Has anyone here used Fix It grammar (IEW)?

[SparklyUnicorn]

Thoughts?  Comments? 

[Momto6inIN]

I just started using Book 1 a couple of weeks ago with my 8th grader to try to help encourage him to self-edit in his writing. So far, I like it. He rolls his eyes a bit at how easy this first book is, but I have noticed that he is now able to articulate why he's starting a new paragraph, which is a new skill for him. I have high hopes based on these first few weeks, but no other experience to speak of. Hope you get more responses!

[Miss Marple]

We used it as a special Friday grammar thingy.  I thought it was helpful...the boys liked the change from the usual program.  I don't know that I would use it as a stand alone grammar program.  Editing seems to have been the boys' hardest activity.  For some reason they were resentful about correcting their own work, but the Fix It seemed to remove their egos from the equation lol.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I just started using Book 1 a couple of weeks ago with my 8th grader to try to help encourage him to self-edit in his writing. So far, I like it. He rolls his eyes a bit at how easy this first book is, but I have noticed that he is now able to articulate why he's starting a new paragraph, which is a new skill for him. I have high hopes based on these first few weeks, but no other experience to speak of. Hope you get more responses!

 

Oh cool this is helpful actually.  I was thinking of using this for my 8th grader. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

We used it as a special Friday grammar thingy.  I thought it was helpful...the boys liked the change from the usual program.  I don't know that I would use it as a stand alone grammar program.  Editing seems to have been the boys' hardest activity.  For some reason they were resentful about correcting their own work, but the Fix It seemed to remove their egos from the equation lol.

 

Basically I'd like to use it just to review and keep editing skills fresh.  We are done DONE with grammar, but for stuff like standardized tests I think it would be good to review it a bit in this way.

[UCF612]

We use it now for my 3rd grader.  He's in the first book.  He enjoys it and it is one thing he wants to continue next year.  I can't say he's turned into a grammar whiz but he's learning slowly but surely.   For an 8th grader that's already been through a good deal of grammar I think it would make a great review.   It is more interesting than editing a bunch of sentences manufactured for the sake of grammar exercises.

[Kassia]

I've also been using it for my 8th grader.  We've been happy with it and just started the third book which is my favorite.  I hope it just keeps getting better.  The first two books were good for identifying subjects, verbs, prepositions, clauses, etc., but now the third book is really getting into using the right words (among vs. between, that vs. who, affect vs. effect, etc.), correct comma usage, etc.  

 

Erica

[Momto6inIN]

 

 

 

This is our experience too! Lol

 

 

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[OneStepAtATime]

We used it as a special Friday grammar thingy.  I thought it was helpful...the boys liked the change from the usual program.  I don't know that I would use it as a stand alone grammar program.  Editing seems to have been the boys' hardest activity.  For some reason they were resentful about correcting their own work, but the Fix It seemed to remove their egos from the equation lol.

I agree, I think Fix-It removes the ego component a bit.  :)

 

Which version did you use?  The original really was more of a supplement but they revised the whole program and came out with the updated version a couple of years ago.  That one is supposed to be a full grammar program.  It just starts out gently and ramps up.

[OneStepAtATime]

DD finished the first book and is part way through the second book.  (new version of Fix-It, not old).

 

Things DD and/or I love:

1.  Uses a real literary work.

2.  Lessons are short.

3.  The story unfolds slowly while you learn.

4.  Explanations make sense.

5.  Gentle start which helps those who have never used this type of program before plus it helps those that have not had much grammar before or for whom grammar is a struggle.

6.  Easy to accelerate so that two books are completed each year instead of one if needed, but the lessons can still be pretty short.

7.  Initial set-up for the entire book may just take an hour or two total while you print out the student book, put the pages in the divided areas of a notebook and print and organize the reference cards (use card stock).

8.  Prep time daily for student and teacher is about 2 minutes.  Probably less.  Just pull out the books, notebook and dictionary.  Skim through the lesson for about 30 seconds to familiarize yourself with or refresh your memory regarding the material for that day, if you are so inclined.

9.  Student can work pretty independently.  Just make sure you review the first lesson of each week with your student and then what they did to confirm they understood it.  Takes VERY little time to check work.

10.  DD is retaining the information and applying it to her writing.

[OneStepAtATime]

I am also throwing out that you only need to buy the teacher manual- it comes with the student sheets included as a download. Had I paid more attention I would have noticed this in the description and not wasted $15 buying the student book! Oops. I was very perplexed when I went and opened the email with the download link. I thought perhaps they thought I was simply excited to get started. Alas, when I went to order books 2&3 I noticed that important little detail- better late than never though!

Oh, yes.  Definitely unless you really want something pre-printed just buy the TM and print the student book from the download.  Way cheaper.  I recommend printing on bright white paper, though.  

[Kassia]

I am also throwing out that you only need to buy the teacher manual- it comes with the student sheets included as a download. Had I paid more attention I would have noticed this in the description and not wasted $15 buying the student book! Oops. I was very perplexed when I went and opened the email with the download link. I thought perhaps they thought I was simply excited to get started. Alas, when I went to order books 2&3 I noticed that important little detail- better late than never though!

 

Do you print at home?  I've always bought the student book just because I assumed it wouldn't be much cheaper to print it all out myself or have it printed somewhere.  I wonder if I've been wasting money doing it that way.

 

Erica

[UCF612]

I bought the student book. It was easier on me and I'd have spent more in ink to print. We don't have a laser printer though we want one!

[sbgrace]

We're in book 2. So far the first two books were probably too easy for my two. I do think the method is helpful for retention, and I like the focus on editing.

 

After reading this thread, I'm eager to get to book 3. Hopefully it will be more of what I hoped when I picked the program.

 

If I could rewind time, I think I would start with book 3. A friend did that and it worked fine for her. I at least would have skipped book 1 with my 6th graders.

[lmrich]

I use the Robin Hood one with my students at a hybrid school. I LOVE how it makes kids recognize clauses. Why are clauses so hard for kids to see in their own writing? This level also has lots of dialogue for the kids to practice using quotations correctly. We have 4 weeks left, and I still have 3 kids who are struggling with quotations. Of course, they could hardly write a paragraph at the start of the school year, so there has been progress. I will use the Fix It! Robin Hood again next year. 

[Miss Marple]

I agree, I think Fix-It removes the ego component a bit.   :)

 

Which version did you use?  The original really was more of a supplement but they revised the whole program and came out with the updated version a couple of years ago.  That one is supposed to be a full grammar program.  It just starts out gently and ramps up.

We would have used it about 3 years ago.  I'm glad to hear that they have expanded it.  I thought it was a useful program.

[OneStepAtATime]

We would have used it about 3 years ago.  I'm glad to hear that they have expanded it.  I thought it was a useful program.

I'm glad, too.  I think it is a helpful format for many.  :)

[OneStepAtATime]

I bought the student book. It was easier on me and I'd have spent more in ink to print. We don't have a laser printer though we want one!

Just wanted to mention that there is a lot in the TM that is not in the student book.  I found the TM very helpful for me for understanding the whys of things and when there are exceptions to rules, as well as how to make the lessons more robust for students that already know most of what is in a lesson, etc..  I understand cost considerations completely.  I just wanted Sparkly to know that the TM and the student book are not duplicates of each other.

Edited April 15, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[UCF612]

I didn't mean I only bought the student book. I got the TM too! I was only speaking about the print vs pdf thing on the student book.

[Jess4879]

We got to about lesson 14 with my oldest two.  My grader 6 kiddo has had two years of BJU English, so Fix It! was intended as a review for her.  My grade 4 kiddo has never done any formal grammar.  They both did ok but none of us loved it.  It's quick and easy and painless - so that's something.  I wish they would have looked at an entire paragraph at a time.  It ended up bugging me that the sentences were broke down across workbook pages.  It does all come together when they copy, but I think a lot of the impact of the lesson was lost when they were only seeing one sentence per day.  This was especially noticeable when we got to the lessons about when to start a new paragraph.  Looking one sentence at a time wasn't helpful.  They lost the train of the story and what was happening a bit and it just wasn't serving the purpose I hoped for.