IEW...some questions....I hope someone can help me with

[ProudGrandma]

It was recommended to me that I try the IEW intensive course for my struggling high school writer.  I am considering it.  It does look interesting...but I have some questions about it. 

 

1) if you used the intensive, how did you carve out 30-60 minutes to actually watch the instruction with your child (or didn't you?) and then help them with the assignments?  That is a lot of time to not be available else where in the home with the other kids.

 

2) how important is the teacher part of this program.  The student is affordable because I know, if it's good, I have 2 other kids.  But, if I have to add the teacher part to make this successful, I want to know that.

 

3) Is this the only writing course my daughter would need then...or is this just a stepping stone to the next thing? There is only one intensive course per age group.  

 

4) I have heard about this program before...and lots of people find it very helpful...but I have never taken the time to find out why.  Can you guys give me some reasons why this program is so good?

 

thanks.

[Julie of KY]

 

It was recommended to me that I try the IEW intensive course for my struggling high school writer.  I am considering it.  It does look interesting...but I have some questions about it. 

 

1) if you used the intensive, how did you carve out 30-60 minutes to actually watch the instruction with your child (or didn't you?) and then help them with the assignments?  That is a lot of time to not be available else where in the home with the other kids.

 

I've done the intensive courses at younger ages, but it works the same for high school. Some people watch it with their student, others have the student do it on their own. You can certainly spread the dvds out over several week/s  months. Ususally I'd do 30 minute sections at a time.

 

2) how important is the teacher part of this program.  The student is affordable because I know, if it's good, I have 2 other kids.  But, if I have to add the teacher part to make this successful, I want to know that.

 

I think the teacher part is important, but I know others do it without. The teacher dvds teach you the whys of the program and teach you how to apply the teaching principles to other assignments.

 

3) Is this the only writing course my daughter would need then...or is this just a stepping stone to the next thing? There is only one intensive course per age group.  

 

The intensive is where anyone starts - different intensives geared at different ages. After that you can continue with the Coninuation Course on dvd (9 dvds - very good) or do one of the workbook based programs. (If you've done an intensive at any age, you don't repeat it.)

 

4) I have heard about this program before...and lots of people find it very helpful...but I have never taken the time to find out why.  Can you guys give me some reasons why this program is so good?

 

For me, this program was very good at holding my hand to get started. It gives explicit instruction and assignments. You do the feedback and grading. Lots of helps on the IEW yahoogroup. IEW dvds have a high resale value by the way.

 

thanks.

 

 

I moved away from IEW to Brave Writer with my high schooler (and then with my others) as I needed someone other than me to give feedback on the writing and encouragement. I know how to pick at the details, but I didn't know how to give constructive feedback because I would push too hard.  Brave Writer online classes have been more expensive, but very worth it in my home.

 

IEW and Brave Writer are on opposite ends of the spectrum. IEW often tells you what to write and gives you the tools to make your sentence structure and paragraphs more interesting. Brave Writer does teach formats such as a 5 paragraph essay, but it is much more open to each student writing in their own voice, yet also learning structure at the same time.

 

Edited January 23, 2016 by Julie of KY

[SparklyUnicorn]

You can use it without the teacher part.  You can break down the lessons if the amount of time per lesson is too much.  He should be able to do it on his own, but it's a good idea for you to at least watch it so you know what is being asked of him (and so you can give feedback).

 

 

[MerryAtHope]

I almost said this in your other thread, but if you don't have IEW yet, you may also want to consider Essentials in Writing. I know some people love IEW, but my son and I both struggled with it (him with the long videos and not feeling the instruction was concrete and incremental enough, me with some of the teaching aspects). For me, it was teacher-intensive because my son needed more help/direction, though the key word outline idea was very helpful for him.  Essentials in Writing broke things down into more doable parts and was a better fit here (and it was only a 5 minute video to watch most days). It was easier for me to teach (you still have to read the papers and give feedback of course, but I felt the daily goals were clearer for both of us.) Here's a review I did several years ago (which needs an update--we have used levels 7-11 so far and I have 12 for next year for my youngest). 

Edited January 24, 2016 by MerryAtHope

[ProudGrandma]

where would I start with her in EIW?  Which book?  This looks interesting to me.  But I just don't know enough.  thanks for the suggestion.

[Carol in Cal.]

You might invest in Jenson's Format Writing also. It's kind of like a handbook of different kinds of essay.  Easy to interpret, inexpensive, and helpful, though not a standalone curriculum.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[MerryAtHope]

where would I start with her in EIW?  Which book?  This looks interesting to me.  But I just don't know enough.  thanks for the suggestion.

 

Most of the time, you start in the book that equals the student's grade level. If you want to start slightly easier, you could do Level 8 with her.