Runningmom80 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 DS is a "verbally" gifted kid, read very early, extensive vocabulary, etc. We are about 1/2 through Grammar Town and he is doing really well. I want to add in more creative writing because he's finally getting to a point stamina wise where he can write more than a sentence or two. I plan on doing the voyage level next year, but I'm also drawn to Bravewriter. I'm wondering if this would be overkill? Essay Voyage seems like a great book, but I'm wondering if it has enough writing? DS will turn 9 in November, and it will be his 4th grade year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Not finding bravewriter to be nearly s advanced as it is billed. My 6th grader is doing the high school essay writing curriculum now. She wouldn't let him in the live class without backing up to the beginning of the high school curriculum so I bought it....well we are 3/4 through now and it is fine but as far as I am concerned, it is not a high school course. After using the 1st half of the course I decided I was not going to pay for the online version of the essay writing. It's not even a 7th grade essay writing course, as they haven't actually written an essay yet at all. Not that it isn't interesting...it's a somewhat different approach which I do appreciate because we've done so many things, and I get exhausted of making up my own assignments, but I would look carefully at the expectations before purchasing one of her products. DS' most recent assignment was to research movie reviews and then write one of his own. I want him writing literary essays and this curriculum has not delivered. Brownie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I hope not, as I plan on combining Island level and BraveWriter, starting when we end our vacation next week. BW is designed to be high quality but not especially time intensive at one project per month. We started in with poetry teas this winter and DD loves them. Going through the materials, it feels like a great fit to use these two materials together, but I haven't experienced the reality of it yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Hmmm, I guess I'll have to look at a little closer. Thanks for the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I combine them. :) BW is not something that can only be done just one way, and I modify "the Bravewriter lifestyle" to fit our needs. And for us, that includes MCT materials. Last year I fast tracked DS through portions of Island and he did all of Town, and he's using Voyage this year. I will admit that we don't use the writing portion of MCT exactly as written, I use it more as inspiration for types of writing to suggest DS tackle. It is working very well for him. DD is not as wordy as DS and will not take MCT at the same pace as DS, but she is doing well with selected Island level materials this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I have The Writer's Jungle (which I have read about half of) and we are using MCT. TWJ/Bravewriter is, IMO, more of an advice book on how to integrate language arts and writing into your lifestyle - it isn't about generating literary essays. It is about finding your voice as a writer and developing confidence and breadth in experience. Now, perhaps in the last half of TWJ there is more towards the structured writing expectations, but I would be surprised. FWIW, you can subscribe to a yahoo listserve that will send you emails to encourage you to do Bravewriter things every day, and/or you can like Julie Bogart on FB and get a lot of encouragement that way. ETA: As far as "doing both" - I think if you have a child who is strong in LA, then doing MCT and spending time doing activities like are encouraged in TWJ would work just fine. A number of the ideas in TWJ are more along the lines of narration anyways. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Thank you! I think I do "like" BR on FB, but I never see any of the posts because of how the timeline is controlled. I'll go check it out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I doubt it. I'm not familiar with BR, but there aren't tons of assignments in MCT. I don't think MCT is enough and we didn't do all of the assignments because frankly some of them were kinda meh. I used MCT with other things myself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you can figure out how to actually implement BW, then you're ahead of me. There's one poster on TWTM forum (whom I really like, don't get me wrong!) who always raves about BW. I used to wonder if she was using the same BW that I have on my shelf. Years later, I saw a post from her where she mentioned having previously worked as an English teacher. All of a sudden the light bulb came on in my head about why she was able to actually make BW into a useable program. She didn't need explicit guidance about how to teach writing like I do- and that's why she loves this program that leaves me scratching my head. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you can figure out how to actually implement BW, then you're ahead of me. There's one poster on TWTM forum (whom I really like, don't get me wrong!) who always raves about BW. I used to wonder if she was using the same BW that I have on my shelf. Years later, I saw a post from her where she mentioned having previously worked as an English teacher. All of a sudden the light bulb came on in my head about why she was able to actually make BW into a useable program. She didn't need explicit guidance about how to teach writing like I do- and that's why she loves this program that leaves me scratching my head. HAHA! Oh no! Well, I'll definitely look into this more. I have the advantage that I majored in Creative Writing, so hopefully it all hasn't fallen out of my head since having children. I do not however have a teaching certificate, so the implementation is what I need help with! Thank you for the warning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you can figure out how to actually implement BW, then you're ahead of me. There's one poster on TWTM forum (whom I really like, don't get me wrong!) who always raves about BW. I used to wonder if she was using the same BW that I have on my shelf. Years later, I saw a post from her where she mentioned having previously worked as an English teacher. All of a sudden the light bulb came on in my head about why she was able to actually make BW into a useable program. She didn't need explicit guidance about how to teach writing like I do- and that's why she loves this program that leaves me scratching my head. Every time I look at it on-line I just don't get it. Some people really rave about it, but yep I don't get it at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you do actually want to implement it, the yahoo listserve could be very helpful. It feels a bit like spam to me, but almost every weekday an email comes in that gives ideas of things to do (poetry tea! go to the library! freewrite Friday! watch a movie together... etc.). Now I know there are a lot more ideas in TWJ, but the inbox reminder I think gets to the lifestyle issue - if it isn't on your radar to be discussing these things with your kids and/or doing them, then the reminders help adjust one's lifestyle to be more literacy centred. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you do actually want to implement it, the yahoo listserve could be very helpful. It feels a bit like spam to me, but almost every weekday an email comes in that gives ideas of things to do (poetry tea! go to the library! freewrite Friday! watch a movie together... etc.). Now I know there are a lot more ideas in TWJ, but the inbox reminder I think gets to the lifestyle issue - if it isn't on your radar to be discussing these things with your kids and/or doing them, then the reminders help adjust one's lifestyle to be more literacy centred. That does sound helpful, although I despise those Yahoo listserves. Mostly because I can never remember my password to change the preferences. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 WHat about using MCt Voyage and Thinking in Threes book or some other book that goes deeper into essay writing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 If you can figure out how to actually implement BW, then you're ahead of me. Well, I feel a whole lot better reading that! I cannot get BW to work for us! I love the concept but can't implement it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 WHat about using MCt Voyage and Thinking in Threes book or some other book that goes deeper into essay writing? That's an idea...thank you! I will look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 That does sound helpful, although I despise those Yahoo listserves. Mostly because I can never remember my password to change the preferences. Ha - me too! That's why I'm still getting the emails two years later! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.