Can we talk IEW?

[cherryblossom]

We currently use WS but I'm curious about IEW and what you think about this program - positives and negatives. It is quite costly and I would like to know some specifics about it.

Can we jump in using Student Writing Intensive Level C without having ANY prior exposure to IEW? (My dd will be in 9th gr.) Also, can you share how you utilize IEW daily? How much time is required each day on your part and your child? Are there specific writing assignments each day or do you just implement what you learned into papers they write for other classes like history, literature, or science? Anyone disappointed with IEW? Thanks so much for your time and input.

[laughing lioness]

We currently use WS but I'm curious about IEW and what you think about this program - positives and negatives. It is quite costly and I would like to know some specifics about it.

Can we jump in using Student Writing Intensive Level C without having ANY prior exposure to IEW? (My dd will be in 9th gr.) Also, can you share how you utilize IEW daily? How much time is required each day on your part and your child? Are there specific writing assignments each day or do you just implement what you learned into papers they write for other classes like history, literature, or science? Anyone disappointed with IEW? Thanks so much for your time and input.

 

We've owned TWSS for 12 years, that's just over $11 per year (it was somewhat less when I first bought it). I have loaned it out too many times to count, taught co-ops for 4 years with it, etc. so the price, imho, is less per year as I've made money teaching. I like to think of it as an investment :001_smile:

I would suggest getting the TWSS/ SWI bundle. You will be solid on theory and everything in SWI will be clear. It's a good deal $ wise and you can always sell the TWSS later and make back almost what you've paid (because of the discount with the bundle).

I'd evaluate where your 9th grader is at with writing, which would determine how many assignment I gave her a week. If she can compare and contrast, write an essay and a 2 page paper with ease, maybe once a week assignment. Otherwise more.

We use the theme based units at this point. They are pick up and go once you know the system. My oldest is working through Rhetoric and is taking 16 weeks to do it. My 14 yo worked through Elegant Essay in the summer and took about 10 weeks, so it really depends on what else you have going on, where the student is at, etc. For co-ops I give one assignment a week, but it has to be finished and look good.

The program is created for the student to have the ability to apply what they've learned to any other writing situation (and it will improve their public speaking vocabulary and logic skills, too).

[LanainMA]

I don't have very many negative things to say. We have used IEW for 2 years now. At first, I wasn't wild about all the dress-ups and sentence openers thinking it may make their writing contrived and cause them to lose their voice. I now do require them, but I have found the complete opposite to be true. It forces them to wrestle with their writing and to experiment with different ways of expressing themselves. This has matured their writing tremdendously.

 

I love the structure of the program. I think it takes a very difficult thing that takes a lot of energy and makes it manageable and not so overwhelming for a child. Both my children enjoy IEW and *love* to write, which is half the battle, right?

 

I would watch the TWSS all the way through. It helped me to see the big picture and where the program was going. I would also suggest purchasing SWI because it is very helpful in implementing the program while you are still becoming comfortable with the theory.

[lllll]

We currently use WS but I'm curious about IEW and what you think about this program - positives and negatives. It is quite costly and I would like to know some specifics about it.

Can we jump in using Student Writing Intensive Level C without having ANY prior exposure to IEW? (My dd will be in 9th gr.) Also, can you share how you utilize IEW daily? How much time is required each day on your part and your child? Are there specific writing assignments each day or do you just implement what you learned into papers they write for other classes like history, literature, or science? Anyone disappointed with IEW? Thanks so much for your time and input.

 

I used it for a little while when our dd's were younger. I loved it. They loved watching Mr. Pudewa (sp?). They learned a good bit. But we never finished it. Mostly because they can't stand sitting in front of videos. (I can't remember whether you can skip this or not. Maybe someone else here knows.) And I can't either. So we donated it to the library and went back to a variety of other things.

 

IEW and Intro. Logic were the only two video programs we ever tried. They all finished Intro. Logic without the videos, however.

 

Also, the program did seem awfully expensive, to me. I suppose that's because of the video component.

 

HTH

[Kimber]

I've taught SWI C at coop, and most of those students have never had IEW before. I have the TWSS and SWIC . For SWIC, I watch the video and then live teach it. Then we use the cordinated lesson plan from the free lessons share. They are free if you have purchased the program. It's an easy way to teach the lesson before applying it across the curriculum. Also, you can substitute the writing assignments they suggest for your own from history or science.

 

I don't do this because I have a whole class of students, but I have done it for some of the paragraph assignments.

 

HTH,

Kimberly

[Melissa in CA]

Personally, I think you could very easily purchase just the SWI-C for your students and be completely fine. You really do not need the TWSS set. I originally purchased it [TWSS] and went through it thinking I could teach it myself. Yeah, well, that didn't happen. I am NOT a writing teacher. :tongue_smilie: I then purchased the SWI-C for my two older boys and used it with no problems. Did not need to use my TWSS set at all and finally decided to sell it.

 

Mr. Pudewa taught my boys everything they needed to know to do their assignments, and as mentioned, I was able to get a free lesson plan breaking the assignments/video lessons up for me into manageable chunks. If I recall correctly, my lesson plans came with my order of the SWI-C. The lesson plans were written by Jill Pike.

 

Now, if you are wanting to learn to teach IEW yourself then you will need the TWSS set, but if you're wanting something your student/s can do independently, and teaching writing is the last thing you want to do, you can just go with a SWI set. You really can. ;)