Can someone help me with writing?

[ByGrace3]

I am contemplating our writing plan for next year...We dabbled in WWE for a few years but found that the BW approach to narration, copywork, and dictation worked better for us. Both ds and dd have completed TC, and dd did EW1 with WTMA in 6th. For 5th and 7th (this year), we have done outlines, essays, and writing projects across curriculum using BW style projects. Both kids are doing well, while ds is a much more natural writer. dd struggles a bit more and could use a bit more handholding. We did writing as a part of co-op this year, and getting input intro what they wrote about (though they chose from topics we were studying) made them much more invested and they both said writing was one of their favorite subjects this year. 

For next year I would like to continue writing across the curriculum, but feel like I need a little more structure in "what" writing techniques to teach . . . especially for dd. Does this exist? I contemplated IEW though I have avoided its formulaic approach...it might be what dd needs? Is there something else to consider?

Has anyone used BW's Help for High School with an 8th grader? Could we use it this way?

And then there is the part of me that says just sign dd up for WH or WTMA and be done with it... She might like an online class again, but I REALLy like integrating subjects...I feel like we got so much more out of our learning experience...Is there an online class out there like this? Where we could pick the topics?

What is out there?

[Momto6inIN]

I don't know if IEW is right for you or not, but if you do decide to use it you can absolutely not be formulaic with regards to the dress ups and what not! I tell my kids that the dress ups are there to give you ideas for how to edit/improve your writing but they do not have to be a certain # per paragraph or whatever. It's helped improve my kids' organization in their writing dramatically.

[Farrar]

I went back and forth about using Help for High School for 8th - in the end, I decided against it. I love BW and we do a lot of BW practices - especially in how we approach lit discussions, poetry, and revision - but it didn't feel quite right for us.

We all really liked doing Twisting Arms, which is really only a quarter-long program, but which introduces persuasive writing. I liked the exercises in it a lot. I felt like the kids got a lot out of it. The papers they wrote at the end were solid.

After that, we did more writing projects a la BW style. Right now they're finishing up a set of mini-reviews that will get Amazon posted once they revise them a little. They did a personal essay thing and we've really been focused on short answer questions this year - for history and literature mostly. Things where it's like why did this happen, what other events can you compare this to, support your answer with specific examples from the text, etc. That stuff has been hard for them so we've been working on it.

[ByGrace3]

5 hours ago, Farrar said:

I went back and forth about using Help for High School for 8th - in the end, I decided against it. I love BW and we do a lot of BW practices - especially in how we approach lit discussions, poetry, and revision - but it didn't feel quite right for us.

We all really liked doing Twisting Arms, which is really only a quarter-long program, but which introduces persuasive writing. I liked the exercises in it a lot. I felt like the kids got a lot out of it. The papers they wrote at the end were solid.

After that, we did more writing projects a la BW style. Right now they're finishing up a set of mini-reviews that will get Amazon posted once they revise them a little. They did a personal essay thing and we've really been focused on short answer questions this year - for history and literature mostly. Things where it's like why did this happen, what other events can you compare this to, support your answer with specific examples from the text, etc. That stuff has been hard for them so we've been working on it.

Thanks! Twisting Arms looks promising! It sounds like it might work...some focused skill building for a quarter and then practice and maybe a few other writing forms for the rest of the year...Any idea where I might find a sample? Google came up empty. Thanks! 

[Farrar]

5 minutes ago, ByGrace3 said:

Thanks! Twisting Arms looks promising! It sounds like it might work...some focused skill building for a quarter and then practice and maybe a few other writing forms for the rest of the year...Any idea where I might find a sample? Google came up empty. Thanks! 

Prufrock's site has the first few pages on their look inside (the interface is a little weird, just scroll down).

I wish Prufrock made more short term programs like this. So many of their materials have been so good.

[ByGrace3]

15 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Prufrock's site has the first few pages on their look inside (the interface is a little weird, just scroll down).

I wish Prufrock made more short term programs like this. So many of their materials have been so good.

Thanks! Looks good! Having done it, do you think it is doable for a 6th grader? What is the targeted age? Or I could just continue straight BW LA with him . . . I like to combine where possible, but not a big deal if it would be more beneficial for him to wait. 

[Farrar]

3 minutes ago, ByGrace3 said:

Thanks! Looks good! Having done it, do you think it is doable for a 6th grader? What is the targeted age? Or I could just continue straight BW LA with him . . . I like to combine where possible, but not a big deal if it would be more beneficial for him to wait. 

Absolutely. I think the intended age is something like 4th-8th grades. There are a few assignments that have younger and older suggestions for topics and questions and so forth.

[Farrar]

But, to be clear, it didn't feel babyish at all for my 8th graders. It was fine. Good exercises and even though it wasn't their very first papers ever, it was a good guide with a lot of good little build up exercises.

[ByGrace3]

23 minutes ago, Farrar said:

Absolutely. I think the intended age is something like 4th-8th grades. There are a few assignments that have younger and older suggestions for topics and questions and so forth.

 

22 minutes ago, Farrar said:

But, to be clear, it didn't feel babyish at all for my 8th graders. It was fine. Good exercises and even though it wasn't their very first papers ever, it was a good guide with a lot of good little build up exercises.

awesome, Thanks! 

[longwayhome]

What about something like Beyond the Book Report by the Analytical Grammar people? I haven't used it, but do have it on my list of things to consider. It appears to go through many different types of writing, but you choose what books/topics/events to write about, so you could still write accross your curriculum.

[ByGrace3]

19 hours ago, longwayhome said:

What about something like Beyond the Book Report by the Analytical Grammar people? I haven't used it, but do have it on my list of things to consider. It appears to go through many different types of writing, but you choose what books/topics/events to write about, so you could still write accross your curriculum.

Thanks! I will take a look at it!

So I get all excited about a plan...and then I doubt. I think maybe 8 years into this homeschooling journey I might be a bit burned out. My kids have loved writing this year. They are improving. There is nothing broken about how we are doing writing...but back in the recesses of my brain...I doubt...what if I want dd to take and English class online for high school? Will she be prepared? Maybe I should just sign her up for a writing class at Wilson Hill where I know she will be adequately prepared. 

So part doubt . . . and part, I just want someone else to deal with it all....?

I'm tired  . . . I love my kids and homeschooling but it has been a long year... independent subjects sound amazing...it is May after all  :lol:

[longwayhome]

On May 7, 2018 at 7:23 PM, ByGrace3 said:

Thanks! I will take a look at it!

So I get all excited about a plan...and then I doubt. I think maybe 8 years into this homeschooling journey I might be a bit burned out. My kids have loved writing this year. They are improving. There is nothing broken about how we are doing writing...but back in the recesses of my brain...I doubt...what if I want dd to take and English class online for high school? Will she be prepared? Maybe I should just sign her up for a writing class at Wilson Hill where I know she will be adequately prepared. 

So part doubt . . . and part, I just want someone else to deal with it all....?

I'm tired  . . . I love my kids and homeschooling but it has been a long year... independent subjects sound amazing...it is May after all  :lol:

 

If I remember correctly, Beyond the Book Report has a video component you can buy so that you do not have to do the teaching. I wish I  had used it before to give more info, but I'm sure there are reviews out there to read. I just remember liking how it went through a number of different types of writing, and I liked the idea of not having to think of it all myself. She has a video on her website that walks you briefly through the program.

I think an online class could be a good option. I needed something for writing this year that wasn't directed by me entirely, but couldn't swing the cost of an online class, so we did IEW. I do think it's entirely possibly to use it without sticking rigidly to the formula. My daughter enjoyed the videos. I liked not teaching a subject. We will do continuation course b next year, then decide where to go from there.

Sometimes I think there is no perfect choice. Whatever you pick will have good and bad, and that's okay. But if you are recognizing that you may be a bit burned out, doing something that isn't completely on you may be a good thing. Even if it's not as good as what you could do yourself. At least it will get done, give you a breather, and still help your kids move forward in writing.