I think I'm going to love TWJ!

[nwmama]

I got my TWJ in the mail a couple of days ago and have been reading through it and I'm in love! I keep reading passages out to DH after the kids have gone to bed; he politely listens and then goes back to his video game ;) Seriously, I wish this program had been around for me in high school. All of the things she talks about kids saying to their moms, I remember saying to mine.

 

My original plan was to use WWE/WWS as my spine and compliment it with TWJ but now I don't know, I might have to switch that around.

 

Edited to add: How much supplementing do you do for spelling/grammar/handwriting? Anyone want to tell what using Bravewriter looks like in your home?

 

[smudge]

My kids are about he same age as yours. I am planning WWE, what is TWJ?

[nwmama]

The Writer's Jungle/Bravewriter. It's dictation/copywork/narration just like WWE but I am loving TWJ's attitude toward writing. She encourages giving struggling writer's a break instead of making them write everyday, like some programs suggest. She encourages letting copywork be whatever the kids are interested in, even if it's Lego's lists or song lists or from the novel they are currently reading. But the biggest thing for me is that she is less about making writing fit a formula and more about making it interesting. Trying to make what I wanted to say fit a formula drove me crazy in school and I have heard so many kids papers from IEW that bored me to tears that I refuse to do it, even though it's part of Classical Conversations.

 

All that said, I don't actually have WWE yet so I'll wait until it gets here before I decide for sure.

[Farrar]

Edited to add: How much supplementing do you do for spelling/grammar/handwriting? Anyone want to tell what using Bravewriter looks like in your home?

 

 

We didn't find BW until we were basically done with handwriting instruction, so the writing we do is plenty of practice.

 

Last year, we read Grammarland for grammar. We did it slowly, off and on - it was very, very easy and fun. We also did things like Mad Libs and occasional little worksheets here and there. Nothing heavy. But I don't believe in heavy grammar instruction, so in that sense, my philosophy lines up with BW completely. Next year, I got MCT Island for really, really cheap and we'll read Grammar and Sentence Island as read alouds like we did for Grammarland.

 

For spelling, we do AAS. One of my twins spells okay. The other one is abysmal. Like, really, really bad. And I felt like he needed the phonics back up yet again. Once he had done AAS 1 and 2, I decided his twin could benefit and it was taking us so little time that it seemed like a no-brainer. I would love to drop it and just do spelling through dictation, but there's no way. My poor speller needs a really structured program.

 

I've posted a bunch about our BW routine. It's similar to what she talks about, but we do our own tweaks. We don't get to poetry tea absolutely every week. We take a day for writing projects because otherwise they would never happen. We do written narration because my kids are horrible at oral narration. They start stuttering and hyperventilating if I try to write or type what they're saying.

[alisoncooks]

I'm interested in hearing, too.

I spent much of yesterday debating about purchasing "Jot it Down" for this coming school year. :p I think it looks great...

[nwmama]

 

 

We didn't find BW until we were basically done with handwriting instruction, so the writing we do is plenty of practice.

 

Last year, we read Grammarland for grammar. We did it slowly, off and on - it was very, very easy and fun. We also did things like Mad Libs and occasional little worksheets here and there. Nothing heavy. But I don't believe in heavy grammar instruction, so in that sense, my philosophy lines up with BW completely. Next year, I got MCT Island for really, really cheap and we'll read Grammar and Sentence Island as read alouds like we did for Grammarland.

 

For spelling, we do AAS. One of my twins spells okay. The other one is abysmal. Like, really, really bad. And I felt like he needed the phonics back up yet again. Once he had done AAS 1 and 2, I decided his twin could benefit and it was taking us so little time that it seemed like a no-brainer. I would love to drop it and just do spelling through dictation, but there's no way. My poor speller needs a really structured program.

 

I've posted a bunch about our BW routine. It's similar to what she talks about, but we do our own tweaks. We don't get to poetry tea absolutely every week. We take a day for writing projects because otherwise they would never happen. We do written narration because my kids are horrible at oral narration. They start stuttering and hyperventilating if I try to write or type what they're saying.

 

 

Thanks! I was hoping you'd post since I'd seen a few of your posts about how much you love it. Do you use any of the BW subscriptions? I'm not sure I understand what they are all for.

[Farrar]

Thanks! I was hoping you'd post since I'd seen a few of your posts about how much you love it. Do you use any of the BW subscriptions? I'm not sure I understand what they are all for.

 

 

The Wand, Arrow and Boomerang are each for the dictation/copywork piece of BW. Since dictation is also meant to be a way to explore grammar and mechanics, they all cover that as well and also integrate some literary elements. Wand is for younger kids, Arrow for upper elementary and middle school, and Boomerang for middle school or early high school.

 

I think the subscription to the Arrow and Boomerang are probably not a good deal for most people. Even though all the books are good, there will inevitably be one or two that you're not into, or that aren't right for your kids, or that you've already read aloud and don't want to read again. I think if you want to do the Arrow, that you're better off making a bundle from HSBC. We use the Arrow occasionally, but I also choose our copywork and dictation from whatever we're reading aloud myself.

 

The Wand works differently, with levels. If you see the sample, it's for the very, very first (and easiest) level. It ramps up. I wish I had discovered it in time to use it. Alas!

 

The other two newer products - Jot It Down and Partnership Writing are for writing projects. I have PW and we've already started using it. It has been fun. In fact, I just put together something for my kids to decode in the secret codes writing project we're working on. :D

[nwmama]

And is it a one-time purchase or something you would need to buy for each of your kids?

[nwmama]

I think my problem is that it all seems astronomically expensive if I had 4 kids, each using a different subscription in a given year. As much as I like TWJ, with WWE all I have to buy each year, once I have the manual and workbook, is the student pages for the next child.

[Farrar]

You only buy TWJ once. You use anything you buy with all the kids. With The Arrow/Boomerang, you might want to keep buying because the books change. But with the Wand, you can buy it once and use it with all your kids. Same with Jot It Down and Partnership Writing. And I think if it really works for you, that you can get the hang of it and do it without buying the subscriptions or the bundles. I don't think it's more expensive than WWE overall, especially if you don't get any of the extras.

[Walking-Iris]

To address the WWE part of your question; I use BW as a spine supplemented with WWE. I had started using WWE before I started BW, but WWE is still a favorite part of our day.

 

I use it as a resource for daily dictation and narration passages. We use Arrow guides as well for the longer dictation. But I let my ds do that as copywork and then work with it throughout the week. We like variety so WWE to the rescue. TWJ talks about things like copywork jars and making and finding your own dictation passages, but I never would do that I'm afraid. We also like the short reading passages in WWE. We have discovered some new favorites to read from using it. Who would have thought my ds would want to read Pilgrim's Progress? I certainly didn't. But I also really appreciate having a guide to a month long read aloud and the writing activity and literary elements in Arrow.

 

I like the ready made passages and narration review questions in WWE as well. We do narrations orally because my ds really needed to work on that skill, but I allow them to be more conversation like as opposed to the WWE formula. I've seen oral narrations following WWE improving his conversation in other parts of his life as well. He's on the ASD spectrum, and WWE has been our number 1 program that has been effective in his oral communication skills. I follow Arrow dictation guidelines when using WWE dictation. I basically ignore the WWE instructions unless there's some grammar to touch on. I don't write down his narrrations and dictate them back to him. I prefer narrations BW style. He is more than able to write them on his own without turning it into a dictation exercise. Although I don't ask him to write down narrations.

 

I only buy back issues of Arrow guides. You wouldn't have to buy them again. I have all our Arrow guides printed out and in my writing binder. I buy more as we come to a book that we are/want to read. But I imagine when my younger children are ready I wouldn't buy very many if at all, already having a collection from my oldest.

 

I don't use The Wand (don't really plan to), but I am going to use JotItDown and PW with my rising 1st and 5th grader. Again that's a one time purchase.

 

Also I don't think you have to even buy the student pages for WWE. Just make copies. OR don't use them at all. I don't. We do our WWE and BW Arrow dictations in a nice unlined spiral sketchbook. My ds gets to illustrate that scene under with colored pens and pencils. It really makes a nice keepsake other than a lot of loose notebook paper or WWE student sheets. Less boring anyway!! ;)

 

And I'll use the same WWE books with all my children. No other purchases.

 

ETA: WWE is skills---copywork, dictation, narration, summarizing, listening/reading comprehension. BW is craft---that's where your actual writing will happen. Freewrites, research, projects, literary elements, journaling etc. Finding your writer's voice. Creativity.

[TraceyS/FL]

I have to stop reading these threads.... because I'm going to end up with WWE for my LD'd child.... NO MORE SPENDING this month.

[Walking-Iris]

I have to stop reading these threads.... because I'm going to end up with WWE for my LD'd child.... NO MORE SPENDING this month.

 

 

 

I understand. I feel like I need to freeze my homeschooling funds for the next year. :leaving:

 

I've had this success with WWE but it's just me as far as I've seen. I have no clue if other parents with children with any LDs or on the ASD spectrum or any other sort of thing has had the same outcome.

 

Sounds like a question for the SN board.

 

My ds has some auditory issues and I just discovered accidentally that WWE was helping him listen carefully. He also had a hard time getting his thoughts in order when talking or sharing an anecdote. WWE helped. He did have speech as well and he's going to start with a new SLP.

 

He doesn't have any problems writing though. He always liked to write. That's why I went with BW ...so he could write. I admit to still being confused why WWE is a writing program. But it has helped him learn to get his thoughts in order before narrating, and not just reading selections , but sharing other anecdotes/experiences in conversation with us and others.

 

I imagine that just narration could help in any context. But for me it was the guided questioning SWB provides that seemed to be key for us.