top 3: Writing Resources

[EmilyGF]

I love teaching math and can teach science without a curriculum (generally, though I'm always looking for one). But writing? Nope.

What three resources teach mom best how to teach writing?

 

FWIW, I've read SWB's Writing With Ease book, though I've used the workbooks. 

 

ETA: I've read Bravewriter and it sort of summed up everything I hated about grade school writing. :-( Different learning styles, I guess. I think I could like parts of the book if I wasn't rubbed so wrong by her writing style.

 

ETA2: I really liked SWB's Writing With Ease book.

 

Thanks, Emily

[scrapbabe]

IEW and Brave Writer would make my list.

[PeterPan]

Well why don't you download SWB's convention talk on teaching writing for middle school and high school and see if that resonates with you?  With that and WWS you'd have a sense if that's what clicks for you.

 

You're wanting more structure?  You like WWE or you don't?  If you like WWE and like SWB's thought process, maybe WWS will click for you and it's more just your own angst?  

 

One thing I did over the years was look at the scope and sequence for english curricula (BJU, CLE, whatever) and see what writing projects they're doing.  Then I decided if those writing projects MATTERED to me or if they didn't.  In reality, you have clear thinking, the ability to get it on paper/screen, and content.  Clear thinking leads to good structure, and you can't "write" without the ability to get something on the paper/screen somehow (typing, dictation software, whatever).  But WHAT you write doesn't matter a whole lot, so long as you're building that ability to get stuff onto paper/screen and clear thinking.  Clear thinking is more logic stage, and you can get there with outlining (WTM), logic courses, explicit instruction (WWS, IEW, Diana King, etc).  You can teach the process of clear thinking visibly with Inspiration software but apply it to other projects (fan fiction, National History Day projects, etc.).  

 

So to me the challenge is always to figure out what the next step is, what your goal is.  A particular writing program might not be your program if it's not solving the problem you're trying to solve.  If your dc's issue is comfort getting things on paper/screen, then doing a highly structured program might or might not be timely.  You have to know what you're trying to accomplish at each stage.

 

[Wildiris]

Ditto on OhElizabeth's comments above. The fundamentals of teaching writing is about getting a student's thinking onto paper/screen. 

 

With my elementary grade kids I had them talk about their writing, what they wanted to say, repeat back to them what they said making sure I got their words right, then repeating it once again for them to write using correct grammar. Elementary grade kids don't write huge amounts, so this is not too time consuming.

 

When the kids get older, I read back to them what they've written in their rough draft. It is easier for them to hear their mistakes when I read their work back to them.

 

My top resource for writing is writing and reading.

 

I have the kids do different types of writing for their grade level and use as many resources as it takes. None of my resources are a curriculum as in a single package to open and go.

 

What grades/levels? Grade/level would be how I would determine which resources to use.

 

P.S. I'd love to be able to teach science without a curriculum like you. I am chained to a science text to set my course.

[EmilyGF]

I have writers ages 10, 8, and 6.

 

In recent threads about math (a topic I feel very comfortable with), people talked a lot about self-education. I love self-educating about math because I love the subject! Teaching with RightStart and reading through LiPing Ma's book really gave me an overview of how to teach math.

 

However, I feel like I'm feeling my way through a bunch of trees when it comes to teaching writing. I like direct instruction methods as a foundation. My kids do a lot of exploratory writing on their own in the afternoons so that doesn't have to be part of our homeschool. My kids do Charlotte Mason-style narrations in addition to WWE and we talk a lot about big ideas.

 

I'm not looking for a curriculum. Maybe a philosophy book on teaching writing? I'll look into SWB's lectures.

 

Clear as mud?

 

Thanks,

Emily

[Soror]

I found SWB's writing lecture good but it didn't necessarily click for me, I had her Writing With Ease guide as well but yet again it was good but not quite for me. I couldn't ever slog through Bravewriter, I finally sold it. IEW has their TWSS for teacher training I watched part of it and found some of it helpful, to get a general idea of the steps of writing but it was a bit formulaic. I have oodles of other writing books up to highschool age to try and teach myself. I think what is working the best however is just working through it with them and working on learning grammar. Personally I felt that 8's Treasured Conversations was the best teacher training I've had yet of all of those things. At this point I think I see that some of it is just that I need to go through it to learn, I don't learn as well by just reading. I mean I get somewhat of an idea but I think that I just need the experience. If I can get caught up with life then it would be worthwhile for me to just go through one of the highschool programs myself but I have to find extra money in the budget, time and find a program I like. 

 

fwiw I feel much more comfortable teaching Math and science too, I think that is why I have a hard time reading writers as I'm not a natural, it isn't my thing so much of it doesn't resonate with me. One book I did start and enjoy was On Writing Well but I didn't finish it, I should put that back on my list :)

[sbgrace]

Treasured Conversations is good. It came a bit late for us in terms of skills, but I did use parts. I read Writing Extraordinary Essays, which changed the way I am approaching expository writing. It didn't have enough for me to create actual lessons. We enjoyed WWE 1-3, though we enjoyed the early levels CAP Writing and Rhetoric more. CAP builds a broader skill base.

 

The following books are my favorites and have actual lessons or material that makes it easy to form actual lessons.

 

Narrative Instruction:

Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever.

 

Expository Instruction:

Writing with a Thesis (engaging, enough material for lessons)

Common Threads (more detailed, enough material for lessons, but less interesting to me)

 

I bought an older edition of the first and a used copy of the second, so the cost was reasonable.There is significant overlap between those two resources, but I am using both. I found WWS to be overly complicated and dry. These resources better correspond to what I see in actual expository pieces.

 

I did find the Writing Extraordinary Essays mentioned above helpful as well. I feel these three books have given me a good foundation for expository instruction.

[Chrysalis Academy]

My top 3 resources for figuring out how I want to teach writing:

SWB's audio lectures & Writing With Ease: Strong Fundamentals

Engaging Ideas - John Bean

Writing with a Thesis

 

 

[PeterPan]

You might also consider going a different direction and reading about theories of writing.  (just rabbit trail on amazon to find more goodies)

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0674064488/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3R2DJ123LBWAQ&coliid=I3SMEZSK1UUXMO

 

There was a time when the answer to everyone's question on writing seemed to be grab a college text and work through it with your high schooler.  This seems dissatisfying to me, as I don't think it's necessary.  College teaches college writing and high school can be this something *else*.  So to me, reading about writing, so you recognize what makes writing good in ANY genre, gives you the ability to diversify and flow with your student's interests.  And of course I'm being told many more progressive colleges now have major-specific freshman english sequences.  Interesting to ponder, when the habit seems to be to shove EVERYONE through the same boring assignments.

[Ellie]

Understanding Writing

Elements of Style, by Strunk and White

...um...

[EmilyGF]

Many thanks! This is great. 

 

E

[Mrs Twain]

What has made most sense to me regarding teaching writing is the idea of breaking it down into its basic components. 

The components are:

 

grammar/mechanics

organization

content

style

(penmanship)

(typing)

 

I use separate programs to cover each area.  IEW video programs (SWI, SICC) have been the best by far for style, though I also like School Composition.  IEW is also okay for organization and note-taking (part of content),  I have used a couple of programs to teach paragraph organization.  I use R&S English for grammar.  I use a typing program. 

 

Essay writing seems to be the next step after practicing the basic components. 

 

 

 

 

[Mrs Twain]

One of the most important aspects of teaching writing that often gets forgotten is the practice of listening to good quality writing.  I don't mean reading good books but rather listening to them read aloud.  Lately I have made a practice of playing audio books in the car.  This has greatly increased our quantity of hearing good literature.

[ScoutTN]

Lewelma (Ruth in NZ) has a great thread on writing that highlights several books that talk about how to teach wiritng and why.

I found several there to fill my Amazon cart!

 

I can't figure out how to link from this ipad, but the title of the thread was somthing like, " My Evaluation of various writing curricula."

[TracyP]

Bravewriter - I loved this, especially the concepts of freewriting and poetry teas. (Had to add this one but I won't count it. ;) )

 

8FillTheHeart's incremental writing post. :001_wub: This is still the best concise "how to teach writing" explanation I have ever seen.

 

WWE (text) /WWS - I tweaked the heck out of it, but I learned a so much from WWS 1. I am waiting on the WWS text that SWB plans to write before using any other levels because I think that would fit me better.

 

Writing Aids from ToG - Not the most practical choice for someone not using TOG, but I continually turn to it as a reference.

 

Essay writing is next on the horizon for us, and none of these teach the nitty-gritty of essays. I have Writing With a Thesis and The Lively Art of Writing lined up for summer reading. I am hoping one of these will help me, because I need all the help I can get. Writing is, hands down, the hardest subject for me to teach...

 

[JDoe]

I can't figure out how to link from this ipad, but the title of the thread was somthing like, " My Evaluation of various writing curricula."

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/348864-my-evaluation-of-numerous-writing-curricula/