Writing for IEW Fans?

[JumpyTheFrog]

My 9th grader is doing IEW's Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons, which are technically recommend for 6-8th graders. It is a great fit for him, and his writing has improved tremendously. This week for history he wrote his first report using multiple sources. Without the IEW lessons about fused outlines I think he would've had difficulty. Instead he was able to do it without trouble or complaint.

I'm trying to figure out what to do after he finishes the program. I also already own several other themed books, although several of them are only listed for middle school: Medieval History, Advanced US History, Bible-Based Lessons. Is it possible to use them and just increase the difficulty of the lessons to make them more appropriate for high school?

Are The Elegant Essay and Windows to the World a big step up in difficulty? Does IEW have a program for learning to write research papers? What other programs by other publishers break everything down into pieces? We tried Writing With Style, Vol. 1  two years ago, but it was a bust because the directions were too wordy for my son.

[cintinative]

I am not sure I can answer what you should use but I can give you a few "to avoids."

IMO The Elegant Essay was really hard to implement as a teacher and my kids did not like it. I think the content is okay, in general, it was just the way in which it was presented. In every other case we were starting with a source text or some sort of inspiration (our brain, picture, etc.) and writing the entire essay. The Elegant Essay has you work on a bunch of introductions and conclusions separate from the rest of an essay (based on their proposed topics), and then has you work on totally unrelated body paragraphs. I am not sure this is the correct way to describe it, but if the other IEW is whole to part then it felt very part to whole.  YMMV.  

Bible Based Writing Lessons--ETA--this was updated 2019. Do not buy the old edition. From what I understand, major changes were needed to make it more user-friendly. 

Research papers--I thought I had read this was very out of date and to avoid.  ETA: I am not seeing it for sale on their site.  I would pick something else rather than buy used. There is always a chance they will release another one as well--you can call IEW and ask.

 

You should be just fine with any of the Level C history-based writing lessons. 

Windows to the World is a literary analysis curriculum. I have not heard anything negative. There is a syllabus you can use to connect it with Teaching the Classics, I think.  Hopefully someone will comment on that one.

[TheAttachedMama]

If you ever want an IEW online option, I cannot say enough good things about Jennifer Kimbrell's classes:  https://writingwithjennifer.com
Honestly,I'm almost afraid to share about it on this forum because class size is limited and I want to make sure and get my DD in her class again next year.  However, I know that is selfish...so I will let you in on my secret. 😉 

Mrs. Kimbrell has taken the IEW method and made it her own.  She provides all her own curriculum and it is VERY good.   The class is VERY well organized, and it has been the one thing to finally bump my daughter's writing up to the next level.    My DD's writing has not only improved in "English" class, it has also improved in her other classes.  For example, her classical studies and literature classes require her to write essays, and she is now able to approach these without *any* stress or hesitation because she has had so much writing practice.

My DD is not a natural writer, and like you, we did the Ancient history class and it was the only thing to improve her writing.   I signed her up for the level 1 class with Mrs. Kimbrell, and it has been AMAZING for her.   Just the right step up for my particular DD.   Level 1 class has two semester.  The first semester ends with a research report on a topic of their choice.  The second semester ends with them completing a timed essay.  (Great practice for standardized testing!).   Students work through all different types of writing.  They do general expository writing, note taking, research reports, literature response, creative writing, and essays.   Her level 1 class is a mixture of both upper middle school and high school students.   High school students can make the class more challenging by choosing more difficult source material for their research and longer novels for their semester 2 literature response.   NOTE that I mention literature, but this is really a composition class....NOT a literature and composition class.  They only read one novel and a few short stories.  

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by TheAttachedMama

[Shelydon]

13 hours ago, TheAttachedMama said:

If you ever want an IEW online option, I cannot say enough good things about Jennifer Kimbrell's classes:  https://writingwithjennifer.com
Honestly,I'm almost afraid to share about it on this forum because class size is limited and I want to make sure and get my DD in her class again next year.  However, I know that is selfish...so I will let you in on my secret. 😉 

Mrs. Kimbrell has taken the IEW method and made it her own.  She provides all her own curriculum and it is VERY good.   The class is VERY well organized, and it has been the one thing to finally bump my daughter's writing up to the next level.    My DD's writing has not only improved in "English" class, it has also improved in her other classes.  For example, her classical studies and literature classes require her to write essays, and she is now able to approach these without *any* stress or hesitation because she has had so much writing practice.

My DD is not a natural writer, and like you, we did the Ancient history class and it was the only thing to improve her writing.   I signed her up for the level 1 class with Mrs. Kimbrell, and it has been AMAZING for her.   Just the right step up for my particular DD.   Level 1 class has two semester.  The first semester ends with a research report on a topic of their choice.  The second semester ends with them completing a timed essay.  (Great practice for standardized testing!).   Students work through all different types of writing.  They do general expository writing, note taking, research reports, literature response, creative writing, and essays.   Her level 1 class is a mixture of both upper middle school and high school students.   High school students can make the class more challenging by choosing more difficult source material for their research and longer novels for their semester 2 literature response.   NOTE that I mention literature, but this is really a composition class....NOT a literature and composition class.  They only read one novel and a few short stories.  

 

Thank you for this recommendation

[Momto6inIN]

We go from theme books to the video lessons (used to be the SSI and SICC, not sure what the new version is called). After that, they do Elegant Essay, then Windows to the World, then Writing the Research Paper. All are IEW products, although they may or may not still be available. I haven't shopped there in a long time since I already have them all. After that sequence, they have all been ready for college writing.

[cintinative]

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