Mynyel Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I really want to get my dd more into writing. She likes to write but needs more structure to her writing. We were doing IEW and we loved the program. However, I just don't have the time needed to do the TWSS and such. I work 32 hours a week (I am working to get that down to 24 but still takes up some time). So I got her the Writing With Skill. She hates it. (Sorry Susan!) She keeps saying she wants to go back to IEW, she loved it. I am torn. I don't know what to do! What you you do in my place? Stay with WWS, go with IEW or something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 How far have you gone in IEW? She might be able to work through the theme-based lessons more independently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Given what you've posted, I think IEW sounds like a great thing for you to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 If she likes IEW and it's worked for you--stay with it if you possibly can. I started giving my son access to teaching materials for the writing programs we used fairly early in his high school years. Doing that helped foster his ability to take on more responsibility and lessened my workload even though I kept a close eye on output. That said, we used a mix of programs and the only IEW materials we used were the communications skills dvd's so YMMV! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 How far have you gone in IEW? She might be able to work through the theme-based lessons more independently. She wasn't quite half way through SWI-B. She is older now so if I was to go with it I would go for SWI-C. However, I just can't invest the amount of time the TWSS wants from me. Not right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I hear you. There's no way I could work 32 hours per week and work my way through TWSS (plus manage everything else home/family/school related). Do you think she's up to tackling SWI-C independently? I hear that they have an excellent return policy, if it didn't work out. Could she take an online course with an IEW instructor? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3andme Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 If you want to pursue an online IEW course, here are some options: Excellence in Writing (IEW) Writing Foundations Webster's Academy The Inspired Scholar Write for Success Veritas Press (uses some IEW curricula) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 If you are open to outsourcing, I highly recommend Laurel Tree Tutorials. You may read my review here. I am happy to provide samples as well. As an update, ds earned an A in CC Honors Composition 1 last semester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I'm with Sue. I think the way to realistically give DD more structure -- AND you work 32 hours/week -- is to outsource: - There are many online classes, such as Laurel Tree Tutorials, The Potter's School Advanced Composition course, Veritas Press Scholars Academy, Landry Academy composition course, Regent University (online college English 101 for high school credit), etc. - Check for a good local homeschool co-op. - How about a good, personal tutor, who could also do the grading for you? - Or see what the quality of the nearest community college writing 101 classes are like. For that last option, your student can receive dual credit -- both high school AND college credit, which knocks off 1-2 classes of general ed. college coursework later on! BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Well I'll be the buckle down voice of sanity and say I wouldn't give in to the "hate WWS" thing. My dd has always been about as pencil-phobic as they come. Like we've done OT for handwriting and all sorts of stuff. This year she's doing WWS, and personally I think it's worth the effort. However it's not something you can just HAND all kids. If I just hand her the text, there's a lot of unsanctified spitting and frustration and worse going on. If *I* go through the student text and HIGHLIGHT in COLOR the important things, making it easier to read, voila she's golden. We had a thread on the LM board where we discussed this a bit. So I sympathize, but before I'd go tossing and jumping, I'd see if there's any way to make WWS work. I highlight the lessons. I also have her typing any significant writing. Is your dd typing her stuff? I also have this theory, and this is just me, that people do WWS too SLOWLY and let it get protracted and tedious. My theory has been the opposite. I pile it on and slog her down. A lot of days she does double lessons, and I have her do it 5 days a week. Yes it's cruel and more work, but I heard way too many stories of people complaining about how tedious it was. I figured I'd torture her, go fast and furious (sorry, bad pun), and get it over with. So far so good. BTW, somehow in this process of working harder at writing and doing more, she began to blossom. We also did some metronome work (helps executive function in the brain, which can actually be a problem in some of these kids who hate writing). Now she writes sheets and sheets and fills little notebooks and enters LotR fan fiction contests. This from the dc who a year ago I had in a co-op because our writing lives were so horrible. So sometimes doing more helps or changing the method of output and sometimes there's an underlying issue to find and work on. If your working memory is low and you're trying to hold your thoughts while you write, that's pretty frustrating, etc. etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I'm jumping in because writing is a big issue here. I'm trying to figure out how to add WWS to my plans without completely reworking my lit curric but still haven't figured out how to make it ask work. OE, what exactly is metronome work and how does it help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I'm jumping in because writing is a big issue here. I'm trying to figure out how to add WWS to my plans without completely reworking my lit curric but still haven't figured out how to make it ask work. OE, what exactly is metronome work and how does it help? I guess ditch the lit work. The BJU lit 9 we did wasn't worth much. WWS is more valuable in the long-run. Metronome stuff isn't original to me. Basic idea is that sense of time, rhythm, organization, etc. etc. are all in the "executive function" portion of the brain. So if you do things that involve rhythm, keeping time, working memory, bilaterality, etc. while using a metronome, you're getting all that to kick in. So you can do that and get that portion of the brain to work and develop a bit. That can improve their ability to hold their thoughts, do dictation, understand structure and organization in writing, etc. etc., all things that are school work. You can pay money and get it done therapeutically (Interactive Metronome), or you can be a bit hack and do it yourself with a free metronome app you download and activities you make up yourself. The latter is what we did. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Oh Elizabeth I just want to say thanks for the great posts. You have helped me decide that WWS is what I am going to try next with DS. The highlighting idea may work with other subjects as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 We already have a metronome on hand b/c DS is a musician. I'll have to do some research to see what I can come up with to help with his executive functioning. If I drop the Lit writing plans that I've already written (our Lit program is homemade through a variety of free sources online), and substitute with WWS, would it still be appropriate to have him at least read the works we've already selected and talk about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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