Lots of boys Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 O.K. after much debating, I have decided to try IEW next year for my 9 year old son. He is really writing phobic (carefully calculates the shortest words possible to use when completing worksheets or coming up with a narration he knows he will have to copy :( ). We will continuw WWE3 as well. My question is this: I will buy the TWSS and assummed I would also buy SWI-A as well. I am not confident at all teaching writing. I am concerned that if I just buy TWSS that I won't have enough instruction to teach him effectively. However, I also don't want to spend more than necessary - money is tight for us. So will SWI-A be helpful along with TWSS for a mom that is NOT confident about teaching writing? Or will I be dissappointed after watching TWSS that I also bought SWI-A because it was uneccesary? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 :lurk5: I'm probably going to go this way for my 11 yo next year. Just like your ds, she figures out the shortest words & sentences possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinmami01 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 We just took the plunge and I went ahead and ordered the SWI-A combo that includes the TWSS. My boys are 11 and have a history of learning challenges including severe speech apraxia and auditory processing disorder. I'm pretty sure they are dyslexic as well, although they don't have an actual dyslexia diagnosis. Honestly, I was desperate after trying WWE and WWW and not feeling confident in teaching writing. I had my eye on IEW but didn't want to spend the money, so I figured I would put it off til next year. I was the one dreading writing and figured I had the 100% guarantee to fall back on. That along with the high resale value and I went ahead with my order. We are only two weeks in, but so far, I'm glad I have them both. It's a lot of info to take in and I have read it can be done without both, but I figured if I'm going to do it, I want to be sure to do it right and cut our budget elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tullyfamily Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 We are 3 lessons away from finishing SWI-A. My eldest 3 are using it- age 12, 10 & 8 (1 girl & 2 boys). I owned TWSS for years but wasn't consistent with implementing it until I bought SWI. Love it! :) TWSS is educating me (watch the DVD that cordinates with the unit in SWI) whie SWI does all the planning for me. :) I ordered SICC-A next. My goal is to implement TWSS into everyday life. We also use WWE (usually 2 lessons a day- recently, we were just doing dictation) & my eldest is using WWS. I think both Bauer & Pudewa have merit, so I like combining both. But my children enjoy Pudewa better. I think I've learned more on how to teach writing from IEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I got both, but after watching TWSS, I really felt like I didn't need SWI-A. I'm not a confident writing teacher (I'm an engineer :tongue_smilie: ), but I felt confident after watching TWSS. It really does lay it all out for you and makes it sound easy. :) The main reason I kept SWI-A is because I was scared of teaching unit 3 myself. Well, when we got there, I still had trouble with it... The first story went fine (Pudewa teaches it on the DVD), but the reinforcement stories... I didn't understand their outlines based on the story sequence chart. I decided to set it aside and move on to unit 4, after we spend some more time in WWE. We'll plan on doing unit 4 before the year is out, then finish up the rest next year. My son is a lot like yours - purposely choosing shorter words and shorter sentences so he wouldn't have to write as much. I finally realized that his biggest issue with writing was that he didn't know how to spell the words. He's a perfectionist! Since he's very well read, he uses words that are above his spelling grade level, and he just flounders when trying to write them. Pudewa definitely helped that, talking about using a pen and making a messy rough draft. :D So there was benefit to having Pudewa do the teaching in this case. I'm not unhappy about getting SWI-A, but if I had been strapped for cash, I could have done without it, if that makes sense. Note that there is only a video lesson about once every 2 weeks (if doing the 30 week schedule). You teach the reinforcement materials yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Loved it for introducing writing. My oldest did 2 years of it. We started with supplementals like "fables". Then moved onto CCA. My 10 year old did SWI-A. He's a reluctant writer but shocked me by actually liking it! We are now doing WWS 1 and he begs to go back to IEW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessa516 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I ordered TWSS and the SWI-A combo and glad I did. I could have put something together after watching the first TWSS video, but I'm so glad that I have everything prepared and ready for me with SWI-A. It was well worth it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sometimes I regret buying SWI, because TWSS is so very good that it made me feel 100% capable, and it has always been my preference to write across the curriculum. However, my kids love Andrew, so I let him teach the SWI. Then, instead of using the included extra materials to reinforce his lesson, I use our own science, history, etc. I did buy both used, so that certainly helps keep remorse at bay. ;) Look for a video of Andrew teaching and see how your kids respond. That will tell you if it would be worth it to you to buy the SWI. If they don't care for his teaching style, you would be better off with TWSS alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Twain Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I am definitely happy with the TWSS plus SWI-A combo. Since your ds is writing phobic, I would recommend the SWI-A. Andrew Pudewa goes over especially well with boys. Also, since you are not feeling confident in teaching writing, I think that is another good reason to buy the SWI-A. The cost for IEW isn't actually as high as it seems. For example, if I bought WWW for each of my three kids, it would cost at least $90 per year. The SWI-A gives you 1-2 years of writing for all of your kids, so the price becomes cheaper if you have several chldren. After initiallly balking at the IEW prices, I have slowly been converted to their philosophy and see the value in their products. This has much to do with observing the results with my 4th grade boy who used to be writing phobic. It is also partly due to listening to several Andrew Pudewa's lectures last summer. This year, I will finish the SWI-A with two of my kids. For next year, I plan on getting the SICC-A (continuation course after SWI-A), as well as Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization, Teaching the Classics, and a couple of other resources from IEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Pudewa goes over especially well with boys. YES! In fact, it was his talk, Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day that sold me on IEW. http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/tb-e Justamouse linked the talk when it was free on Circe. I had seen it and didn't bother so many times, but when it was free, I listened...and LOVED!!! He understands my boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 We quit narrations because my son would choose ridiculously short words and sentences just to avoid writing. We tried a few writing programs that were like pulling teeth. We both hated it. Then I bit the bullet and got TWSS and SWI-A. Wow! My son *loves* Andrew Pudewa. It was helpful to remove myself from being his only writing teacher. The year before, he wrote his first paragraph----after tears, piddling, complaining, etc. It literally took weeks to get that one paragraph done. After starting IEW, he could write a paragraph in a reasonable period of time and have a smile on his face. We started in late Oct/early Nov, and he loves it. I had come to dread writing instruction as much as he did. It was torture for both of us. Because of this, I felt that I would need a lot of hand-holding and specific how-to's. Now I also realize that SWI was so valuable because some of ds's instruction was coming from someone else. He was seeing other children practice the skills--and sometimes not get it right. It was just the encouragement he needed. I'm very glad I bought both TWSS and SWI-A, but I know that not everyone needs as much support. We were seriously stuck and needed a big boost to put us on the right track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I went through TWSS (borrowed from a friend) before doing SWI-A this year. I'm so glad that I did go through it first. I never thought I could teach writing, and now I'm actually teaching a class of 12 kids (with SWI-A helping me!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest catinthehat Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm new here and hoping someone can clear up some abbreviations for me. WWA? WWS? CCA? What are these? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm new here and hoping someone can clear up some abbreviations for me. WWA? WWS? CCA? What are these? Thanks in advance. WWW -- Winning with Writing WWA?? WWS -- Writing with Skill CCA?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 We actually just purchased SWI-A and I did not get the TWSS. I have found I have not really needed it either. I watch the video along with dd and between that and the teacher's pages I have been just fine. Next year we will be doing SICC A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.