Writing and Rhetoric users...

[Mom2Five]

We started Writing and Rhetoric Fable with my daughter when she was in third grade. Life happened, as always, and we put it aside. I pulled it back this year and started using it with my dd now that she is in fourth and my ds who is in third. I enjoy it, but I am wondering what people's opinions are who have stuck with it for several years. Have you seen improvement with their writing? Do you use it as a stand alone writing program? Next year I am thinking of having it alongside WWS. Would that be too much?

[Reefgazer]

I am doing W&R with DS, who is now in 5th grade; we started with Fable in 4th and are now on Chreia Proverb.  At first, I didn't notice a difference in his writing; it took until the end of the last book (Narrative II) to notice the difference.  But I can now see that DS has become a really good writer!  He excels at the things W&R has taught him - using descriptive language, avoiding vague words, varying up sentence structure, and building stories.  I highly recommend sticking with it; it's effective.

 

DD is now in 8th grade and I did not use W&R with her; she has been working through the WWS series.  While I also love WWS, I would absolutely not combine the two; WWS is a time-consuming program and would be overkill if combined with W&R.

[SoCal_Bear]

Out of curiosity, could you describe the type of student that W&R is a good fit for? I keep looking at it for the future...but I am beginning to think that it's because it's so new and shiny that it looks interesting to me.

 

 

[Clear Creek]

I am using the series with my 6th grader; she is currently in the 5th book. I have noticed a tremendous improvement in her writing since she began the series. She is much more descriptive and she naturally varies her sentences so they don't sound bland and basic.

 

 

Out of curiosity, could you describe the type of student that W&R is a good fit for? I keep looking at it for the future...but I am beginning to think that it's because it's so new and shiny that it looks interesting to me.

 

It is a really good fit for my out-of-the-box creative child. The exercises vary from day to day, and the assignments are pretty open-ended. The children learn different tools to use when writing, then are set free to use them within very basic parameters. For the child that needs very specific assignments and a checklist of things to include, it probably won't be a very good fit.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

We just finished Fable and are going on with Narrative. I really like it, and Fable helped him creatively. He was so proud to write his own fable, even though he was a bit daunted at first. I agree that I think it would be overkill with WWS. We are using it alongside MCT, and it's just the right amount.

[ebrindam]

My DD is doing Narrative and we really like it! Her writing is very good and it's an enjoyable curriculum to use and teach.

[Targhee]

"Have you seen improvement with their writing? Do you use it as a stand alone writing program? Next year I am thinking of having it alongside WWS. Would that be too much?"

 

Yes, I have seen improvement with his writing.  Most important to me, I have seen improvement in his attitude about writing.  What I really love about W&R is that is not simply about the mechanics of writing, but it gives you context for why we write, why we might employ certain writing tactics, and it is sewing seeds for rhetoric and literary analysis by use of discussion about writing before responding with our own writing.  That's very light, but it's there.  Also, my son really prefers the variety of the lessons over doing a narrations/summary or dictation every single day.

 

​We use the program alongside MCT for grammar and for talking about writing.  Currently we are reading Paragraph Town together, not doing any writing exercises with it, but discussing writing as we go.

 

My older DD is using WWS 1/2 in a condensed form this year.  I really think using both programs would be overkill.  We've only worked through Narrative II, so I can't speak to the content of the upper levels in W&R, but I'm fairly certain it would be too much to do both.  If W&R had been further along in it's publishing we may have used it for older DD too.

[Reefgazer]

It's hard for me to say; I don't know, and English/writing is not my strength.  DS is the type of kid I always thought was a math/science/computer kid; I never thought of him as having a writing bent because we had to pull teeth to get him to put 3 sentences to a paper when he was in public school.  He is a no-nonsense, get-it-done kind of kid.  At first glance, I was doubtful that W&R would work, but I gave it a chance because it was fairly inexpensive, shiny and new, and Fable is only a semester long, so we didn't have much to lose.  But I have to tell you, DS has really blossomed into a good writer!  He claims he doesn't like writing, but he bangs out the assignment with minimal effort and the sentence structure, spelling, descriptive words just flow onto the page.  I guess he's like me; I don't like to write and was never given great writing instruction, but all through grad school I have been told I am a really good writer.  Maybe he would have turned out the same with or without W&R.

Out of curiosity, could you describe the type of student that W&R is a good fit for? I keep looking at it for the future...but I am beginning to think that it's because it's so new and shiny that it looks interesting to me.

 

Edited February 13, 2016 by reefgazer

[SeaConquest]

Do you need to buy the TMs for W&R?

[Clear Creek]

Do you need to buy the TMs for W&R?

 

I appreciate having them because they include suggestions for modifying assignments for advanced or struggling students, very in-depth answers to the discussion questions (not that the student should be coming up with the same answers, but they are a help for me to guide the discussion), examples of outlines, and lots of information for me as the teacher on the concepts being learned. I find the TM valuable, especially in the higher levels. 

 

[lexi]

I personally do need the TM. The outline and summary examples have helped me guide my daughter and know what I should expect from her.

[Juliegmom]

I am using the series with my 6th grader; she is currently in the 5th book. I have noticed a tremendous improvement in her writing since she began the series. She is much more descriptive and she naturally varies her sentences so they don't sound bland and basic.

 

 

 

It is a really good fit for my out-of-the-box creative child. The exercises vary from day to day, and the assignments are pretty open-ended. The children learn different tools to use when writing, then are set free to use them within very basic parameters. For the child that needs very specific assignments and a checklist of things to include, it probably won't be a very good fit.

 

I could have written these exact comments. I've been very pleased with the progress I'm seeing in my daughter's writing. It has provided nice structure with lots of opportunities for creativity. I find the teacher's edition helpful and always use them.

[kateingr]

I appreciate having them because they include suggestions for modifying assignments for advanced or struggling students, very in-depth answers to the discussion questions (not that the student should be coming up with the same answers, but they are a help for me to guide the discussion), examples of outlines, and lots of information for me as the teacher on the concepts being learned. I find the TM valuable, especially in the higher levels. 

 

 

I agree. They are also essential for the dictation exercises. 

[Reefgazer]

They are necessary for me, because I am not an English-writing person.  I imagine someone with a bent for English and writing wouldn't need the TM.

Do you need to buy the TMs for W&R?