W&R for a natural and creative writer?

[Janeway]

12 yr old is creative and prefers when he can interact a ton while working. Would you recommend W&R for him? And if so, which level would you start with?

[Targhee]

There is a good deal of interaction at the beginning of lessons - you discuss the reading, and ideas (both little and big).

 

This curriculum is squarely pointed towards developing the skills necessary for rhetoric. It has opportunity for creativity within the assignments but it isn't about developing the creative writer (i.e. not focused on things like character development, etc). It does include exercises for stylistic technique.

 

I would say start with the generous online sample from CAP, maybe with book 3?

Edited August 26, 2016 by Targhee

[freelylearned]

My creative son really enjoys the W&R series. He despises busywork and doesn't complain a bit about W&R. Here's how each lesson looks:

 

Reading 

Narration and discussion questions (we do these together)

Dig Deeper (usually vocabulary building and short written responses to the reading, done independently)

Writing Time exercises (grammar and creative writing is mixed into these short exercises, my son always comes to read these aloud to me)

A longer writing assignment is usually included at the end of the Writing Time exercises. (I usually help him with the brainstorming, then he writes independently, and finally he comes and reads what he wrote aloud to me)

Speak It(sometimes a poetry memorization and recitation, sometimes reading parts of a play, sometimes an impromptu speaking game, sometimes reading aloud the previous writing assignment with a focus on eloqution)

 

If you choose to try W&R, I agree with Targhee, to start with book 3 for a 12 year old.