Come clean, how many writing programs have you tried or ordered, then sold?

[rafiki]

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[rafiki]

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[Mommyfaithe]

I have been homeschooling 13 years...and try a new program (at least one) every year...and although I can name a few of my losers.... Writing Strands, Jump In, Learning Language Arts through Lit, A Beka writing portion (although I LOVE their Grammar,...

Our winner hands down is Institute for Excellence in Writing History Based Lessons combined with BraveWriter Kidswrite INT and Expository Essay class.

 

IEW is absolutely AWESOME for teaching structure...the HOW to write this darn paper...and Bravewriter is absolutely incredible for a child who needs to find his or her own writing voice...put those together...and WOW!!! My kids can WRITE!!

 

~~Faithe

[Beth in Central TX]

I started homeschooling in 2003, and for the first 3-years I bought and used Writing Strands then Imitation in Writing. I went to one of the very first Lost Tools of Writing Workshops, but I never implemented the program in our homeschool. In 2006, I purchased Classical Writing, and I plan to stay with this program through high school.

[Karenciavo]

Writing Strands and IEW were both wash outs here.

 

Classical Writing was a hit, but it doesn't fit for us anymore. The Lost Tools of Writing is working well for ds13 and Writing Aids is working for ds15. Ds 6 is simply doing copy work. My original plan was to use CW with him beginning in 2nd grade, but WWE is tempting to try.

[Trivium Academy]

We have: Writing Aids from TOG, Writing Tales 1, Primary & Intermediate Language Lessons by Margot Davidson. I like them all, love them in fact but I'm not using Writing Aids fully and I'm not sure how Writing Tales will fit in, maybe in-between Primary and Intermediate?

 

I do feel that between Writing Aids and the Language Lessons books we have a solid writing program. The big decision time for us will be after Intermediate Language Lessons whether to use Writing Aids as the main program or to use another program like Lost Tools of Writing (which has caught my eye).

 

I do have other little booklets I've picked up cheaply like "Better Than Book Reports" by Scholastic Press, "Creative Writing Ideas" by Evan-Moor, "How To Report on Books" by Evan-Moor and a few other titles.

 

I'm not sure I should have answered this, it's probably for older students. :)

[MIch elle]

Calvert 4, Calvert 6, Write on Track, Writers Inc., The Write Stuff Adventure, Families Writing; Outlining, Note Taking, Report Writing Skills; Medieval Legends Imitation in Writing; Wordsmith Apprentice, Wordsmith, Worthsmith Craftsman, Put That In Writing v1, IEW TWSS, IEW SWI A, IEW U.S. History Based Writing Lessons v1 & v2. Many of these we never tried. I bought several at the same time and then chose from the pack (and never sent them back! -thinking I might use them for my next dc -LOL).

 

We had the most success with IEW U.S. History Based Writing Lessons v1 (didn't get to v2) for grades 7 & 8. We'll be using IEW Ancient History Based Writing Lessons for gr. 6 this fall.

[SheilaZ]

I tried to use Writing Strands. I knew within a week that I could not use it.

We used just R&S english for a few years. Then DS1 took a co-op class with IEW and loved it. So now the boys are currently using both R&S English and IEW.

[WTMindy]

I bought and sold Classical Writing.....twice! :glare: I also sold Writing Strands. I'm now using a combo of IEW and Writing Aids. They also have a writing teacher in our co-op that I LOVE!!!!

[Truman School]

Writing Strands (twice), Abeka, Rod and Staff(I love the Grammar, but there's just not enough writing in it) Put that in Writing, Lightning Literature, (again I like the literature part but there wasn't enough to teach or improve their writing)

 

This summer I ordered "The Complete Writing Program" It's written for use by a classroom teacher or homeschool parent. I read it through, as well as his "Writing the Five Paragraph Essay" report. It not only taught me how to teach them basically step by step, but it taught me how to assess their writing and gave me examples to compare to.

 

We don't do daily lessons in the summer, but I have started doing this with my 13,11,9 year old the last two weeks every morning and I feel like we are really really getting somewhere with writing. I'm excited!!!!

 

I discovered that handing my kids a program like "Writing Strands" and having them read it and do the work just wasn't going to work well.

 

I haven't felt this confident about my kids becoming successful writers since those early days of homeschooling. It's probably not for everybody, but it's working for us.

 

I did just order WWE for my almost 6 year old to work through this fall and am hoping it will lay a good foundation for her.

[Old Dominion Heather]

None! : ) I bought Writing Strands and we love it. We adapt the story writing lessons since ds is just not interested in writing fiction.

[Lydia]

Writing Strands flopped here.

 

As to what is working, well I feel almost silly, but just doing a lot of writing is working. Writing happens to be one of their favorite things to do, and they write quite a bit (mostly stories but also magazines etc) every day in their free time. In school they write 3-5 reports a week (for history and science) and then do the writing exercises in Rod & Staff English. They also have school time (not every day, but many days) to "free write". We discuss their writing together. Perhaps I should do something more formal, but it seems to be working very well for us.

 

Best wishes,

Lydia

[Sweetpeach]

IEW is absolutely AWESOME for teaching structure...the HOW to write this darn paper...and Bravewriter is absolutely incredible for a child who needs to find his or her own writing voice...put those together...and WOW!!! My kids can WRITE!!

 

~~Faithe

 

This is exactly what I've been pondering for next year . . . we love Bravewriter and everywhere I go, I hear about the miracles of IEW. Perhaps the birth of a successful writing partnership . . . my kiddies are young and I didn't want them to hate writing even before we got going on anything of substance. Another year of learning to enjoy finding words for experiences/ideas and then tie in the structure of IEW. Love it!

 

Tricia

[Sheila in OK]

Last year I bought Just Write to supplement LLATL. UGH. This year we're trying Wordsmith Apprentice. We'll see how it goes. I also really like the looks of Bravewriter and have ordered a couple of Arrow back issues that I may try to squeeze in here and there.

[Pam H]

Sonlight

Writing Strands

Wordsmith Apprentice

LLATL

IEW

Write Source products

Write Shop

Understanding Writing

Writing Aids

 

Have repurchased and committed to IEW for this year and am thrilled. The only reason I sold IEW way back when is because I didn't think I had enough time to implement it. That was when my oldest was 9yo. Loooong road

[Meljoy]

Homeschooling 11th year -most of these used with older two boys (I am trying not to ruin it for youngest LOL) Writing Strands, WIN, The Write Source, Writers Inc., The Write Stuff Adventure, WriteShop, LLATL If Your Trying To Teach Kids How To Write, Jump In- I am sure there were more....

 

So far with 10YO mostly copy work and dictation. Nothing to formal and my own way- I am looking forward to reading WWE and evaluating Him to see where he is.

 

IEW has REALLY caught my interest. What Grade levels is it for? Maybe that is another thread.... I am also interest in Bravewriter... but not for this year.

[Melissa B]

We first tried Writing Stands - sold it.

Then we tried Classical Writing - sold it (this was the first year it came out.)

Then we tried Classical Composition - this worked well but we sold it after finding things we liked better.

Then we found Michael Clay Thompson's program - really like this and plan to stick with it.

Then we looked over Classical Writing again now that there are multiple levels, student books, teacher's manuals, etc. - really like this and plan to use it to supplement MCT (sold Classical Comp. at this time.)

 

Things I have purchased to read through and decided wouldn't work even before trying to use them:

 

IEW

LLATL

Write with the Best

R&S Grammar and writing

Hake Grammar and writing

Galore Park grammar and writing (really like and use their foreign language programs)

Oak Meadow grammar and writing (really like and use other parts of their curriculum)

Sonlight grammar and writing

Charlotte Mason plan of narrations into essays without a writing program

Bravewriter

 

I'm sure there are others as well. :)

[WTMCassandra]

I tried and tried to like Writing Strands as much as SWB does, but I Just. Can't.

 

We started using CW last year and it's a hit here. I plan to continue it for the foreseeable future.

[Plucky]

Quite a few. That is why I have my kids take an online writing class when they reach a certain age. It's the one subject so far that I have given myself permission to outsource and there is no guilt. :)

[Maverick]

Writing Strands--bought, tried, sold, then bought and sold again! I am a slow learner.

 

Composition sections from A Beka grammar & comp (hit & miss, but we did the grammar)

 

Jensen's Format Writing (actually used about half the book)

 

Wordsmith Apprentice (used the whole thing)

 

Wordsmith and Wordsmith Craftsman--bought and sold without using

 

Classical Composition--used Fable and part of Narrative, also bought Chreia/Maxim but didn't get past reading it. CC was probably the most enjoyable and effective program out of all we used.

 

I had to look at the posts above to jog my memory...

 

Bravewriter! I read it three times and did a few of the exercises with my kids, but it wasn't structured enough for me. I'm really insecure about teaching writing. (ya think??)

 

I've also listened to Susan's Writing without Fear CD and live workshops on writing. I just don't have the confidence to implement it.

 

My younger ds spent some time at Sylvan Learning Center doing their writing program--that was good for him.

 

Now I outsource writing other than what they have to do in content areas. It doesn't help that my boys both hate to write, although they are getting over that a bit now that they type all their work. We have a wonderful lit teacher who uses some IEW techniques in his writing instruction. So that works.

 

However--apparently hope springs eternal that I will find something wonderful, because just this week I ordered The Writer's Workshop: Imitating Your Way to Better Writing. I'm going to try some of the exercieses myself and see how it goes.

[Wildiris]

I have too many books on writing, but the most useful for me has been the 6+1 Traits of Writing.

 

I am looking at Thinking in Threes.

 

I liked IEW's How to Write a Short Story.

 

I just bought Reading Like a Writer.

 

Wildiris

[fractalgal]

And what are you currently using to teach writing?

I've only ever owned Writing Strands. My children are still very young, though, and we'll just be lightly starting writing this fall (3rd grader).

I enjoy hearing what you all have tried and your likes/dislikes of each. :)

[Quiver0f10]

I have bought the Writers Inc books, Writing Strands, Format Writing, the Wordsmith books, PTIW, Writing Trails, and I am sure some others LOL. My biggest problem is ME. I need to stick with a program and just teach it. This year I bought IEW and hope we can work through it.

[CarrieF]

As a former English teacher for middle and high schools (private and public), I have seen a lot of writing programs/curricula. I have tried (valiantly!) to like and use IEW and Writing Strands, but they have not worked for me. The latest that I have tried (and will use to teach at our co-op this fall) is WriteShop. It has some similarities to IEW, but is much more user-friendly and fun (to be quite honest!). The lessons are laid out well and the instruction is clear - so far I can't find anything to not like about it. My sons are not old enough yet for me to use WriteShop with them, but I am already looking forward to using it with them down the road.

[rafiki]

.

[Michelle T]

As a former English teacher for middle and high schools (private and public), I have seen a lot of writing programs/curricula. I have tried (valiantly!) to like and use IEW and Writing Strands, but they have not worked for me. The latest that I have tried (and will use to teach at our co-op this fall) is WriteShop. It has some similarities to IEW, but is much more user-friendly and fun (to be quite honest!). The lessons are laid out well and the instruction is clear - so far I can't find anything to not like about it. My sons are not old enough yet for me to use WriteShop with them, but I am already looking forward to using it with them down the road.

 

I just heard both of the authors of WriteShop speak at a conference, and I spent a lot of time talking to them afterwards, and looking through the curriculum. It looked perfect for my DS, and I went ahead and bought it, but do not expect to start using it for a couple months.

 

Here are some other writing curricula I've tried:

Writing Strands (twice!)

Writing Tales

IEW

Write Source

Four Square Method

Spectrum Writing

Just Write

Writing Skills

Bravewriter/Writer's Jungle

I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting

 

Currently I'm finishing up with Jump In!, which I like fairly well, combined with Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs from Evan-Moor. When we finish these, we'll start WriteShop.

Michelle T

[Mamagistra]

I've only used CW, though I'll likely add WWE and a few other resources for my own enrichment. I'm anxious to get my paws on The Teaching Company's Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft. :drool:

[Lori D.]

Starting year 9 of homeschooling on Monday, and along the way we've tried a lot of things for writing:

 

 

Misses:

- Writing Strands = didn't even make it out of the gate; crossed off the list upon previewing it

- Write Source books = like their information, just never could figure out how to implement it

- Sonlight LA writing = nope; I'm not a John Holzman fan

- If You're Going to Teach Writing, You've Gotta Have This Book = too random; couldn't figure out how to implement

 

 

 

Still Sitting Untouched on the Shelf:

- Jensen's Format Writing

- Research by Increments

- 10 Minute Real Life Writing

- Wordsmith Craftsman (we'll try this one this year)

 

 

 

Used With Modifications:

- Complete Writing Lessons (Franks) = used writing assignment ideas from both the Primary and Intermediate books, with more/less success depending on the idea

- Put That In Writing 1 = tried it, dropped it 7 weeks into 8th grade; used parts of it, heavily modified in 9th grade

- IEW = have used the key word outline technique with great success here; also Pudewa's recommendation of spreading the writing process out over several days, or one step of the process in the a.m., and the next later on in the day; never owned the program to really "do" IEW

 

 

 

Hits:

- Wordsmith Apprentice

- Wordsmith

- Jump In

- Scholastic 4 book writing series (Descriptive Writing; Narrative Writing; Expository Writing; Persuasive Writing)

 

 

 

Helpful Tips We've Found Along The Way:

- Ideas in "Games for Writing" and "Games for Learning" (Kaye) -- especially the game in which you all take turns writing a (VERY short) story -- on your turn, you roll the die, and whatever number comes up, that's ALL the words you get to contribute to the sentence/story.

- Variety of regular writing: book reports; 1 paragraph reports for science/history (using IEW key word outline technique)

- Regular free writing (journal writing; write from prompts; etc.).

- Get the child typing; helps them be more willing and able to revise/edit and to find their own mistakes in proofing.

 

 

 

Looking forward to implementing the specific guidelines and rubrics in Writing Aids this year, and focusing on weekly essay writing practice, and requiring a variety of types of writing for history and for literature. We'll see how this goes! BEST of luck to all of us who struggle in getting this writing instruction thing figured out! (lol) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Peela]

Flops: Writing Stands, Wordsmith and Wordsmith Craftsman. I think Write With the Best will be a flop because I just bought it and I don't want to use it! I like it, but I cant make it work right now.

 

Successes- success being programs that I feel we have got a LOT out of- Classical Writing Aesop and Homer, Bravewriter, and a class with a local teacher. Also, we did the Medieval Legends Imitations in Writing book and I feel that was a good experience. Another success- Queen's Language Lessons for Highschool- it is basically a creative writing course for older kids, and my dd14 is loving it and feels she is getting a lot out of it.

 

We also used Wordsmith Apprentice- about half the book. I didn't feel my son was getting much out of it. We used Rod and Staff for one year and we probably did get a lot out of that. We have used most of Sentence Composing and I am not sure that he got much out of it, truthfully, despite the raves here.

 

Copywork, dictaton and Narrations, as well as just me making up writing assignments (getting inspiration from online, from LLfromLOTR, and writing programs) have been a mainstay and we are continuing with them.

 

I have just enrolled DD14 in home2teach.com, an online writing class- she is doing the 6 week paragraph class- and already she is getting a lot out of it, and so I am having ds12 do it all too, just without sending his in. I want dd to get some inspiration and feedback from someone other than me- she is a good writer.

 

Although we have had some flops, I dont feel that just because we moved on from Classical Writing or Bravewriter, that the experiences weren't worthwhile. I feel they were very worthwhile and I would highly recommend both programs. Classical Writing became too time consuming for me, and teacher intensive- I kept getting burned out- and it was just getting worse, not better. In a way, i feel I am still doing Bravewriter because Julie's whole approach is that we can teach our children writing, can encourage them, so that they blossom, without being rigid about writing curriculum- and I feel I took her at her word, gained some insight, and now am happy doing my own thing, pulling in help when needed, but not needing someone else's weekly structure all the time.

[Patricia in WA]

We have been very very fortunate. I bought Writing Strands in the very beginning and we strongly disliked it. Sold it and then bought nothing for a while. Then Classical Writing came out, I bought it, and we have been hooked ever since!!!! We started even before the workbooks were available!

[Jackie in AR]

We have been very very fortunate. I bought Writing Strands in the very beginning and we strongly disliked it. Sold it and then bought nothing for a while. Then Classical Writing came out, I bought it, and we have been hooked ever since!!!! We started even before the workbooks were available!

 

I bought and looked through Writing Strands and IEW, too. Sold both of them without using because I didn't care for their approaches.

 

We started Classical Writing (also before the workbooks started coming out) and haven't looked back!

[kalanamak]

I've only ever owned Writing Strands. My children are still very young, though, and we'll just be lightly starting writing this fall (3rd grader).

I enjoy hearing what you all have tried and your likes/dislikes of each. :)

 

It evidently fails in many homes, as I have gotten the complete set (piece by piece) at Goodwill....for a total of 25 bucks. My cheapness alone may make this work.

[JFSinIL]

Does trying/dumping various levels of Writing Strands count???????

[Christine]

Come clean, how many writing programs have you tried or ordered, then sold? And what are you currently using to teach writing?

 

See, you got me hung up on this one! Sold??? Oh, no! You have to keep those things, don't you? I mean, it may just suddenly be the best thing for child #3 or something. . .Right?

 

Let's see. . .

 

WriteShop

Classical Writing

Writing Strands

Numerous Evan-Moor books

Those how-to books (How to write a good sentence. How to write a good paragraph, etc.)

One by, umm, is it Welchon Press?

I have oodles more, but running out of time

 

Currently we are using IEW.

[MicheleinMN]

See, you got me hung up on this one! Sold??? Oh, no! You have to keep those things, don't you? I mean, it may just suddenly be the best thing for child #3 or something. . .Right?

 

:iagree:

 

Or in our case, maybe it'll work for number 4, 5, or 6! :lol::lol:

 

Michele

[fractalgal]

It evidently fails in many homes, as I have gotten the complete set (piece by piece) at Goodwill....for a total of 25 bucks. My cheapness alone may make this work.

 

I haven't yet used Writing Strands, so I cannot say for sure.

 

When I went to a homeschooling conference recently and spoke with a representative for IEW he told me to not start writing with my children until at least 4th grade. I was surprised that he didn't even try to sell his product to me.

 

I also spoke with a local lady who runs a homeschooling store and she said the same thing: wait until 4th grade to start formal writing.

 

It can be confusing with so much conflicting information. :confused:

[tvaleri]

Wow! When I stop and think about all the curricula I've bought and sold over the past 13 years....WHEW!

I can remember Abeka, Writing to G-d's Glory, Writing Strands, Learn to Write the Novel Way, Write with the Best, Shurley English...then last year I took the plunge and bought IEW. It is a hit for our family. It teaches through modeling which is perfect for my wiggly boys. They know exactly what is expected for ANY type of writing assignment. It's truly taken the frustration out of writing :)

 

Smiles,

Teresa

[sweetbaby]

Honestly, I have only used Wordsmith with my oldest and Rod and Staff with the younger ones which incorporates writing. I have looked into other programs but I'm satisfied with what we have. :)