I know that some people do not like using a formula for writing, but if you are a person who does, have you used this program successfully? Did you implement it on your own, or did you have your student participate in a seminar? What did you like/not like? For those who aren't familiar, here is a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigid in NC Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 (edited) I can't say I have used these materials, but they were highly recommended at an AP Literature workshop last summer by the AP English teacher who was leading the session. She is a long-time reader and table leader at the annual reading/scoring of AP Literature exams. I thought this was high praise. :) Edited April 5, 2012 by Brigid in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 This made the difference between my son being able to write something organized and just sort of beating around the bush or being much, much too brief. It helped him learn to state the obvious, something that one has to do in student papers. I implemented it myself. We bought the teacher materials from her website and followed the directions. It is extremely formulaic, but it turns out to be a very easy formula to discard. The program materials had the student write one or two essays using the formula, then indicated that the formula should be abandonned. The materials just taught those essays. It took us a few weeks to get through the packet of xeroxes. It isn't a full, year-long writing program. HTH Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 This made the difference between my son being able to write something organized and just sort of beating around the bush or being much, much too brief. It helped him learn to state the obvious, something that one has to do in student papers. I implemented it myself. We bought the teacher materials from her website and followed the directions. It is extremely formulaic, but it turns out to be a very easy formula to discard. The program materials had the student write one or two essays using the formula, then indicated that the formula should be abandonned. The materials just taught those essays. It took us a few weeks to get through the packet of xeroxes. It isn't a full, year-long writing program.HTH Nan Thanks, Nan! I can't believe I haven't come across these materials before. I need to go look more closely on the website for the packet you mentioned. I did find some materials other people have posted online, but I'm not sure it's the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 I can't say I have used these materials, but they were highly recommended at an AP Literature workshop last summer by the AP English teacher who was leading the session. She is a long-time reader and table leader at the annual reading/scoring of AP Literature exams. I thought this was high praise. :) Oh, that's encouraging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Here's a direct link to the program: http://www.janeschaffer.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 (edited) I went to the site but I'm not finding the packet that Nan mentioned--unless this is it??? I'd like to see some sample pages before I fork out $60! Edited April 5, 2012 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 This may help you see what her method is like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) Teaching the Multiparagraph Essay is the closest thing to what I have. Not long after I bought my material, the website posted a message saying that Jane Schaffer had died of cancer and the materials were no longer available. Someone has redone the site since. I remember it was expensive, but I don't remember it being that expensive. I could be wrong. It came with a personal recommendation from a high school teacher and I was that desperate sigh. I can't tell whether the information has been changed or not. For us, it was money well spent. I had spent years trying to figure out how to explain how to elaborate on something to my children and this told me how to do that. It helped with getting the paper organized, also. I know that in theory the 5 paragraph formula or the classical formula can help with that, and it did for reports, but whenever we strayed out of the realms of straight fact-giving, it came apart. For you? For other people? I have no idea whether the packet would be worth $60. I am really stupid about teaching and really stupid about writing, and especially stupid about them combined. Another person could probably get the same information for free from the wikipaedia article and figure out how to apply it. The packet was not scripted but it came close enough to be a help to me. It contained a few examples. It didn't really contain any information that is not available online for free but it pulled it together in a present it this way sort of way. Usually, I can do this for myself but in this particular case, I needed that information, even though it wasn't particularly magic or brilliant or anything another mother couldn't do for herself. As I keep saying over and over again, I am not a good teacher. I might be a good tutor, if I put my mind to it, but it isn't something I want to do. Mostly, my children either teach themselves or I read the spine aloud and elaborate on it on the fly, open-and-go style. When I have to present a complicated mass of information, I baulk. I did it for study skills and it was a lot of work. I partially did it, in bits and pieces, for writing, and it was only semi-effective, not as effective as if I had been more organized and deliberately set out to do it with a 12-year long plan. But that is beside the point. Probably that wasn't very helpful. Nan Edited April 6, 2012 by Nan in Mass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 Teaching the Multiparagraph Essay is the closest thing to what I have. Not long after I bought my material, the website posted a message saying that Jane Schaffer had died of cancer and the materials were no longer available. Someone has redone the site since. I remember it was expensive, but I don't remember it being that expensive. I could be wrong. It came with a personal recommendation from a high school teacher and I was that desperate sigh. I can't tell whether the information has been changed or not. For us, it was money well spent. I had spent years trying to figure out how to explain how to elaborate on something to my children and this told me how to do that. It helped with getting the paper organized, also. I know that in theory the 5 paragraph formula or the classical formula can help with that, and it did for reports, but whenever we strayed out of the realms of straight fact-giving, it came apart. For you? For other people? I have no idea whether the packet would be worth $60. I am really stupid about teaching and really stupid about writing, and especially stupid about them combined. Another person could probably get the same information for free from the wikipaedia article and figure out how to apply it. The packet was not scripted but it came close enough to be a help to me. It contained a few examples. It didn't really contain any information that is not available online for free but it pulled it together in a present it this way sort of way. Usually, I can do this for myself but in this particular case, I needed that information, even though it wasn't particularly magic or brilliant or anything another mother couldn't do for herself. As I keep saying over and over again, I am not a good teacher. I might be a good tutor, if I put my mind to it, but it isn't something I want to do. Mostly, my children either teach themselves or I read the spine aloud and elaborate on it on the fly, open-and-go style. When I have to present a complicated mass of information, I baulk. I did it for study skills and it was a lot of work. I partially did it, in bits and pieces, for writing, and it was only semi-effective, not as effective as if I had been more organized and deliberately set out to do it with a 12-year long plan. But that is beside the point. Probably that wasn't very helpful. Nan Thank you, Nan. I feel exactly the same way you do about writing. About history, reading, math, etc.--I'm fine there. But with writing, I get bogged down. So, thanks for your insights. I am happy to get your perspective. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 This may help you see what her method is like. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 YVW and I was a public school teacher too, btw. (Just saw that in your signature.) I only know of Jane Schaffer from Nan, so I'm glad she posted on this thread. Thanks, Nan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I should probably add that my children, in general, have not trouble DEPARTING (yes I am shouting) from a formula or set of rules. What they have trouble with is staying WITHIN one. If they weren't like this, I might hesitate to introduce a formula like this. Also, the son I used Schaffer with had two specific, very related problems and Schaffer addressed them both. Schaffer doesn't actually address much else. When I bought Schaffer, it was a specific fix for a specific, identified problem, not an attempt to find a general writing program for a year of high school or a program that would "fix" many problems. For us, it was magic. The teacher who recommended it said it was magic (my words) for his school's students. But as I said, that magic information *is* in wikipaedia, free. It takes barely a screen. (And in case anyone is interested, we used a variety of things before that and the bulk of the work of teaching them to write was done using Writing Strands and lots and lots of exposure to good literature.) Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 here are some links I found Student Writer Handbook How to Write an Essay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 This first one looks great! (Haven't looked at the second yet.) It seems to have most of what I have in my Schaffer material plus some more stuff. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 here are some links I found Student Writer Handbook How to Write an Essay Thanks for finding these! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Nan, I found this packet online. Does it look anything like the Jane Schaffer packet you bought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 ereks mom - My firewall won't let it through. What does it look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 ereks mom - My firewall won't let it through. What does it look like? You might try this link It is a word doc with some text and copies of many other pages pasted into the word document. Here is the Table of Contents General Information………………………………….. 3 Prewriting, Concrete Detail , and Commentary …… 18 Thesis Statements…………………………………….29 Essay Templates and Rubrics………………………….56 Sample Student Essays………………………………..65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 You might try this link It is a word doc with some text and copies of many other pages pasted into the word document. Here is the Table of Contents General Information………………………………….. 3 Prewriting, Concrete Detail , and Commentary …… 18 Thesis Statements…………………………………….29 Essay Templates and Rubrics………………………….56 Sample Student Essays………………………………..65 Yes, that's it. :) Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.