Who is actually successful with Writing Strands?

[FairProspects]

Any tips? I'm thinking of using Level 2 and breaking down each assignment into 2 weeks since we won't do Writing Composition everyday. Does this sound like it will work?

[nova147]

:lurk5:

 

I'm planning to use this too.

[Ellie]

Most people wait until their dc are old enough to do Level 3. :)

[Deee]

We waited till level three. My son was 10.

Did he like it? No!

Did I have to push him to do it? Yep.

Was it painful? Oh yes, indeedy!

Does he still complain about it? Yep.

Did it improve his writing? Yep.

Will I make him do level 4? You bet (he's whinging in anticipation)

D

[Closeacademy]

We are using it this year. My 7th grade dd is enjoying WS3. We do 1 lesson per week. She is 3 lessons in and I see improvement in her composition. Before she got a deer in headlights look when you would ask her to write. Now that she has some guidance it is so much better.:001_smile:

[abrightmom]

We waited till level three. My son was 10.

Did he like it? No!

Did I have to push him to do it? Yep.

Was it painful? Oh yes, indeedy!

Does he still complain about it? Yep.

Did it improve his writing? Yep.

Will I make him do level 4? You bet (he's whinging in anticipation)

D

 

:lol::001_smile::lol:

 

I just LOVE this post. Truly love it. Thanks for sharing. I pray for your strength to press into my kids.

 

I have been trying to muster up the courage to use Writing Strands. Frankly, SWB endorses it and it has stood the test of time. I also listened to Dave Marks talk about Writing Strands (there's an audio you can link to on the Writing Strands website) and it helped me to grasp the big picture. I can't explain it (my narration skills are terrible) but I can say that it DID build my confidence in the process he has laid down.

[Mommy22alyns]

We waited till level three. My son was 10.

Did he like it? No!

Did I have to push him to do it? Yep.

Was it painful? Oh yes, indeedy!

Does he still complain about it? Yep.

Did it improve his writing? Yep.

Will I make him do level 4? You bet (he's whinging in anticipation)

D

 

What didn't your DS like about it? Do you think it could be used along with WWE? I've looked at it several times, but I don't "get" it yet.

[Deee]

My son didn't like Writing Strands because it made him think: he's quite bright and very lazy. Writing Strands pushed him to pick up his pen, turn on his brain and do some work. It has no short cuts - you have to write, but its not labour intensive: the lessons are short and direct. This was a good thing for us because the whinging (him) and ranting (me) were lengthy!. We're taking a break this year and using Killgallon's sentence composing. Its working well as a complement to Writing Strands - he likes the examples from novels and we do a lot orally so he can't whinge about the physical act of writing. We'll do level 4 of WS next year (year 7). I think its a good writing program (I'm a scientific writer by trade). We do most of our writing in history and science: we take notes and write summaries, so I don't see any need for WWE (we'd gone beyond it before I discovered it).

 

I actually think the best complementary program for WS for ME was the Writer's Jungle. I needed to change my attitude to my son's writing. TWJ lightened me up.

 

I'm off to find that video....

D

[ChrissySC]

Too early with WS is usually where failure happens. It depends on the child too. As a matter of fact, dd11 struggled with some of the assignments in level 4 this past year. We do about half a book, but I use Write with the Best and Writer's Express too. I believe more in modeling versus imitation, using good works to illustrate how to write versus rewriting. WS has fewer models, but I copy them from the text and make them large enough to view easily while dd writes. When needed, I find models that will serve for the focus of that lesson.

 

As well, it is essential that you use the check sheets and discuss the paragraphs/essays. You have to find the three areas for improvement, check spelling, watch the grammar, etc. If not, you are blindly writing paragraphs.

 

Too many times, a resource is considered boring and lacks purpose because it is not used as intended. Keep this in mind. It is not meant to be tedious or overwhelming. It is very gentle.:001_smile: It does need you to evaluate and instruct.

[cbollin]

My failure to success story with Writing Strands?

failure - used it too early with oldest. I wasn't sure how to help my daughter take the thoughts in her head and put them on paper. I had to learn the value of copywork and even "double dictation" (you speak, I write those words you said, you write them after me. We edit together and rewrite).

Oldest is bright but scattered and unwilling to be helped in many things.

Then, after setting down WS 2 and 3 for a few years.... picked it back up in middle of 5th grade. worked together as coach/mentor and student.

I know I originally thought written to the student meant student works by self.. but then I realized, this is a suggested script to guide them through the drill and skills being taught in the lesson.

She did then WS 3, 4, 5 and parts of 6 by end of 8th grade.... She's still lazy, but will write. She unwilling to be helped with writing in many cases. and tries way too hard to write all fancy.

Middle child, started WS 3 in 4th grade, dabbled in WS 4 in 5th and 6th.... plenty of narration, copywork, dictation, notebook summaries, and lots of out loud story telling....

She's doing ok.

When WS clicked for me? When I began to read the objectives of the lesson, see the exercises as drills in those skills. Use the script as guidance to talk through the project. Made suggestions as needed. Used the "hints boxes" to help improve writing each time. Then, used those box hints as checklists overall for review and retention.

and continue to read aloud quality books.

-crystal

[abrightmom]

Too early with WS is usually where failure happens. It depends on the child too. As a matter of fact, dd11 struggled with some of the assignments in level 4 this past year. We do about half a book, but I use Write with the Best and Writer's Express too. I believe more in modeling versus imitation, using good works to illustrate how to write versus rewriting. WS has fewer models, but I copy them from the text and make them large enough to view easily while dd writes. When needed, I find models that will serve for the focus of that lesson.

 

As well, it is essential that you use the check sheets and discuss the paragraphs/essays. You have to find the three areas for improvement, check spelling, watch the grammar, etc. If not, you are blindly writing paragraphs.

 

Too many times, a resource is considered boring and lacks purpose because it is not used as intended. Keep this in mind. It is not meant to be tedious or overwhelming. It is very gentle.:001_smile: It does need you to evaluate and instruct.

What practical, wise advice Chrissy. Thanks. :001_smile: How do you weave your chosen writing curricula together and not overwhelm your student with writing? I like the looks of WWtB, I just picked up Kilgallon and love it, and I also have WE but I am not sure what to do with it. Perhaps I should PM you or check your blog.

Edited July 1, 2012 by abrightmom

[ChrissySC]

I use content areas. WS has some wonderful units. They focus on creative, descriptive, narrative, organization, etc. I pair them with Writer's Express. I divide the year up by topic and then by content. I list from each resource the best exercises/writing instruction. Often, we will only read the Writer's Express and perform the writing tasks in WS. So, not overwhelming - my dd is not writing all of the time. The hand books are such a great approach to deliver information, and the web site has great age-appropriate models. From year to year, we will reread the sections that apply knowledge to the WS assignment too.

 

I love the skills exercise book for the handbook in WE too. They add a twist to the tools and forms without the formality. I got the TM only.

 

Write with the Best serves a wide grade range. I choose two/three units each summer. We will finish up the fifth unit this summer. You could easily incorporate a unit or two towards the end of the year.

 

Why this? I like that WwtB uses classical literature that is full of description. I like the way that the units work with parts of speech too. Actually from the use, I discovered that we will need to work much more on sentence structure (more study of POS and diagramming (ordered Winston and the First Book of Diagrams from Rainbow last week).

 

As a matter of fact, I use Killgallon too, but I pair it with R&S as we approach that part of speech. :D I will be adding the second Killgallon book, Story Grammar, this year.

 

While it looks like a lot, I use items that span grade levels! We are never in a rush to finish the book. We never feel the need to hurry either. Often, this means that we have three grade levels to finish a book!

 

How so?

 

Writing Strands Level 4 is for the ages 13-14. I still have time to finish or revisit difficult assignments. I think that Level 3 is best started at fourth grade. Take longer if need be. I have never liked levels one or two. I would prefer someone choose narration over that.

 

Write with the Best is suggested for grades 3 to 12. Well now isn't that great! There are two volumes by the way.

 

Writer's Express (Handbook, not to be confused with the Write Source grade-leveled sets) should be used from the 3rd to the 5th grade. I think that through the sixth grade is a best as there are a few topics that are not easily understood. You would have to pay attention to the student and be the judge. I will switch to Write Source (handbook again) and use it through the 8th grade.

 

From there ... a good dose of rhetoric should be just what the doctor orders! I just haven't cemented my resources for high school yet.

 

When you break it down, the focus is very purposeful, and the time is not bound by contraints. If we move slower, I open HST and copy to next year's lesson plan. I change dates and reassign as is required. No problem.

 

PM/Catch me anytime. I'm always happy to share. It may help you create something great that works well for you!

 

Help any? I really should put some of this up on my blog, which misses me the last two months. It is moving to a perm home! I have spent gads of hours writing the code for the front page and creating and editing the video flash. LOL OK, more like I have been playing versus keeping up with things. :lol:

[FairProspects]

You all have given me lots to think about. Interestingly, many of the reasons listed why WS has been a struggle, make me think it might actually work for us. Ds is a top down thinker, and has the thoughts in his head, but doesn't know how to break those down into steps to get them on paper. I really just need to give him the prompt and the format, and I think he will be able to go with it. I haven't looked at 3 yet, but I'm fairly confident he will do well with 2, or that I can scaffold it, so we'll try 2, and maybe take a break to do Killgallon before going into 3.

[abrightmom]

I use content areas. WS has some wonderful units. They focus on creative, descriptive, narrative, organization, etc. I pair them with Writer's Express. I divide the year up by topic and then by content. I list from each resource the best exercises/writing instruction. Often, we will only read the Writer's Express and perform the writing tasks in WS. So, not overwhelming - my dd is not writing all of the time. The hand books are such a great approach to deliver information, and the web site has great age-appropriate models. From year to year, we will reread the sections that apply knowledge to the WS assignment too.

 

I love the skills exercise book for the handbook in WE too. They add a twist to the tools and forms without the formality. I got the TM only.

 

Write with the Best serves a wide grade range. I choose two/three units each summer. We will finish up the fifth unit this summer. You could easily incorporate a unit or two towards the end of the year.

 

Why this? I like that WwtB uses classical literature that is full of description. I like the way that the units work with parts of speech too. Actually from the use, I discovered that we will need to work much more on sentence structure (more study of POS and diagramming (ordered Winston and the First Book of Diagrams from Rainbow last week).

 

As a matter of fact, I use Killgallon too, but I pair it with R&S as we approach that part of speech. :D I will be adding the second Killgallon book, Story Grammar, this year.

 

While it looks like a lot, I use items that span grade levels! We are never in a rush to finish the book. We never feel the need to hurry either. Often, this means that we have three grade levels to finish a book!

 

How so?

 

Writing Strands Level 4 is for the ages 13-14. I still have time to finish or revisit difficult assignments. I think that Level 3 is best started at fourth grade. Take longer if need be. I have never liked levels one or two. I would prefer someone choose narration over that.

 

Write with the Best is suggested for grades 3 to 12. Well now isn't that great! There are two volumes by the way.

 

Writer's Express (Handbook, not to be confused with the Write Source grade-leveled sets) should be used from the 3rd to the 5th grade. I think that through the sixth grade is a best as there are a few topics that are not easily understood. You would have to pay attention to the student and be the judge. I will switch to Write Source (handbook again) and use it through the 8th grade.

 

From there ... a good dose of rhetoric should be just what the doctor orders! I just haven't cemented my resources for high school yet.

 

When you break it down, the focus is very purposeful, and the time is not bound by contraints. If we move slower, I open HST and copy to next year's lesson plan. I change dates and reassign as is required. No problem.

 

PM/Catch me anytime. I'm always happy to share. It may help you create something great that works well for you!

 

Help any? I really should put some of this up on my blog, which misses me the last two months. It is moving to a perm home! I have spent gads of hours writing the code for the front page and creating and editing the video flash. LOL OK, more like I have been playing versus keeping up with things. :lol:

 

Chrissy,

 

Thanks for sharing how you use these resources. I am sure it has inspired the OP. :D Does the Writers Express handbook give you enough info. that you feel comfortable teaching from it? Do you use any sort of teacher's guide with it?

 

FairProspects, I think you should give WS a whirl. It is very inexpensive and has a long standing reputation. :001_smile:

[ChrissySC]

I actually grabbed the Hewitt lesson plans that were really inexpensive. I use their content topics from WExpress and WSource to guide my lineup. I do not have a TE but for the Skills book for WExpress. I like the extra talk and teacher notes, as well as the mini lessons in the back. We do the lessons, and I use the TE for discussion or how to approach a topic to explain the content direction.

 

I promise that it is really easy to line up! All of the resources are clearly identifiable in both their contenct and topic.