WWS1 - Literary Criticism

[skimomma]

We just started Week 23.  WWS1 has been going pretty well so far.  The instructor manual says this first story (Rikki-Tikki-Tavi) should be "very straight forward."  It has not been straight forward for dd.  I now the stories get less "straight forward."  How much trouble are we in?  And if a lot, is there something I can do to help smooth the way?

[Chrysalis Academy]

Here is a post I started about this back when we hit this section:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/464578-we-are-not-loving-how-wws-teaches-literary-analysis/

 

I stand by my guns, I really disliked the literary analysis section in WWS.  Riki Tiki Tavi was at an appropriate reading level, but we found the instructions about squishing together your summary and your analysis very confusing.  The other readings I really did not think were at an appropriate level for a 5th grader.  Not sure how old your child is.

 

I very much prefer following SWB's advice in WTM or in her audio lecture on literary analysis.  The kid reads the book, you discuss it with them using a series of questions that guide them through basic literary analysis, then they go and write about one or two of the questions.  Let them do this for a year or two, and once they have that down you can have them add questions and/or get more analytical. 

 

Just my 2 cents, but you are definitely not alone in your concern!  As far as what you can do to smooth the way:  you can try and adapt the instructions so they are more straightforward, you can discuss the story and have the child write about it without worrying about the instructions, or you can skip this section.  ;)  I would definitely read The Necklace aloud (or have the child read it aloud to you) and discuss.  My 5th grader totally didn't get it.

[skimomma]

Here is a post I started about this back when we hit this section:

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/464578-we-are-not-loving-how-wws-teaches-literary-analysis/

 

I stand by my guns, I really disliked the literary analysis section in WWS.  Riki Tiki Tavi was at an appropriate reading level, but we found the instructions about squishing together your summary and your analysis very confusing.  The other readings I really did not think were at an appropriate level for a 5th grader.  Not sure how old your child is.

 

I very much prefer following SWB's advice in WTM or in her audio lecture on literary analysis.  The kid reads the book, you discuss it with them using a series of questions that guide them through basic literary analysis, then they go and write about one or two of the questions.  Let them do this for a year or two, and once they have that down you can have them add questions and/or get more analytical. 

 

Just my 2 cents, but you are definitely not alone in your concern!  As far as what you can do to smooth the way:  you can try and adapt the instructions so they are more straightforward, you can discuss the story and have the child write about it without worrying about the instructions, or you can skip this section.  ;)  I would definitely read The Necklace aloud (or have the child read it aloud to you) and discuss.  My 5th grader totally didn't get it.

 

Thanks you!  My dd is 10 and in 5th grade.  The story was just fine and she had no trouble with it.  It is the instructions she had trouble with.  I will for sure be looking into some of these suggestions if this continues to go as poorly as it has so far.

[Kendall]

I found the instructions very confusing as well.  I think I typed them up differently for my second child.  I don't think the instructions were as confusing for the following weeks.