Classical Writing users

[Parrothead]

If you use CW can you give me some basic pros and cons. I'm 99% sure I'm going to go with it for next year, but I'm wondering about any negatives I might find. TIA

[siloam]

If you use CW can you give me some basic pros and cons. I'm 99% sure I'm going to go with it for next year, but I'm wondering about any negatives I might find. TIA

 

Well it isn't open and go.

 

Other than the challenging part of learning it in order to be able to teach it, I adore it. Actually I like learning it too, just wish I had more time to enjoy it and maybe go through it myself first.

 

My dd doesn't like to rewrite the Biblical models so I always substitute those.

 

Heather

 

[Beth in SW WA]

We just started on Jan 4 and love it! Rich doesn't come close to describing it. There is a lot there to grapple w/ and get your brain around.

 

I like the Harvey grammar workbooks. I like the daily assignments. I like the writing projects. My kids are learning tons. I posted ds's Homer project for this week on my blog.

 

Heather is correct. It is not open & go. Mom needs to sit down and work w/ kids daily.

 

If I can do it, anyone can! :)

[Alana in Canada]

It will never be a popular program--it'll be like SWR where it will eventually develop a core group of devoted fans. I hope that can sustain it.

 

I am grappling and struggling with Aesop--Homer's coming and I'm in dread.

 

It's biggest advantage as I see it (and please remember my limited exposure) is how it incorporates grammar (and quite rigorous grammar) into writing. I've never ever seen a writing approach like this--and so it appeals to my "logical" side--and it makes it an ideal curriculum for those who want their kids to make connections between the grammar they are learning--and then, as the kids turn around and apply the grammatical concepts in their writing projects--learning to use it.

 

But, for this I could take Rod and Staff and a set of models--and do our own thing. Having another grammar program "built into" it makes it cumbersome, I expect.

 

Secondly, and strangely, I'm finding that for a writing program--there isn't that much writing! One "main" bit week--and then lots of re-writes does NOT make that one page day goal I have stuck in my head somewhere (or whatever it ought to be for a fifth grader). Writing success is not only a matter of analysis and imitation--but of endless relentless practice, as well.

 

Thirdly, writing progresses slowly. Perhaps this is a good thing for the kds, but it makes me tear my hair out.

For example (according to the instructor's guide) Aesop A spends

 

6 weeks on simply re-telling a story. (Of course, if you have never done this before, even 6 weeks may not be enough!)

 

Adding dialogue is introduced in Week 7. That continues until week 12 when Step 5, (a) using noun synonyms, is first introduced.

 

By the by, I do not like the way it is "taught" to me--I have had a really hard time understanding exactly what we're supposed to do here! (It can't be merely pronouns and synonyms for selected nouns! Two weeks on "he"?)

 

Things speed up a tad--at week 14 we can start using verb synonyms. But there we have it. Nothing new until Aesop B! (And then, not until week 6! Heaven help me.) (I ought to note there's lots and lots of grammar going on in the analysis and Imitation component--and that makes it hard to skip or speed up.)

 

There's a few of the cons as I see them. Of course, I entirely reserve the right to take all this back when Homer arrives--soon I hope!

Edited January 26, 2009 by Alana in Canada

[siloam]

Maybe a peek into Homer will help. The purpose of the grammar is so the child is able to create a large amount of options to choose from to get one's point across. Thus the thesaurus work-word options, the tense work- more word/sentence options, rewriting sentences into the 5 different forms-sentence options.

 

My first reaction, though I will have to think about it (I am not sure it is true), is that your idea of a page a day of writing (volume) is the opposite of CW's philosophy. I see CW as more lots of choices but focus on quality of writing and not volume.

 

Though to be honest I had to dump the grammar in Aesop because my oldest didn't have the background necessary as she didn't have previous grammar at all. Talking about overwhelming. There is a volume approach with the grammar in Aesop for sure! JAG was more streamlined and appears to cover all the concepts she needed, so I am hoping she can move seamlessly into Homer and Harvey's...but we will see.

 

Heather

 

[Alana in Canada]

your idea of a page a day of writing (volume) is the opposite of CW's philosophy.

 

Excellent point. I should look into that --see if there's any basis for preferring the quantity method over the "quality" when it comes to writing. It could be that quantity just isn't important until one decides to become serious about writing--and then, I expect, quantity will matter, very much. But that won't be for years and years, yet.

[Parrothead]

Excellent point. I should look into that --see if there's any basis for preferring the quantity method over the "quality" when it comes to writing. It could be that quantity just isn't important until one decides to become serious about writing--and then, I expect, quantity will matter, very much. But that won't be for years and years, yet.

 

I know the PS where I am goes for quantity instead of quality.

 

I prefer to teach dd how to write properly the first time instead of having to break bad writing habits. That is one reason I'm going with CW.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Even with the drawbacks I think I'm still sold on the curriculum.