Writing curriculum for an accelerated writer?

[LarrySanger]

Can you help me narrow down my writing curricula options? Maybe some suggestions to add to the list?

 

My ds, age 9, has been writing random stuff almost daily for the last four years. I just tell him to write 150 words or more and he does. Mostly, though, he's writing about his interests—computer stuff (he's a geeky kid), and stories. In the past, we sort-of kind-of tried to go through a Spectrum Writing workbook, but this didn't work very well for us (writing in the blanks was a problem). We've also followed a la carte instructions for writing book reports, lab reports, etc.

Here's something he wrote about a month ago (not edited or commented on by anyone):
 

The Life of a Mouse

The intriguing story of a shy but surprisingly brave animal.

Once upon a time, there was a mouse who lived in a compost bin in someone’s yard. He was a little mouse, and had been separated from his family six months ago when a cat tried to eat them. His family was very kind, and the mouse wanted to go back. The compost bin did provide enough food for a little mouse, and there was plenty of moisture that had collected in the bottom of the compost bin, so the mouse could eat and drink, but he didn’t feel happy without a family. He was also getting tired of the same old leaves and branches every single day. His old home was inside a farmhouse, which means that he got delicacies, such as crumbs of chicken and bread and the like. He could also go outside the house, to the fields, when no one was watching and the farmer wasn’t plowing the fields. Then, he could fill up on wheat. The mouse remembered all these good things about his old life while he lay on a pile of leaves one night, trying to sleep. But, thinking about all this delicious food made his mouth water. So, the mouse tried counting sheep. But, every sheep baaed at him until all that baaing rang in his ears. So he tried thinking about tomorrow and breakfast and the fact that he could eat breakfast after he slept, and this finally made him fall so fast asleep that a lawn mower could not have woken him.

 

The next morning, the mouse decided to go find the farmhouse, where his family must be hoping that he would come. He ate a breakfast of leaves, and burrowed out of the compost pile.

 

It was a hot day outside, and all the flowers had closed. The mouse had been chased many miles away from the farmhouse by its cat, and he had no idea where he was, because his family had never gone this far away from home, in fear of getting lost.

 

The mouse took some leaves, and wove them together to create a handkerchief-style net to put some more leaves in to eat. He decided he could find water and that he didn’t have to bring it with him. He would have brought water, but if he did, it would leak out. So he just put the leaves in the net, tied it onto a stick he had found earlier in the compost bin, and set off on a quest to find his family.

 

The first person he met was an old, crippled mouse, who was very hungry and desperately needed something to eat so that he could stay alive!

 

The former walked up to him and asked, “Don’t you need something to eat?â€

 

“Yes, I am starving,†said the old, crippled mouse.

 

“Here, take some of my leaves,†said the younger mouse to the older mouse.

(not finished)

 

We've decided we finally want to do a more systematic writing program. He's done a variety of writing types, but since he mostly does stories and writing about his interests (computer stuff), I think I'll want him to do more essays, research reports, and book reports.

We haven't decided on this, but here are some features we'd like:

• Something in the way of a textbook explaining stuff would be nice. (Not strictly necessary.)
• We'd like to avoid writing in a workbook.
• Assuming that the child will be handwriting is annoying. We'll have him do this from time to time, but mostly he types.
• We like videos (e.g., we're fans of the Cozy Grammar videos), but they also aren't necessary. Any good free video series on YouTube???
• We'd definitely consider a program in which he works with a real writing teacher, if it weren't too expensive.
• We want the curricula to have been prepared by somebody who is obviously intelligent, educated, a good writer, and actually an expert. In my experience, a lot of homeschooling curricula fail this requirement. For example, the guy on IEW turns out not even to have a college degree. Sorry, and I don't mean to sound snobbish and I mean no offense to anybody, but I'd need to be convinced that he's a great teacher and knows what he's talking about before considering him.
• We dislike the usual sorts of "schooling" busywork. We want to get down to the business of actually writing. (And background reading, planning, revising, etc.)
• We don't need grammar, spelling, etc., exercises as part of the course, i.e., we are definitely studying that stuff, but separately.
• Secular or only very lightly Christian (like SOTW) preferred.

Programs we've considered so far, which look good, and which we haven't ruled out include: Time4Writing, Brave Writer, Basic Cozy Essay Course (Marie Rackham), Writing Strands. What else should we look into?

[sportsmom]

I don't have an accelerated writer, but Susan Wise Bauer's Writing with Skill books may be something to consider.

[LarrySanger]

Thanks, sportsmom, I hadn't looked at those, and they look like just what the doctor ordered!

[sportsmom]

Glad I could help Larry!  We used WWS 1 for a bit last year.  My DS10 understood the material, but struggles with creative writing and inference (everything is face value for him) so it wasn't a great fit for him at that point.  Hoping to try again towards the end of the year this year to see if a year of MCT will help.

[Harriet Vane]

I am a writing instructor and a book editor. (I also have a degree in English and Rhetoric, if that matters to you.)

 

Your son's writing shows creativity and promise. I would guess that writing comes easily to him; the words flow from his pen without strenuous effort?

 

As such, a word of caution.

 

Often writers who can intuitively write find themselves stifled by a program that is too heavy on formulas and mechanics. IEW is one such program. Conversely, there are some students who find it a relief to be given checklists and rules to follow; those students like a program like IEW.

 

For your son, I would veer more towards the BraveWriter philosophy, which focuses on preserving the writer's voice and creativity, with grammar and punctuation mop-ups as the last stage in writing. 

 

My two kids represent both ends of the spectrum. My daughter is a strong, natural writer who absolutely withered under the weight of heavily structured programs. With her, I usually gave her lots of freedom to just spill her thoughts onto paper, and then we would edit through them together.

 

My son, on the other hand, does not derive any great joy from writing. He appreciates more structure. He likes checklists and formulas because it gives him a concrete list of things to do.

 

Feel free to pm me if you have more specific questions. 

 

:)

[texasmama]

What Harriet Vane said.  :)

 

WWS is fabulous, and I have used it with my older son, but it is geared towards reluctant writers and is very incremental.  I would not use it with a 9 year old, particularly one who is writing on his own with a fair amount of proficiency.  I would likely provide grammar instruction and allow him to have at the creative writing on his own.  There is plenty of time for specific writing instruction.

 

I have a 9 year old who enjoys creative writing, and I am using Writing Tales with her.  It is a gentle classical writing program with two levels.  It has light grammar instruction in Level 1 and more in-depth instruction in Level 2. 

[LarrySanger]

I very much appreciate Harriet's wisdom here! Yes, even though the structure of Writing With Skill might look nice after several years of unstructured writing, I'll be a little surprised if he ends up liking the WWS exercises I'm seeing in SWB's generous 100-page sample.

 

What I feel we need is some hand-holding when it comes to the processes of creating research reports, book reports, and other such things. Mama and I could also use some help making the time to give him feedback...so we might invest in a tutor or class.

 

texasmama, are you saying that maybe we just shouldn't bother teaching him stuff like research reports etc. at this stage, and save it for later when he has more discipline and it's just easier for him? It's definitely the case that he can be motivated to write stories and about his interests and a few other things, but anything that requires organization and research that takes more than a day and is not about his hobbies...well, I'm sure we can teach it, but it's going to require handholding, not just because it's more difficult but because he just doesn't wanna. Still, frankly, my view there would be that he ought to start developing his skills at writing a five-paragraph essay and that sort of thing, and if he doesn't like it, too bad, he'll learn to like it.

 

Signing him up to a $100 class for eight weeks (as on Time4Writing) seems very doable. I'll look more into BraveWriter, too. Any other such online writing classes?

[texasmama]

What I feel we need is some hand-holding when it comes to the processes of creating research reports, book reports, and other such things. Mama and I could also use some help making the time to give him feedback...so we might invest in a tutor or class.

 

texasmama, are you saying that maybe we just shouldn't bother teaching him stuff like research reports etc. at this stage, and save it for later when he has more discipline and it's just easier for him? It's definitely the case that he can be motivated to write stories and about his interests and a few other things, but anything that requires organization and research that takes more than a day and is not about his hobbies...well, I'm sure we can teach it, but it's going to require handholding, not just because it's more difficult but because he just doesn't wanna. Still, frankly, my view there would be that he ought to start developing his skills at writing a five-paragraph essay and that sort of thing, and if he doesn't like it, too bad, he'll learn to like it.

 

Signing him up to a $100 class for eight weeks (as on Time4Writing) seems very doable. I'll look more into BraveWriter, too. Any other such online writing classes?

We don't do book reports at all.  They are mostly a school invention so teachers have evidence that kids have read the books assigned.

 

And yes, that is exactly what I am saying.  At this stage, I would allow his love for writing develop organically.  My little dd sits at an old fashioned electric typewriter (!) and pounds out creative stories.  I do not edit these, as they are just for the pure joy of writing in her free time.

 

Writing Tales lays a good foundation for writing without being overwhelming or taking the joy from it.  I have used it at the elementary level for all three of my homeschooled kids.  I would skip the online class and look into Bravewriter.  In fact, I would skip any online classes at this point, but I say that as a parent whose giftings are in the language arts department.  Learning a five paragraph essay is not a skill I would be concerned about teaching a kid this age at this stage.

 

If you and your wife do not feel comfortable assisting your son with editing his work, you can find someone to do this. At this point,  I would not edit all work, just assigned schoolwork, unless he asks for editing help.  The desire to write and the gift he has is a wonderful thing, but I see it as something that needs to be gently nurtured and allowed to blossom or it will take the joy from it.  

[Harriet Vane]

I very much appreciate Harriet's wisdom here! Yes, even though the structure of Writing With Skill might look nice after several years of unstructured writing, I'll be a little surprised if he ends up liking the WWS exercises I'm seeing in SWB's generous 100-page sample.

 

What I feel we need is some hand-holding when it comes to the processes of creating research reports, book reports, and other such things. Mama and I could also use some help making the time to give him feedback...so we might invest in a tutor or class.

 

texasmama, are you saying that maybe we just shouldn't bother teaching him stuff like research reports etc. at this stage, and save it for later when he has more discipline and it's just easier for him? It's definitely the case that he can be motivated to write stories and about his interests and a few other things, but anything that requires organization and research that takes more than a day and is not about his hobbies...well, I'm sure we can teach it, but it's going to require handholding, not just because it's more difficult but because he just doesn't wanna. Still, frankly, my view there would be that he ought to start developing his skills at writing a five-paragraph essay and that sort of thing, and if he doesn't like it, too bad, he'll learn to like it.

 

Signing him up to a $100 class for eight weeks (as on Time4Writing) seems very doable. I'll look more into BraveWriter, too. Any other such online writing classes?

 

I see nothing wrong with teaching organized reports at this stage, but I would try to make them delight-driven.

 

Does your son like history or science? If so, try to find topics related to what he is studying for him to do a little research and write a simple report. For example, when I taught a Modern History class, I gave a list of topics not normally included in serious history textbooks but that would contribute to understanding the era we were studying. My teens chose such topics as the Olympics, kamikaze fighters in WW2, and changes in fashion over time. For many of these kids, the ancillary reports were the highlight of their studies in this class.

 

Also, I do find value in dictation exercises and grammar. I recommend keeping up with those. A steady, gentle drip will cause good structure to seep into his writing over time. But as far as writing reports, he can learn the beginnings of structure while handling topics he loves. Focus on the fascinating information, and let concerns about structure take a back seat. Structure is not ignored; it is just not emphasized. Also, structure should be presented as simply grouping the information in a way that helps the reader understand and see how cool it is.

 

You can also foster the love of the message, of relaying information itself, by giving him opportunities to present what he has learned as a short oral presentation. Does your son have younger siblings? Perhaps he can teach them about the different stages in a frog's life. Often the act of honing something into a workable short speech can teach a lot about good writing. His feedback comes in the interest and engagement of his audience, rather than from a teacher's red pen.

 

In junior high, you can increase the attention given to essay structure in preparation for high school. 

[LarrySanger]

Thanks again, Harriet. I did assign a research report once and more or less tried to do what you say: I let him write a report about a computer topic he is already wonkish about. The trouble is that it ended up being more of a tutorial than a research report. I also bought a research report book once and just never took the time to go through it with him. But anyway, we'll probably try again, before too long. I like your idea about letting structure (and footnotes and bibliography etc.) take a back seat to the writing.

 

Yes, just on his own he started writing a textbook for his little 4-year-old brother, a couple times. But if we made the topic something less textbooky and more inherently to the 9-year-old, I think that'll work out well.

 

texasmama, I don't think trying a report now and then will kill his love of writing...but a program that is unrelentingly dull would, and we won't let that happen. He already distinguishes between dull, difficult writing and fun writing, anyway...

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I've only skimmed the posts, but I wanted to comment on WWS. 

 

My daughter started WWS when she was 10. We took our time and went at her pace. She loves writing and has never struggled with it, yet she thrived with WWS. (Against the odds, perhaps. At least that's what I always think when I read posts about what kind of child is supposed to like it and what kind isn't... ;) )

 

OP, WWS might not work for your son, but I wanted to mention it for others reading the thread. I would advise caution before dismissing WWS just because you have a certain type of child. As mentioned above, generous samples are available. It might be worth trying no matter what sort of child you have. :)  

 

 

[wander]

Woodland Mist, did your DD have any exposure to WWE prior to WWS? I am wondering if it will work for my DS just turned 10 at half speed. This is the first time I'm homeschooling him and don't want to frustrate him early on. TIA.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Yes, dd had done a bit of WWE prior to WWS. WWE actually wasn't a good fit for her. We only did the first two levels and a small part of the third. 

 

Definitely don't frustrate him early on - or ever!  Challenge, yes - frustrate, no.  ;)

 

Part of what made WWS a good fit for my dd is that she loved the selections, both fiction and nonfiction. I would often buy the books so she could read them in their entirety. 

 

Starting at half speed is a great plan. Adapt as needed. Don't be afraid to switch topics if he doesn't like the one assigned in the book. If WWS doesn't work out, that's fine too. Just move on and try something else. It's a great program, but not all programs are great fits for all kids.  :)

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I have an almost 13 year old who loves to write and is good at it. And who has always been accelerated, I suppose.  She is in the midst of writing one novel and doing world-creation for an epic fantasy series (if the volume of writing in her preparatory notebooks is any indication!)  She is good at both academic and creative writing, but vastly prefers creative writing.  If that sounds like your son, I'd recommend keeping Bravewriter in mind.  This year is our first experience with it, but the more time I spend with it the more I see the wisdom in the approach - writing taught by a professional writer, not by a homeschooler, and writing instruction that protects, honors, and nurtures the voice of the writer and the thought process behind the writing, rather than focusing on formulas.  The whole idea behind BW is that you can learn the formulas quickly and easily, it's figuring out what you want to say and saying it with eloquence that is the challenge, and that deserves and requires some of the effort.

 

My biggest turnoff with BW initially was that it seemed too simple for my accelerated writer.  I'm not sure where I'd place an accelerated 9 year old.  My dd9 is doing Partnership Writing this year, but she isn't accelerated or anything.  My almost 13 year old is doing the Kidswrite Intermediate online class, and it's fantastic. She wouldn't have been ready for it at 9, though.  So I guess my suggestion would be to keep it in mind for the future. - 7th or 8th grade, once he's starting to show sophisticated analytical skills, not just great narrative and creative writing.

 

In the meantime:  if I were you, I'd listen to Julie Bogart's podcasts, and to Susan Wise Bauer's middle grade writing lectures, and I'd wing it - write across the curriculum on you own, without a curriculum, doing the kinds of assignments SWB describes in her lectures - summaries, outlines, rewriting from outlines, and basic literary analysis.  And let him do a ton of creative writing on the side, as much as he wants, but don't "teach" that necessarily, unless he asks for it.  I did WWS with Shannon when it first came out, she was 9 and a 4th grader when we did the first 10 lessons, and we finished WWS 1 in 5th grade.  She could do it, fine, but it was joyless.  Although it is less formulaic than some programs, it does really focus on learning how to do each part of the writing process, in some isolation, and doesn't really focus on the big picture.  People have called it a parts-to-whole writing program, and SWB has described it as perfect for little engineers who want to know the steps to follow, no more no less.  That's not to say that other kinds of kids haven't enjoyed it, but for my dd it was really a slog.  She also didn't like doing writing assignments that were completely disconnected from her other studies. It felt very random to her, she's a girl who likes to see the big picture and the connections between things.  We started doing WWS2 in 6th grade, and one day early on - I remember it, it was after working on a compare and contrast assignment about beavers vs. platypuses - she just looked at me with such a pained expression, and I finally realized, let it go - stop doing this.  You are destroying her enjoyment of writing.  Just because it's a solid writing program, created by your homeschooling idol, it isn't working for your kid.

 

So - we went back to writing across the curriculum for 6th grade.  It was great - she wrote about her history subjects and the books she was reading.  She wrote a report about an artist and about the planet Venus.  It was a great writing year.  In 7th grade we did Lively Art of Writing to learn the essay form, and this year with BW classes she's learning about the thinking that goes into writing an essay that is worth reading.

 

Anyway, just sharing this about our path because it sounds like our kids might have something in common.  Try something that appeals to you, but don't be afraid to drop it if it isn't a good fit.  Think hard about your goals, and what you want him to learn, and stay focused on that rather than on curriculum.  Definitely listen to SWB's Middle Grade writing lecture for what you should be doing now, and her High School writing lecture to know what you are planning toward.

 

http://peacehillpress.com/audio-lectures/

 

And check out Julie Bogart's podcasts:

 

http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

 

Two inspiring women, whose writing advice is more similar than it appears on the surface.  And good luck!

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I have an almost 13 year old who loves to write and is good at it. And who has always been accelerated, I suppose.  She is in the midst of writing one novel and doing world-creation for an epic fantasy series (if the volume of writing in her preparatory notebooks is any indication!)  She is good at both academic and creative writing, but vastly prefers creative writing.  If that sounds like your son, I'd recommend keeping Bravewriter in mind.  This year is our first experience with it, but the more time I spend with it the more I see the wisdom in the approach - writing taught by a professional writer, not by a homeschooler, and writing instruction that protects, honors, and nurtures the voice of the writer and the thought process behind the writing, rather than focusing on formulas.  The whole idea behind BW is that you can learn the formulas quickly and easily, it's figuring out what you want to say and saying it with eloquence that is the challenge, and that deserves and requires some of the effort.

 

That might make a difference. My dd enjoys both academic and creative writing. (Of course, I think good academic writing involves creativity as well!  ;) ) Most of her free time writing is creative, but she does sometimes write academic papers for fun.  :001_huh:  The focus on academic writing might be one reason WWS was such a good fit here.  If a child does not enjoy academic writing, another program might be a better fit. Or perhaps using two programs so that there is a rotation.

 

To offer a different perspective on formulas... sometimes formulas help give scaffolding to voice. They provide a platform for thoughts to stand. Now that dd is studying Rhetoric, the use of formulas is making even more sense. I also feel better about the countless hours she has spent reading myths and legends! They weren't frivolous hours after all!  ;)  Seeing those being used in the process of improving her academic writing in other subjects is something I never thought I'd see! The formulas have helped clarify her voice, giving it both depth and power.

 

Bonus points to the hematologist who used "crossing the Rubicon"  last week!   :coolgleamA:

 

Always love a rousing writing/ WWS thread!  :cheers2:

[Chrysalis Academy]

That might make a difference. My dd enjoys both academic and creative writing. (Of course, I think good academic writing involves creativity as well!  ;) ) Most of her free time writing is creative, but she does sometimes write academic papers for fun.  :001_huh:  The focus on academic writing might be one reason WWS was such a good fit here.  If a child does not enjoy academic writing, another program might be a better fit. Or perhaps using two programs so that there is a rotation.

 

To offer a different perspective on formulas... sometimes formulas help give scaffolding to voice. They provide a platform for thoughts to stand. Now that dd is studying Rhetoric, the use of formulas is making even more sense. I also feel better about the countless hours she has spent reading myths and legends! They weren't frivolous hours after all!  ;)  Seeing those being used in the process of improving her academic writing in other subjects is something I never thought I'd see! The formulas have helped clarify her voice, giving it both depth and power.

 

Bonus points to the hematologist who used "crossing the Rubicon"  last week!   :coolgleamA:

 

Always love a rousing writing/ WWS thread!  :cheers2:

 

I know, right? I always hope our different perspectives and agreement to disagree about WWS is helpful for others - I know that reading about your POV and your dd's experience has helped me analyze my own.  :cheers2:

[Harriet Vane]

I have an almost 13 year old who loves to write and is good at it. And who has always been accelerated, I suppose.  She is in the midst of writing one novel and doing world-creation for an epic fantasy series (if the volume of writing in her preparatory notebooks is any indication!)  She is good at both academic and creative writing, but vastly prefers creative writing.  If that sounds like your son, I'd recommend keeping Bravewriter in mind.  This year is our first experience with it, but the more time I spend with it the more I see the wisdom in the approach - writing taught by a professional writer, not by a homeschooler, and writing instruction that protects, honors, and nurtures the voice of the writer and the thought process behind the writing, rather than focusing on formulas.  The whole idea behind BW is that you can learn the formulas quickly and easily, it's figuring out what you want to say and saying it with eloquence that is the challenge, and that deserves and requires some of the effort.

 

My biggest turnoff with BW initially was that it seemed too simple for my accelerated writer.  I'm not sure where I'd place an accelerated 9 year old.  My dd9 is doing Partnership Writing this year, but she isn't accelerated or anything.  My almost 13 year old is doing the Kidswrite Intermediate online class, and it's fantastic. She wouldn't have been ready for it at 9, though.  So I guess my suggestion would be to keep it in mind for the future. - 7th or 8th grade, once he's starting to show sophisticated analytical skills, not just great narrative and creative writing.

 

In the meantime:  if I were you, I'd listen to Julie Bogart's podcasts, and to Susan Wise Bauer's middle grade writing lectures, and I'd wing it - write across the curriculum on you own, without a curriculum, doing the kinds of assignments SWB describes in her lectures - summaries, outlines, rewriting from outlines, and basic literary analysis.  And let him do a ton of creative writing on the side, as much as he wants, but don't "teach" that necessarily, unless he asks for it.  I did WWS with Shannon when it first came out, she was 9 and a 4th grader when we did the first 10 lessons, and we finished WWS 1 in 5th grade.  She could do it, fine, but it was joyless.  Although it is less formulaic than some programs, it does really focus on learning how to do each part of the writing process, in some isolation, and doesn't really focus on the big picture.  People have called it a parts-to-whole writing program, and SWB has described it as perfect for little engineers who want to know the steps to follow, no more no less.  That's not to say that other kinds of kids haven't enjoyed it, but for my dd it was really a slog.  She also didn't like doing writing assignments that were completely disconnected from her other studies. It felt very random to her, she's a girl who likes to see the big picture and the connections between things.  We started doing WWS2 in 6th grade, and one day early on - I remember it, it was after working on a compare and contrast assignment about beavers vs. platypuses - she just looked at me with such a pained expression, and I finally realized, let it go - stop doing this.  You are destroying her enjoyment of writing.  Just because it's a solid writing program, created by your homeschooling idol, it isn't working for your kid.

 

So - we went back to writing across the curriculum for 6th grade.  It was great - she wrote about her history subjects and the books she was reading.  She wrote a report about an artist and about the planet Venus.  It was a great writing year.  In 7th grade we did Lively Art of Writing to learn the essay form, and this year with BW classes she's learning about the thinking that goes into writing an essay that is worth reading.

 

Anyway, just sharing this about our path because it sounds like our kids might have something in common.  Try something that appeals to you, but don't be afraid to drop it if it isn't a good fit.  Think hard about your goals, and what you want him to learn, and stay focused on that rather than on curriculum.  Definitely listen to SWB's Middle Grade writing lecture for what you should be doing now, and her High School writing lecture to know what you are planning toward.

 

http://peacehillpress.com/audio-lectures/

 

And check out Julie Bogart's podcasts:

 

http://blog.bravewriter.com/category/podcasts/

 

Two inspiring women, whose writing advice is more similar than it appears on the surface.  And good luck!

 

Just one tiny correction:

 

It is true that the Brave Writer instructors are professional writers. Some have been or are editors as well. They are ALSO homeschooling moms (or have been at one point). 

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Sure, I wasn't trying to characterize all the BW teachers, I certainly don't know all their bios.  Shannon's current teacher isn't a homeschooling mom, or a mom of any kind, but I think she may have been homeschooled herself.  I was just trying to address the OP's concern that some curricula that were created by homeschoolers who were not also writers might be missing something important.  Obviously, it's possible to be both a professional writer/editor, and a homeschooler - as are SWB and JB themselves.

[wander]

Yes, dd had done a bit of WWE prior to WWS. WWE actually wasn't a good fit for her. We only did the first two levels and a small part of the third. 

 

Definitely don't frustrate him early on - or ever!  Challenge, yes - frustrate, no.  ;)

 

Part of what made WWS a good fit for my dd is that she loved the selections, both fiction and nonfiction. I would often buy the books so she could read them in their entirety. 

 

Starting at half speed is a great plan. Adapt as needed. Don't be afraid to switch topics if he doesn't like the one assigned in the book. If WWS doesn't work out, that's fine too. Just move on and try something else. It's a great program, but not all programs are great fits for all kids.  :)

 

Thank you, that was very helpful. :)

[MamaSprout]

WWS has a nice sample you could work through.

 

Writing & Rhetoric is also worth a look. You can start at a slightly higher level if needed. It's not as locked into the sequence as the other classical writing programs.

[Chrysalis Academy]

WWS has a nice sample you could work through.

 

Writing & Rhetoric is also worth a look. You can start at a slightly higher level if needed. It's not as locked into the sequence as the other classical writing programs.

 

Yes, W&R has some nice features.  For the OP's son, I'd suggest Narrative 2.  That was the book my dd worked through as a 6th grader, we expanded the assignments (for each lesson that she did, she wrote a full narrative) and she really had fun with it.  We didn't continue with the series because she was really beyond it at that point.  But it is a very nice option.  I thought at the time that a kid who completed Narrative 2 would be better prepared for WWS than a kid who was transitioning straight from the WWE books.

 

ETA: So much for helping you narrow down your options, OP!  :lol:

[EndOfOrdinary]

One of the things that really helped with my son (who is very good at writing when he decides to care about it, but is a visual kid so doesn't choose it right away) was to go about learning what the pieces of a research paper were.  We did silly, 5 minute thesis statements.  All they were was my son's opinion about something and three reasons why he thought what he did.  He didn't need to write them.  He didn't need to research them - at least in the beginning.  All he had to do was blurt out something he thought and then tell me three reasons why all combined into a coherent sentence.  When it came time for him to actually write a thesis, the kid was all over it because he had been doing silly ones for so long it was no big deal.

 

We I would have him explain one of the "prongs" or reasons using a topic sentence and three details to help me understand.  Again, not having to write it, but more just describe and talk about it.  Often times the kid could ramble on and on.  Soon it became much more concise and dense.  Again, by the time he actually had to write, it was no big deal.

In this way, we slowly built up the stamina for a research paper.  He can do an outline really quickly now.  It is not scary or overwhelming.  Starting around nine made the exercise a lot of fun, not something like a stuffy research paper.