Understanding Writing

[jenniferlee]

Someone just gave me this giant binder that says Understanding Writing on the front. It has lessons for 12 grades. It looks kind of old. Is this an actual program, has anyone heard of it or used it?

thanks,

Jen

[TerriMI]

..when my now highschool aged dc were just starting our homeschool. If I remember right, the main goal of the program was just to get kids to write. And seeing that the author preferred writing that had some sort of practical purpose, the main writing projects were personal letters. When I fianally needed a writing program, there were so many new and IMHO much better programs that I never considered using it. That said, the "old-time" homeschooler I knew who had used it for years, did produce several kids who could write....at least personal letters, that is. :bored:

 

Perhaps this is not being quite fair to the program, though. Hopefully someone who has actually used it will chime in and correct my disdainful misperceptions!

[jenniferlee]

Terri,

thanks for the input. It definitely looks dated. However, I didn't want to pass up something that might be a great program just on how it looks.

Jen

[VaKim]

I have never seen it, but the Bluedorns highly recommend it in their Teaching the Trivium.

[G5052]

I used it some years ago off and on for early grade school, and then we went to IEW and have never looked back. It's really a very solid program for a single volume, but I felt that IEW was easier to understand and provided more instruction. I teach IEW through a co-op now, and actually sold my copy last summer.

 

Tammy Duby of Tobin's Lab also recommends it.

[Ellie]

I love the way it teaches, and I think if you start with younger dc it will work better. I wish it had been written when my dc were young.

 

If you stick with it, it does teach *everything.*

 

THe major drawback in my mind is the fact that it is very teacher directed, and that could be a problem for folks with lots of dc.

[jenniferlee]

Thanks everyone!