Slow Pace of WWE

[nellecv]

My daughter isn't enjoying WWE 1 so far. (We are up to week 6) She dislikes comprehension questions and HATES the copywork, even though I have her do the shortest sentences.

 

Looking ahead, I notice that the first 17 (!) weeks of copywork focus on proper capitalization. I don't think my daughter's going to make it through all that repetition without throwing a hissy fit.

 

Has anyone else found the slow pace to be a problem? Can someone give me a good reason for dragging capitals out that long? Is there a way to accelerate the grammar without increasing the writing? (In other words, I wouldn't want to move too quickly through the book and end up in WWE 2 long before DDs ready to write that much.) Other suggestions? Is there a better curriculum for a bright 6yo?

[JenniferLynn]

DD5.5 just finished WWE1 this week. She didn't mind the copy work, but the first 10-12 weeks of comprehension questions was hard. She was not used to paying attention in that way, or answering in complete sentences. It was worth sticking with that and she got much better through the year. For awhile, I would read the questions before the passage, so she knew what to listen for. Then I switched to reading twice before starting the questions. After a few weeks of both she could get most of the questions with one reading and minimal fussing.

[unfrumpable.]

Can you just not use the capitalization instructions and just have her copy the sentence? One of the reasons I love WWE1 is because the copy work is varied, not just writing the same letters over and over. I like that FLL and WWE merge with the grammar taught, but I wouldn't depend on WWE alone for grammar. That's just us though. :) Fortunately, my son enjoys WWE for the most part, though I have started going over the questions with him before reading and sometimes have to read through twice.

 

Oh, we just finished up week 5 in WWE1.

[skeeterbug]

We doubled up Level 1 and did two days at once. That meant if we did writing four days a week then we would complete two weeks of the curriculum every week. That was a good pace for us. Occasionally I skipped a week of lessons if I didn't care for the reading selection. Don't know if that would help your situation or not. I was tempted to skip more because it seemed so repetitive, but I am glad we stuck with it. It gave us a good rhythm and expectation for what we needed to get done everyday.

[boscopup]

Most first graders are still working on remembering to capitalize every sentence and put a punctuation mark at the end. That's the big thing that first graders need to know for writing sentences. If she's already doing that without you reminding her, don't bother reminding her. I often didn't point out the grammar in WWE, as we were well ahead in our grammar program. WWE is not meant to be a grammar program. It's a writing program that reinforces grammar already learned. If you want to move ahead in grammar, pick a higher level grammar program to use separately. :) (and I'll warn you now... most grammar programs don't pick up pace until 3rd grade level... BTDT with trying to find the right fit for a child that finds grammar easy - we're happily using KISS now).

 

I used the WWE copywork to work on handwriting (letter formation, neatness), though I did find that straight copywork wasn't as helpful for my son as dictation and copying from a textbook with some changes (ie, copy a sentence and add capitalization/punctuation or add a word or something that makes them THINK). He kind of checked out during straight copywork. :tongue_smilie: Never made a mistake, but also didn't seem to be learning anything from it either. He was just mindlessly copying without paying attention to what he was copying.

[nellecv]

Hmmm...I'm starting to wonder if DD needs WWE 1 at all. She has no problem answering the comprehension questions. (Not reading them before the passage, no rereading necessary, uses complete sentences). Pretty much all the books the passages are from are on our reading list for the year anyway. And while her handwriting is far from perfect, its very good for a 6yo. (I knew all that arts and crafts would be good for something other than destroying my kitchen table! :lol:)

 

Right now my major reasons for sticking it out are:

a) I'm inclined to think SWB has spent much more time and has much more experience figuring out how kids become good writers than I have. So I hate to buck her suggestions.

b) DD is very, very lazy. She's never really had to work at anything (academic at least), and really resists anything that requires a minimum amount of effort. So maybe pushing the copywork is good for her.

 

Are those good enough reasons?:confused:

[historically accurate]

Hmmm...I'm starting to wonder if DD needs WWE 1 at all. She has no problem answering the comprehension questions. (Not reading them before the passage, no rereading necessary, uses complete sentences). Pretty much all the books the passages are from are on our reading list for the year anyway. And while her handwriting is far from perfect, its very good for a 6yo. (I knew all that arts and crafts would be good for something other than destroying my kitchen table! :lol:)

 

Right now my major reasons for sticking it out are:

a) I'm inclined to think SWB has spent much more time and has much more experience figuring out how kids become good writers than I have. So I hate to buck her suggestions.

b) DD is very, very lazy. She's never really had to work at anything (academic at least), and really resists anything that requires a minimum amount of effort. So maybe pushing the copywork is good for her.

 

Are those good enough reasons?:confused:

 

Some ideas on upping the challenge: The hardback book gives where the "jumps" are in Writing with Ease. Could you give her the first weeks of each section (they're in the hardback book as example weeks) until it becomes challenging? If you think she's beyond WWE 1, the week 36 is an end of year test. Could she test into WWE 2? There is a big jump between level 1 & 2 if I remember correctly. Is she ready for dictation? ETA: if you don't want to increase the amount of writing, could you continue the copywork at her level, but look at going to a more detailed narration? Maybe instead of the "pick one thing you remember" go with a retelling in a couple of sentences. Then continue the copywork as written.

 

I used WWE as our only grammar until this year; oldest has picked grammar up through WWE and is flying through her grammar book. But, if you're using FLL, I honestly wouldn't do much more than mention the grammar or not mention it at all.

 

I've seen great strides in my oldest (10 yo) who has done levels 1,2 & is 3/4 of the way through 3, but she was not, and is not, a natural writer. When she started level 1 as a second grader, it still took almost 2 years to complete because she hated to actually physically write anything. My second dd has started level 1 (she's 6), and I'm having to accelerate her through it in order to give her some challenge (she does 2 weeks in 1). She's written her own stories for the past 2 or 3 years -- something my oldest has never felt the urge to do.

Edited June 15, 2012 by beckyjo

[Allearia]

It sounds like she is still having an issue with the copy work, does she have a problem writing it or just dislikes it? If you skip ahead you will miss the gradual lengthening of the sentences. You don't need to talk about the capitalization if she doesn't need it, just pay attention and see if she needs to be reminded or not. How is she about saying one thing she remembers about the passage? If the questions are too easy, can you work towards more of a retelling of the passage while still keeping this level of copy work? The passages themselves are all really good and have a lot you can discuss. Look at lessons later in the book and see how the questions and discussions of the passages develop. If you know where you are going, you don't need to follow each question and recommendation exactly, use this great selection of passages and copy work sentences at the level your child needs. If she is ready for a more complex discussion and narration but still needs the shortest sentences that is fine. Would she be more interested copying a sentence she comes up with? For example, my son still has problems with the comprehension, so we spend more time on that, but he writes down his own narration sentences without needing to copy them and I always have him do both of the copy work sentences. I only discuss the mechanics or grammar of the sentence if that is something he needs.

 

I would keep going with it, I wish I had finished with my older son even though he was way beyond the comprehension questions. And using books from your reading list is the best way to integrate it.

[justLisa]

I use other copy work. With DS I have him copy random things from Star Wars or something....or let him pick. I just give him a number of sentences.

 

With DD, we went through something between WWE1 and 2. She is not ready for dictation, but I have done 6 weeks of 2 with her and she seems to have good comprehension.

[nellecv]

Thanks for the suggestions. I guess we'll stick it out, but condense it a bit. I'll lay off the grammar lecture and just have her do the copywork to increase her writing endurance and to encourage her to complete work that requires effort. (She doesn't have trouble with the writing, she just doesn't like to do anything that doesn't have an instant "wow" payout. She likes projects or "really hard stuff" that she can impress people with and get lots of accolades for. I guess it's the curse of being an only child and the first grandchild on both sides of the family.)

[fourisenough]

My 7 year old sounds similar to your daughter. We did half of WWE 1 (did every other week) and it was plenty practice to master the skills for that level.

 

She easily transitioned into WWE 2 and is doing well through week 18, though she doesn't necessarily love it. :) We'll do all of this level before moving onto WWE 3.