If you're using WWW, could you please help me?

[jenL]

Ds will be done with WWE3 mid-July (we started late after him hating WS3). For next year, I have purchased WWE4, but he really hates WWE and it's become miserable for both of us. So, I'm rethinking things...

 

I'm curious about WWW. I'd love to hear from current users regarding the pros and cons of this program. It looks systematic which would be exactly what ds needs.

 

Since he doesn't have strong paragraph writing skills because we've been primarily using WWE since 1st grade, I was thinking of starting with Level 3 even though he is going into 4th grade. In searching on the boards, I see some of you were going to try that route for the same reason. If you did this, would you share your experience?

 

Thanks!

[Mrs Twain]

I have used WWW3 this year with my 3rd grader. I think it is very good at teaching the basic process of writing a paragraph. It is systematic with clear directions as you mentioned. This is good for math/science type of kids who need logical and straightforward explanations. It isn't as strong on teaching style as IEW in my opinion, but that may not be important at this point for you. From what you said, I think WWW3 would be a good place to start.

 

You also don't need a week to complete one week's worth of lessons in WWW3. We generally have completed a week's worth of work in two days, maybe in three days on occasion. If you wanted to, you could do WWW3 for the first half of the year, and then start into WWW4. I have not done WWW4, though, FYI.

[WeeBeaks]

We went from WWE4 to WWW4. It is systematic, deliberate, explicit - exactly what my oldest needed.

 

I think honestly you would likely be okay in WWW4. The first part of it goes back and covers paragraphs including topic sentences, detail sentences and so forth, for a few weeks.

[jenL]

All of these answers have been helpful! Thank you!

 

My son is VERY much geared toward math/science. A complete stranger asked me if he was planning on being an engineer, just by seeing how he was comparing his choices in a restaurant. It's that obvious :). So, I'm thankful to hear that it's systematic.

[justLisa]

We did WWW level 3 after WWE 3. I don't know. It's ok. I did find it somewhat helpful for some skills. Sorry I can't give more of an opinion than that. It really was kinda ho hum to be honest.

 

We are now using WWE 4. I skip the dictations. So we just do narrations. That is working out very well. Maybe that is something to consider because I suspect that might be the part turning your son off?

 

You could either use the dictations as copywork, or just don't do them. We just don't do them. The narrations are good practice though and the reading selections are interesting and varied.

 

I initially went with WWS. I felt my son needed more time with narrations so I plan to do them for awhile and reevaluate after a few months. So either we continue with WWE 4 or move onto WWS.

 

I'll mention we have also used MCT Sentence Island and Paragraph Town, but there aren't a ton of assignments in them.

 

Ho hum is a good description. I bought it, but used it very briefly after looking through it. It IS just open, read, do....probably more on par with the PS writing. I mean, if you NEED a different writing program, and try for a no stress year about it, it may work. It is easy to just get done.

 

ETA: I really think you can jump in to this one at grade level.

[jenL]

Ho hum is a good description.

 

This worries me; however, I'm not sure what my alternatives may be for my ds.

 

Suggestions are always welcomed! :D

[pgr]

Ho hum is a good description. I bought it, but used it very briefly after looking through it. It IS just open, read, do....probably more on par with the PS writing. I mean, if you NEED a different writing program, and try for a no stress year about it, it may work. It is easy to just get done.

 

ETA: I really think you can jump in to this one at grade level.

 

We did WWW level 3 after WWE 3. I don't know. It's ok. I did find it somewhat helpful for some skills. Sorry I can't give more of an opinion than that. It really was kinda ho hum to be honest.

 

We are now using WWE 4. I skip the dictations. So we just do narrations. That is working out very well. Maybe that is something to consider because I suspect that might be the part turning your son off?

 

You could either use the dictations as copywork, or just don't do them. We just don't do them. The narrations are good practice though and the reading selections are interesting and varied.

 

I initially went with WWS. I felt my son needed more time with narrations so I plan to do them for awhile and reevaluate after a few months. So either we continue with WWE 4 or move onto WWS.

 

I'll mention we have also used MCT Sentence Island and Paragraph Town, but there aren't a ton of assignments in them.

 

 

Unfortunately, :iagree:

 

Ho hum. We loved GWG this year, but WWW was very dry. Definitely reminiscent of PS wrinting. We ended up sticking with WWE, and adding in elements from Bravewriter. I don't know if BW would appeal to your son; its given my DD a different perspective that she's enjoyed.

 

I was dissapointed with WWW, as was my DD - GWG was her favorite part of the school day.

[Mrs Twain]

I let my son pick the topics for his paragraphs in WWW3, with my approval of course. This helped make the writing more interesting since he was writing about something he enjoyed.

 

We are now applying the principles he has learned in WWW and in IEW for writing an end of the year report. I can see skills he has learned coming out in his writing. So if you use WWW, it doesn't have to be the only writing your child does the whole year. You could just use it to teach the format and principles, and then use those skills for other assignments that are more interesting (reports, writing contests, etc.).

[jenL]

So, MrsT and Wendy, it's not necessarily the program that is bad, rather the topics they suggest? I'm now thinking of using WWE4 for narrations, make the dictations be copywork, and use WWW3 or 4 for the steps of writing. Too much, too little, or just right? We will also be using R&S 4 for grammar, but I plan to skip the writing assignments.

 

Ds likes to come up with his own ideas and use LOTS of details (narrations have been difficult because he feels everything is important). So, something as straight-forward as possible that teaches him to pare things down is needed.

 

 

I'm also looking into Essentials in Writing (I have another post started), but it's so new that no one is responding :).

[Rebel Jedi Mom]

He is in 4th grade. We will move on to WWW4 in the fall for 5th grade. It is actually perfect for us. WWE was torture for him. They are very different programs. He loves WWW and has asked to continue. I loved WWE, but I think it just depends on the kid. WWW gives very explicit, step by step writing instruction (which we need). He is not frustrated any more. We do oral narrations more casually now with our reading and he is enjoying it more. Less like a chore and more like just talking to mom about a good book.

You can probably just go in at grade level and be fine. In looking through the descriptions, I felt going back to level 3 would cement some of the paragraph writing foundational skills. I'm sure using both would be fine too, alternating days or weeks.

[swiegers]

We're in the 1st book of WWW3, busy with paragraphs. Each week is a different topic and each topic starts off very slowly. The 1st day is just information about the topic, like what a good paragraph looks like. The assignment would be to mark the topic sentence, the detail sentences and the ending sentence. No writing yet. By the end of the week, dc is supposed to write their own paragraph using the tools learned.

 

It really takes about 5 minutes per day. You can spend more time per day and fit more work in if you wanted to. My dd doesn't like to write, so we take it slow. But I really like the systematic and gradual way it teaches a topic.

[Mrs Twain]

So, MrsT and Wendy, it's not necessarily the program that is bad, rather the topics they suggest? I'm now thinking of using WWE4 for narrations, make the dictations be copywork, and use WWW3 or 4 for the steps of writing. Too much, too little, or just right? We will also be using R&S 4 for grammar, but I plan to skip the writing assignments.

 

Ds likes to come up with his own ideas and use LOTS of details (narrations have been difficult because he feels everything is important). So, something as straight-forward as possible that teaches him to pare things down is needed.

 

 

I'm also looking into Essentials in Writing (I have another post started), but it's so new that no one is responding :).

 

I think your plan would be great. I use WWE for listening comprehension and summarizing practice. I assign copywork once per week. I use WWW and IEW to teach writing skills, alternating them every couple of weeks. I use R&S English only for the grammar section, though sometimes I have my children do a writing assignment from this for review and reinfocement. I also add in various other writing assignments from time to time as they come up. For example, we are doing a study on New World Explorers, and I assigned my kids to do a research report on one explorer, incorporating the writing skills they have been practicing this year. I also have my kids enter writing contests once in a while as they come up.

 

WWW is a good workbook program. Writing is a difficult subject to teach, and WWW is helpful because it breaks down the steps and teaches basic writing skills with a straightforward approach. However, if WWW is the only writing that your kids do, I think it could get monotonous for both child and parent. I also think IEW and WWE would painfully boring if that is all one used day after day and week after week.

 

In other words, I think the best approach to teaching writing for younger kids is to use a variety of writing programs, give a variety of assignments, and think of writing topics that are at least of some interest to the child.

 

By the way, I started my 3rd grader in the second workbook of WWW3 (skipping the first workbook). That may be a good middle of the road approach if you choose not to start at WWW4.

[jenL]

All of these answers have been very helpful! Thank you so much!

[Lightly Salted]

Ds will be done with WWE3 mid-July (we started late after him hating WS3). For next year, I have purchased WWE4, but he really hates WWE and it's become miserable for both of us. So, I'm rethinking things...

 

I'm curious about WWW. I'd love to hear from current users regarding the pros and cons of this program. It looks systematic which would be exactly what ds needs.

 

Since he doesn't have strong paragraph writing skills because we've been primarily using WWE since 1st grade, I was thinking of starting with Level 3 even though he is going into 4th grade. In searching on the boards, I see some of you were going to try that route for the same reason. If you did this, would you share your experience?

 

Thanks!

 

This year, my 3rd grader did WWW and really enjoyed it. She needs programs that break down steps very incrementally, so it worked well for her, and she's really learned to put together paragraphs well.

 

That said, we aren't doing just WWW. She's in WWE2 and R&S English3. It hasn't been too much writing since we do most of R&S orally (except the diagramming). Sometimes if it feels like too much, if there has been a lot of writing in WWW, we'll skip the writing part of R&S until the next day, or do it orally as in WWE2. Next year, we'll continue this pattern unless it stops working for us.