WWE2 for a very reluctant 11yo writer?

[Sue G in PA]

Yet another post in my search for the "perfect" writing program for my children. ;) By program, I mean a sort of pieced together, must use what I have, on a budget, yet we MUST focus on honing our writing skills. :) Okay, so I am reading The Writers Jungle (finally...have had the download for over a year...sigh). I LOVE it! It really resonates with me. I love this approach to writing. WWE fits b/c of the copy work/dictation, narration aspect/focus in the early years. I have WWE2 to use with my dd8 (who loves to write) and ds10 (who hasn't done much writing period b/c of our focus to get him to read). Now, there is my ds11 (almost 12). Loathes writing...everything from the mechanical act of moving the pen across a page to the process of thinking about what to write and putting it on the page. He has done copy work (hates it). He has done simple dictation with HOD for 2 years now (hates it). I'm not really interested in whether or not he will "like" it. He hates everything except legos, Club Penguin, Batman, basketball and Minecraft. I want to know if it will HELP him or if it is too easy. I have WWS 4 (well, the sample download that goes to Week 10). Way above his head. Trust me. I'm not sure if I want to buy WWE3 just in case he hates it. I am considering other programs but wanted to know if I could use what I have...WWE2. Thanks for your advice!

[mo2]

:bigear:

[mo2]

bumping for you.

[KathyBC]

I would start the Freewrite technique from The Writer's Jungle with the reluctant 11yo. It is so powerful. It will be painful at first. Have everyone do it together - you, too. Set the timer and go. He can write about Legos, Batman, Club Penguin, Minecraft, or even about how much he hates writing. He just has to get putting his thoughts - HIS thoughts - on paper.

 

Where you want to go from there is up to you. You could pick the odd Freewrite to develop. You could use Julie's ideas for copywork/dictation. You could do WWE four days a week and use her techniques on Friday. What aspects of WWE do you think would be most helpful for him?

[Sue G in PA]

I honestly don't know what part of WWE would be most beneficial. I'm not sure what I'm even looking for to help him. I felt like I should start at square one with him b/c he doesn't write at.all. I am planning to start the freewrite with all my kids, as well as copywork. Some already do dictation...and we will continue. My brain hurts right now, lol. So I'm not sure where to begin now.

[mo2]

Sue, I started a separate thread asking for help for my 11yo. Maybe you could pop in there and see if the scenario sounds familiar to you?

[MeganW]

I have one kid who definitely has a learning problem (as yet unlabeled), and one who is just a little slow.

 

My rule for myself (in every subject) has been every time we get to something we hate / can't do, we go back to where it was easy and start again.

 

While you are searching for other answers as to what else may be going on, I would be tempted to go back through WWE1 & WWE2 and do all the narrations from beginning to end. I wouldn't do the parts that she has already done and didn't struggle with, but just do the applicable lessons. Hopefully, having been all the way through WWE2, the narrations at the beginning of WWE1 will now be easy.

 

Starting back at that easy point, for my kids anyway, rebuilds the confidence and allows them to begin trying again without the self-confidence hurdle being in the way. (Sometimes thinking they can't do it becomes the biggest obstacle in itself.) Prove they can do it with the easy stuff, and slowly work into the harder stuff.

 

You still need to be investigating if there are other challenges, but in the meantime, this will give you a way to keep working on the needed skills until you get some answers about another way to move forward. My kids don't ever ask, but maybe an 11yo would be more concerned about why they are moving backward? Be prepared to explain "we are just doing easy stuff for the summer" or something like that.

[Jyniffrec]

I have one kid who definitely has a learning problem (as yet unlabeled), and one who is just a little slow.

 

My rule for myself (in every subject) has been every time we get to something we hate / can't do, we go back to where it was easy and start again.

 

While you are searching for other answers as to what else may be going on, I would be tempted to go back through WWE1 & WWE2 and do all the narrations from beginning to end. I wouldn't do the parts that she has already done and didn't struggle with, but just do the applicable lessons. Hopefully, having been all the way through WWE2, the narrations at the beginning of WWE1 will now be easy.

 

Starting back at that easy point, for my kids anyway, rebuilds the confidence and allows them to begin trying again without the self-confidence hurdle being in the way. (Sometimes thinking they can't do it becomes the biggest obstacle in itself.) Prove they can do it with the easy stuff, and slowly work into the harder stuff.

 

You still need to be investigating if there are other challenges, but in the meantime, this will give you a way to keep working on the needed skills until you get some answers about another way to move forward. My kids don't ever ask, but maybe an 11yo would be more concerned about why they are moving backward? Be prepared to explain "we are just doing easy stuff for the summer" or something like that.

 

 

I'm not the original poster, but I needed to hear this. I, too, have a reluctant writer who happens to also be an 11 year old boy. I have taken the route of just having him write, without me even looking at it this year (except to occasionally make sure it is getting done) and it has worked to get him to put pen to paper. Going back to what worked before it was hard, as you say, is the approach I have been dancing around doing with my kids in other subjects, but without knowing how to put it into words. Now, this is significant for me, but what is also significant is the realization I had while reading your post that the program we have used for this particular child on this subject (writing) has never worked. So going back to when it was easy is impossible for now. That means it is time for me to look elsewhere. Your post clarified that for me! :)

[KathyBC]

My brain hurts right now, lol. So I'm not sure where to begin now.

(((Sue)))

[Sue G in PA]

Well, a little update...I read through most of The Writer's Jungle (phew...what a read!) and have decided to use suggestions in there for now and use the WWE2 for dd8, ds10 and ds11. Starting back at easy really resonated with me, too, and this kid really needs a large dose of confidence. Not sure if any of you read my post about needed to resuscitate our "coding" homeschool, but today we are ditching nearly everything we've been using (for a time...not forever) and shaking things up. It's the first really warm spring day here in PA and we will be planting our garden, going to a park, purchasing some nice notebooks for our copy work, and just having fun. Oh...that's all after our "family meeting" where I discuss the new "normal" ;)