SWB's new writing program--a few questions

[StaceyL in Canada]

I just noticed a thread referring to Susan's new writing program, so quickly checked out Peace Hill Press, but I still have a couple of questions. Hope someone knows the answers!

 

1) It looks as though the first volume, Writing With Ease, is for gr 1-4 , and the forthcoming vol 2 will be for gr 5-8. My youngest will be gr 5 next year, and hasn't done much in the way of writing yet besides narrations, some note-taking/ rewriting a la IEW--oh, yes, and his ongoing saga about unicorns :) If we were to try this new program, would he use vol 1, but only the "year 4" part of the program ? Or should we wait for vol 2?

 

2) The workbooks--are two needed per volume in the series?

 

3) Do all the lit excerpts in vol 1 come from American history/ lit? I would have thought that SWB would coordinate the volumes with a 4-yr history cycle--or maybe I'm missing something?

 

Thanks for any answers.

[nukeswife]

I'll do my best to answer your questions.

 

I'm using WWE workbook 1 with my now 4th grader, he had no real exposure to narration or dictation at all, so I started him from the beginning with his

1st grade sister and he's fine with it. I would think you could start with year 3 or 4 with your child if they've been exposed to these things and done ok with that.

 

The workbook covers only 1 year. So workbook one is only for Year 1, workbook 2 is only for year 2 each has 36 weeks of excerpts, narration, copywork etc. The workbook for year 3 should be out this summer I believe.

If you just get the hard cover book it give you examples for some weeks and then guidelines for the rest of the weeks allowing you to pick your own copywork, dictation and narration excerpts.

 

No they are not all history based. In year 1 we've actually not hit anything from history that I remember. Our passages have come from "Little house in the big woods" , "House at Pooh corner", "The reluctant Dragon", and many other sources, but not only history.

 

HTH

[StaceyL in Canada]

I'll do my best to answer your questions.

 

I'm using WWE workbook 1 with my now 4th grader, he had no real exposure to narration or dictation at all, so I started him from the beginning with his

1st grade sister and he's fine with it. I would think you could start with year 3 or 4 with your child if they've been exposed to these things and done ok with that.

 

The workbook covers only 1 year. So workbook one is only for Year 1, workbook 2 is only for year 2 each has 36 weeks of excerpts, narration, copywork etc. The workbook for year 3 should be out this summer I believe.

If you just get the hard cover book it give you examples for some weeks and then guidelines for the rest of the weeks allowing you to pick your own copywork, dictation and narration excerpts.

 

No they are not all history based. In year 1 we've actually not hit anything from history that I remember. Our passages have come from "Little house in the big woods" , "House at Pooh corner", "The reluctant Dragon", and many other sources, but not only history.

 

HTH

 

Thank you. I guess workbook 4 won't be out in time for us to use next year.

[lionfamily1999]

There are reviews at the end of every 'year' (in the book). If you use those reviews, you can find out where to start your child. We're starting with the beginning of year 2 and planning to skimp around until we find out exactly where ds needs to be.

[greensummervillian]

I just received my copy of the book, and it totally useable without the workbook if you want to find your own copywork. She gives you ideas on what to look for in a passage. For example, in year 4 week 21 is questions. 22 is commands. 23 is prepositions, objects of the preposition, and direct objects. 25 is abbreviations. I don't think we'll strictly follow her advice, but it's something to keep in mind to be sure you're picking a good variety of copywork. My son will also be in 5th grade next year. He has done plenty of history narrations through the years, and he has done the narrations and copywork in FLL, so this is not completely foreign to him. My plan is to start halfway through year 3, and go through it quickly by skipping and combining weeks. If I see there is trouble somewhere we'll slow down and take it from there.

 

HTH

[StaceyL in Canada]

I just received my copy of the book, and it totally useable without the workbook if you want to find your own copywork. She gives you ideas on what to look for in a passage. For example, in year 4 week 21 is questions. 22 is commands. 23 is prepositions, objects of the preposition, and direct objects. 25 is abbreviations. I don't think we'll strictly follow her advice, but it's something to keep in mind to be sure you're picking a good variety of copywork. My son will also be in 5th grade next year. He has done plenty of history narrations through the years, and he has done the narrations and copywork in FLL, so this is not completely foreign to him. My plan is to start halfway through year 3, and go through it quickly by skipping and combining weeks. If I see there is trouble somewhere we'll slow down and take it from there.

 

HTH

 

Since your son has already done many narrations and copywork, you don't think this first book would be too easy for him, covering/repeating what you've already done?

[Colleen in NS]

1) It looks as though the first volume, Writing With Ease, is for gr 1-4 , and the forthcoming vol 2 will be for gr 5-8. My youngest will be gr 5 next year, and hasn't done much in the way of writing yet besides narrations, some note-taking/ rewriting a la IEW--oh, yes, and his ongoing saga about unicorns :) If we were to try this new program, would he use vol 1, but only the "year 4" part of the program ? Or should we wait for vol 2?

 

Think of Volume 1 as levels instead of grades. Then ask yourself if he has a *really solid* foundation in copywork/dictation and narration skills. If you aren't sure, then go find WWE at a library to have a look through it. At the end of each level, there is a placement test that you can give your son. Even after 4 years of using the WTM writing suggestions faithfully, my son still needed some help with WWE (because of some little details that I didn't know I was supposed to teach - WWE helped with that because it's much more detailed than WTM), so I took him through the sections he needed - starting somewhere in level 2. It was easier for him to pick up and move quickly through the book, though, since we'd already done so much. WWE gives that really solid foundation, so kids can go on to outlining/rewrites and a middle grade writing program (at least until Volume 2 comes out, the publication of which, according to a post SWB made today, isn't known yet - but I think PHP has a list of rec'd programs to follow WWE).

 

2) The workbooks--are two needed per volume in the series?

 

3) Do all the lit excerpts in vol 1 come from American history/ lit? I would have thought that SWB would coordinate the volumes with a 4-yr history cycle--or maybe I'm missing something?

 

Thanks for any answers.

 

I think someone else said this already, but you don't *need* the workbooks. You can just use the instructions in the instructor text.

 

The excerpts come from all over the place (I'm just talking about the teacher text - I don't know about the workbooks). It doesn't appear to be coordinated with a history cycle. But you can do that yourself, if you go without the workbooks. That's what we do here. We take the teaching instructions, and apply them to whatever is being read this week in history, science, or literature. It's very flexible.

Edited February 25, 2009 by Colleen in NS

[StaceyL in Canada]

Think of Volume 1 as levels instead of grades. Then ask yourself if he has a *really solid* foundation in copywork/dictation and narration skills. If you aren't sure, then go find WWE at a library to have a look through it. At the end of each level, there is a placement test that you can give your son. Even after 4 years of using the WTM writing suggestions faithfully, my son still needed some help with WWE (because of some little details that I didn't know I was supposed to teach - WWE helped with that because it's much more detailed than WTM), so I took him through the sections he needed - starting somewhere in level 2. It was easier for him to pick up and move quickly through the book, though, since we'd already done so much. WWE gives that really solid foundation, so kids can go on to outlining/rewrites and a middle grade writing program (at least until Volume 2 comes out, the publication of which, according to a post SWB made today, isn't known yet - but I think PHP has a list of rec'd programs to follow WWE).

 

 

 

I think someone else said this already, but you don't *need* the workbooks. You can just use the instructions in the instructor text.

 

The excerpts come from all over the place (I'm just talking about the teacher text - I don't know about the workbooks). It doesn't appear to be coordinated with a history cycle. But you can do that yourself, if you go without the workbooks. That's what we do here. We take the teaching instructions, and apply them to whatever is being read this week in history, science, or literature. It's very flexible.

 

Thanks, Coleen--very helpful. I'm quite sure my son could use a better foundation in writing--I did so much more work on this with his older brothers!--but fortunately he actually *enjoys* writing, so this may be just the ticket.

[Colleen in NS]

Thanks, Coleen--very helpful. I'm quite sure my son could use a better foundation in writing--I did so much more work on this with his older brothers!--but fortunately he actually *enjoys* writing, so this may be just the ticket.

 

Well, if he enjoys writing, it should be a breeze!:D It's a wonderful program. So easy, and so sensible.