What exactly do I need to buy? - IEW users!!

[Misty]

I'm looking at using IEW for the first time. My daughter has been asking for more research-based writing assignments and she wants nothing more than to be a published writer when she grows up. So, I think it's time to splurge on IEW. However, the website has my head spinning! Do I need to order the Student Writing Intensive course (level B???) and do I need the Teaching Writing: Structure & Style DVD's?? What else do I need to complete this course?

 

Do you think level B is the correct level for my dd? She'll be 11 this fall and is a very (VERY) strong reader and creative writer, but has not had much in the way of formal writing instruction.

 

Thanks!

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I purchased IEW at the homeschool fair, and my dd is nearly the same age as yours (she will be 11 in 3 months). Mine is also a strong reader but does have some writing experience. I purchased Level B from them after talking to them and going over her strong/weak points. I have not started it yet, we will in another month, so I'm no help on knowing if I picked the right level or not, but they seemed quite sure I was choosing correctly. HTH

[Misty]

Thanks, I think it will be a good level to go with. But what else did they recommend you buy? The DVD set? What else?

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I bought the package that is $239.00, this one

https://www.excellenceinwriting.com/index.php?q=product/teaching-writing/student-writing-intensive-combo-pack-level-b

 

The reason was that I needed/wanted someone to teach me as well as something that would directly teach/work with my daughter. Given all the rave reviews here, I think it will be great!

[shea]

The IEW Families yahoo group is a great place to get any of your IEW questions answered. It is a very active group. I'm sorry, I tried to figure out how to post a link to take you right to the group's home page but no luck.

 

Sue

[angela in ohio]

Well, that depends on how you want to use it. You can teach from just the TWSS (that's what I do,) or you can use that to teach you the program, but then get the SWI for dc.

[Misty]

Mom2GirlsTX or anyone else,

Have you found the Seminar workbook useful? I see there's an option to purchase the combo pack WITHOUT the seminar workbook. Just wondering if I could save money and get the cheaper pack.

[StephanieZ]

just the TWSS (w/o the SWI). They say that's all you need to teach everything. The SWI and other helps are just convenience items to some extent. . .

 

I wasn't inspired by the SWI as I didn't want my kids to be learning from Andrew; I wanted them learning from me and *I* needed to learn how to teach them in this way so I could use the methods to teach writing across the curriculum (history, science, etc) as that is a goal of mine.

 

However, I *did* also buy the Fables Myths & Fairy Tales lesson plans (pretty cheap, abt $30) to help me jump into the process and get the hang of it before totally diverging onto our own lessons. I really like this book as it really has made it easy for me to dive into the process and my kids like that topic, so it was an easy choice for me.

 

The IEW families group is a bottomless pit of valuable insights.

 

Remember that IEW has a fabulous forever $ back guarantee, so if you buy SWI or FM&FT or whatever but decide you don't want it, you can send it back (or simply resell it which is also very easy to do).