I am soooo afraid I will fail...IEW totally overwhelms me!

[sadiegirl]

I have been reading on this board as well as the Yahoo IEW support group hoping to get a sense of how easy IEW is to begin and implement. I read and read and then I freak out as it seems so complicated. People keep asking where to start and there just seems so much.

Is it just me? Is there possibly a "IEW for Dummies?"

I start school tomorrow and we have no writing curriculum as of this moment...is it the one to choose for moms like me that need it laid out and easy to follow?

Can someone just make this decision for me!!!!

One reason I have found comfort in this board is that it provides encouragement and advice as I see other parents deal with issues and rise above their circumstances...writing is a major fear of mine and I want my boys to succeed at it so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I do not live near a co-op or homeschool group or I would gladly find outside resources to turn to for this subject.

[yorkshire_parkin]

yeah...what she said!

 

-rebecca-

[TwinMominTX]

I am right there with you. I don't get where to even start - and that isn't like me at all! I can usually figure things out from samples and whatnot. IEW - it's like Greek to me!!

[PeterPan]

Well what are you doing for the rest of your subjects? Maybe you already have it covered and you don't realize it? Or maybe you could just bump up the requirements in what you're already doing and have it be enough?

 

I think the SWI levels *are* meant to be IEW for dummies, sorry, lol. Not that they're watered down or anything, just that they're meant to make it as easy as possible to implement. Anything is confusing when it's new or not how you learned it. But if you get a SWI and your dc do exactly what Pudewa says, I don't see how you can go wrong. The point is to stop being perfectionist. If you do IEW and you do it imperfectly, that's better than not doing it at all, kwim? So go order it, have it by the end of the week, and be done with it. :) You didn't want it right now anyway, not with starting all your new stuff. You can ramp up slowly, adding a few subjects each week, and by the time IEW comes and you dig out your stuff, you'll be all psyched up and ready to do it. I'm sure you can do this. Even my 9 yo can put a dvd in the player and hit play. You can do this! You have all the ladies here to answer your questions if you get stumped! :)

[melopher]

Have you watched the videos on their website? I didn't begin understanding until I'd watched just about every video on there. I had a very difficult time comprehending all the stuff I was reading--I just didn't get it. On most of the individual product pages there are links right under the description that say "Click here to view Andrew's introduction to this resource" or something similar.

[rafiki]

.

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I have used TWSS for one year and am going with SWI-B for my 8th and 4th graders this year. Last year with TWSS I felt overwhelmed, too. I think the key is just to start. Watch his video for Unit I and then go do that with your kids for a couple of weeks or so, until it is easy. Then, move ahead to Unit II, and so on. I got the SWI-B this year thinking it would fill any gaps in what I did last year, but honestly, doing it the way I just told you, I didn't miss much. I used material from the kids' history and science books and just started them writing. All through the year, because of my own insecurities, I felt that we just weren't doing enough writing. At the end of the year, I went through all of their papers to file them and was amazed at the amount and quality of writing they did.

 

This year, we will do the SWI-B lessons just to solidify the concepts they learned last year and to help me feel a little more confident in the progression and pacing of the lessons. However, I do think we did just fine last year- this year is mostly to build my confidence and get me ready to teach even more independently.

 

Writing seems to be the one area in which home educators struggle the most with confidence, and I am no exception. I have heard many wonderful things about IEW, but the one concern I have is that the stylistic techniques do tend to operate a bit like straightjackets. It is good to get the kids used to using them regularly, but it takes away their own voice a bit. Because I have this concern, I just spent a bunch more $$ and ordered the Writer's Jungle. This program is, like IEW, more for the teacher, to boost confidence. Unlike IEW, however, the focus is more on helping your student to find their own voice. I am excited to mesh the structure of IEW with the stylistic advice of Writer's Jungle.

 

I guess I am coming at this from the angle of learning to become an effective writing teacher who can tailor writing lessons to the needs of her students, rather than finding the easiest, most implementable curriculum. But, I happen to enjoy being very hands-on with my kids, particularly when it comes to the skill areas.

 

All this to say, just start. Don't worry about getting it right. Just do something.

[Lizzie in Ma]

But then we started with a SWI with me watching the TWSS for each unit also.

It went really well and my previously rabidly reluctant dd became a writer.

We are now going back and forth with SICCB and the Medieval theme book,

The theme ones are really easy to work with and I love them. Just wish they has a Renaissance one already.

You CAN do this, I know you can!

[tvaleri]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the hat :)

 

The advice to just start is good. Watch disc one until YOU feel comfortable with it. Then present the information to your dc. When that becomes easy move on to the next lesson. Have you thought about having your dc watch the SWI-A disc that came with TWSS? Also, if you purchase the SWI-A complete dvd set, you simply have them watch the dvd and work through the assignment. Pull from the other subjects you're studying for additional writing assignments. Or you can use Theme Based Writing Lessons.

 

There are free lesson plans on the IEW Families yahoo group as well as advice, additional practice sheets, posters, etc.

 

My kids' writing has greatly improved. The boys don't even balk when given a writing assignment! They know exactly what's expected from them, check the items off the list and get done :)

 

JMHO,

Teresa

<><

[homeschool2boys]

I think the key to this is the SWI. I just watched the TWSS myself a day or two ago and did not think I could do IEW. Then we put in the SWI and it all became super easy, my son breezed right though the first part of lesson 1 (the one about Sea Snakes). We have not officially started hsing for this year so I am going to save the rest of it until we start back up.

 

If you dont have the SWI, I would get it. It makes it so much easier and your kid can just follow along as they do the lesson on the screen. We have not watched any more of the disks, but I think, (from what I have seen so far) that this is the best writing program that I have seen to date. I am so glad we bought it.

[sadiegirl]

Our first morning of school and I read all the great advice from you all. I didn't realize there were videos I could watch on the IEW site...I will definitely check that out first. My boys are entering 6th and 7th grades and we have done very little creative writing...I get severely constipated when it comes to writing!

With this being said, I think you are all correct in that I need to just place the order and dive in...my confidence(or lack of) is what is holding me back!

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

Like Nike says...just do it. I was totally overwhelmed at first too. Then I watched the TWSS. It all fits together and it was easy for me to see how I can use this across the curriculum.

 

My dd is working on writing as we speak. IEW has improved her writing tremendously, and we are only in our 6th week.

[Deece in MN]

Our first morning of school and I read all the great advice from you all. I didn't realize there were videos I could watch on the IEW site...I will definitely check that out first. My boys are entering 6th and 7th grades and we have done very little creative writing...I get severely constipated when it comes to writing!

With this being said, I think you are all correct in that I need to just place the order and dive in...my confidence(or lack of) is what is holding me back!

 

Yes, just begin at the beginning. :) Mr. Pudewa says somewhere in the video (or it may be in the tips & tricks disk) to just start and not worry about how you are doing. He says it is better to start and bobble a bit than to not start at all.

 

The SWI can be a help, but if funds are tight it is not necessary. Also, Mr. Pudewa says to keep plugging along and not freeze between unit 2 and unit 3. He says that moving into unit 3 is what scares many people and they stay stuck at unit 2. He says to just keep moving forward even if you feel like you have no clue. View the video again and again if necessary, but once you do a few assignments it will get easier.

 

This is our first year with IEW. I did get the SWI for my ds (9th grade using C level), but I am using just TWSS with my dd as she is not ready for SWI-C and I didn't want to purchase another level.

 

As you go through the program you will realize that you can do it and the lack of confidence will no longer be an issue (btdt). :)

[Rhonda in TX]

I kept TWSS on the shelf for months before actually starting to watch it. I am so sorry I did that! Andrew explains things so clearly and it's so easy to follow. After doing Units I and II, I was worried about starting Unit III. It just sounded hard. Then I watched the lesson and was able to follow the instructions without any problem and teach the method to my kids. I fully expect the rest of the lessons to be the same way.

 

You just need to dive in and do it. It's really not bad.

 

(BTW, we tried SWI-A, but I honestly prefer just TWSS and we returned SWI.)

[Stacy in NJ]

I have been reading on this board as well as the Yahoo IEW support group hoping to get a sense of how easy IEW is to begin and implement. I read and read and then I freak out as it seems so complicated. People keep asking where to start and there just seems so much.

Is it just me? Is there possibly a "IEW for Dummies?"

I start school tomorrow and we have no writing curriculum as of this moment...is it the one to choose for moms like me that need it laid out and easy to follow?

Can someone just make this decision for me!!!!

One reason I have found comfort in this board is that it provides encouragement and advice as I see other parents deal with issues and rise above their circumstances...writing is a major fear of mine and I want my boys to succeed at it so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I do not live near a co-op or homeschool group or I would gladly find outside resources to turn to for this subject.

 

 

We're new to IEW this year and are only completing our second week, but it's been great here.

 

In a nutshell; the program is really broken down into two parallel parts. The first is structure, the second is style. Structure teaches key word outlining, summarizing from notes, narrative writing and continues through 9 units. Style teaches techniques gradually to add variety and interest to writing. There are 4 style techniques (dress-ups, sentence openers, decorations and sentence styles) that get progressively more complex as you work through the program over several years.

 

I purchased TWSS at our convention in May and watched most of the DVD's over the summer. You don't really need to do that though. You can simply watch DVD 1 and then implement it immediately. Watch DVD 2 and implement, and so on.

 

I really encourage you to just jump in and get the TWSS DVD's and start. I can guarantee that your implementation will not be perfect. Mine wasn't. But, what happens is that you will truly come to understand the process and it become so much easier to teach your kiddos.

 

In the first week of implementation, my 6th grader wrote 3 one paragraph mini-reports using key word outlines. As source material we used short paragraphs on the Fugitive Slave Law, the Missouri Compromise and the Dred Scott case from the Ency. of American History. Using IEW allows you to teach compositon skill at the same time you write from content areas, history and science for us.

 

So, this is what I'm telling you to do (since you asked); buy or borrow the DVD's. Watch DVD 1 and implement it. The syllabus (that comes with the DVD's when purchased from IEW) is helpful to have. Basically, it's just notes to guide you through the whole program.

 

HTH, Stacy

[StephanieZ]

I have TWSS and have watched most of it. . . and I'm using Fables, Myths, & Fairytales as a "jump start". This is working well for me . . .

 

FM&FT lays it all out as lesson plans, and you can easily enough do more of one type of lesson, or modify it in any way, before moving on to the next topic.

 

Anyhow, for me, this is a nice combo to start with, as I didn't want to do the SWI at this time (as I am eager to get the hang of it and then branch out into our history topics. . )

 

So, anyway, if FM&FT is appealing, I think it can help a lot for a beginner to get going with.