Junior fall 2015...writing questions

[Holly IN]

Hello,

 

I need to stop WWS for my son.  It is getting to the point it is redundant for him.  He outlines very well and is solid at it.  I am looking into Writeshop and Writing & Rhetoric by CAP.  In looking at WRiting &Rhetoric I am not sure what level to really start at without frustrating my son.  

 

My oldest college kid highly recommend Lively Art of Writing as it helped him the most for college prep.  

 

Thoughts???

 

Advice??

 

TIA!

Holly

[swimmermom3]

We really like The Lively Art of Writing even with its rather outdated examples. I think there is a point that some kids outgrow "programs" and straight-forward, focused instruction becomes more valuable. They have a lot of things on their plate. Give them quick, good writing instructions, let them practice that across their subjects and get on with it.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Hello,

 

I need to stop WWS for my son.  It is getting to the point it is redundant for him.  He outlines very well and is solid at it.  I am looking into Writeshop and Writing & Rhetoric by CAP.  In looking at WRiting &Rhetoric I am not sure what level to really start at without frustrating my son.  

 

My oldest college kid highly recommend Lively Art of Writing as it helped him the most for college prep.  

 

Thoughts???

 

Advice??

 

TIA!

Holly

 

If WWS is redundant and he is beyond it, then he's beyond CAP W&R as well.  The levels out so far are less advanced & less challenging than WWS.  I agree with Lively Art of Writing, or what about one of the more advanced levels of WWS if he is beyond WWS 1?

 

We're doing Lively Art of Writing right now, and our next move is Writing With a Thesis.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Thesis-A-Rhetoric-Reader-ebook/dp/B00BF3VL0E/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

[Holly IN]

Thanks!!  Will start with Lively Art of Writing and then go from there.  Oldest son DID say it was the most helpful for him prep for his college.  :)

[Robin in DFW]

_{Not wanting to hi-jack this thread...but....}

 

_{How does one go about using The Lively Art of Writing?} 

 

_{Do you go through it with your student? Or have him do it on his own? Just go through it as written? Work on the lessons and exercises orally? or written?}

 

_{I've looked at this book before but could never get a clear idea of exactly how to use it.}

 

_{We are focusing on writing right now and this book is under consideration.}

 

_Thanks.

_Robin

[Chrysalis Academy]

There is a nice workbook that a user here put together and shared.  I have my student read the chapter and do one workbook section each day.

 

This isn't the original link, but the links in post #2 will get you there

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/529338-cant-download-lively-art-of-writing-pdf/?hl=lively+art+writing&do=findComment&comment=5942691

[Robin in DFW]

Ahhh, yes.  I remember this workbook. I think I have it saved somewhere.

 

Writing With a Thesis looks interesting. What made you decide to use it?

[Holly IN]

Yes can you tell us why you decided to use Writing with a Thesis?  

[Chrysalis Academy]

Writing With a Thesis is my new Most Awesomest Writing Book Ever.  I got a lot of writing books, so that's saying something!  :laugh:   What I like about it:  it puts the thesis at the center of writing, all different kinds of writing.  This forces you to learn to write with purpose - take a position, address your audience, attempt to persuade them - for all different kinds of writing.  I've seen other books that teach different essay types - narration, description, explanation, cause & effect, etc. - and then at the end they include a chapter on persuasive writing, as if it's a separate thing that you only do rarely.  This book takes the position that all writing is persuasive - you are persuading your reader to change something they think, believe, know, or you are trying to add to their knowledge (i.e. persuade them to accept a fact or explanation or description) and so that you have to begin each piece of writing with that rhetorical purpose in mind.  I really like this. I like how it focuses the writer's attention on the audience and purpose.  And I like that it keeps the attention on the fact that you write to communicate, and communication doesn't happen unless your message reaches a reader and changes something in their mind.

 

I also really like the examples.  These really help dd see what it is she can aspire to accomplish.  It's excellent, but not formulaic writing.  

 

And it covers all the topoi - Narration, Description, Examples, Process, Compare & Contrast, Cause & Effect, Division and Classification, Definition, Argumentation - but framed within The Persuasive Principle.  It shows you the forest - what it is you are aiming to accomplish by writing in the first place - and teaches you to construct trees within the context of a forest you already understand.  In that sense it has a more whole-to-parts structure than something like WWS, which covers much of the same material at a deep level, but doesn't pull it all together so well, and doesn't focus on thesis-driven writing in the early levels at least (I've not seen WWS3).  

 

I should add that we did try to use WWS, but found it way too parts-to-whole for my big-picture girl.  She could do each of the parts without too much difficulty, but it wasn't teaching her skills she could turn around and apply to essay writing.  It didn't teach her how to formulate and develop a thesis, which is what WWaT starts with. 

 

Lively Art of Writing is a nice preamble to this - it's a nice general intro to the essay form.  WWAT builds on this basic framework.  I think WWaT could be used by a strong 7th or 8th grade writer, and could be used successfully any time in high school.

[Holly IN]

Thank you so much!!!  I will check into the book.