6th grade to old for WWE??

[Samiam]

I wished I knew about WWE a few years ago...as it is, I am just REALLY looking at it now. I have avoided writing for DS10 for a few reasons, one he does NOT like it, and two, I was taking the hands off approach, with the thought that some things just come easier with age, and that when he got a little older, we would pick it up and it would be easier for him.

 

Also, I read TWTM our first year of HSing, thought it sounded really complicated, didn't touch it again for a few years, but now after five years of HSing, I totally get the TWTM theory now. I am pretty much implementing from the start for DS6 but poor DS10 has been my experiment.

 

Halfway through this school year, 5th grade, we started Jump In!.....and I can see it's not working. It is like pulling teeth, even with the instruction, he just can not manage to do it. I see now why narration and dictation are such important baseboards in the writing house.

 

So I was really looking at Classical Writing for DS10, Aesop level. I am fully intending to use WWE for DS6 next year.....but now I am wondering if it is too late to start DS10 in WWE, and if not what level?

 

He is extremely smart in most other subjects, has a great grasp on grammar and spelling, it's just original compositions that send him crashing. Is he too old for WWE and we should just go ahead with Classical Writing?

 

thxs

[swellmomma]

My kids are currently 9 and 10 and we just started WWE today. I have decided to do the first few weeks of level 1 to gauge where we are and then skip everything we can focusing on the weak areas until we get to level 2. The kids are VERY reluctant writers and using writing strands(or attempting to at least), made that so much worse. NOw they see the act of writing as pure torture. I am hoping the gentleness of WWE will bring that opposition to writing to an end. I figure by starting in level 1 even for a little while gives them a feeling of success with writing. It wouldn't hurt to try it with him, especially if you already planned on using it with your younger child, so it is not going to be a waste of money if it doesn't work.

[LanaTron]

I wished I knew about WWE a few years ago...as it is, I am just REALLY looking at it now. I have avoided writing for DS10 for a few reasons, one he does NOT like it, and two, I was taking the hands off approach, with the thought that some things just come easier with age, and that when he got a little older, we would pick it up and it would be easier for him.

 

First of all, WWE only came out last year, I believe, so you haven't missed anything!

 

Now...My eldest child is 13 now, and really detested writing, even filling in a worksheet. It was just plain hard for him, even the physical act of it, and, like you, I let it alone for a while. He did do the writing/dictations in First Language Lessons 1/2, and gradually I got him doing the writing in his other lessons--not original writing, but just worksheets, etc.

 

 

So I was really looking at Classical Writing for DS10, Aesop level. I am fully intending to use WWE for DS6 next year.....but now I am wondering if it is too late to start DS10 in WWE, and if not what level?

 

He is extremely smart in most other subjects, has a great grasp on grammar and spelling, it's just original compositions that send him crashing. Is he too old for WWE and we should just go ahead with Classical Writing?

 

thxs

 

When my ds was about 10, I jumped into Classical Writing--it was pure torture for him! He just didn't have the abilities to even rewrite the stories, and trying to get him to learn to type at the same time was not working. He is such a compliant child, so he worked hard at it, and didn't complain, but it would take him so long to do the writing. About part way through Aesop, I dropped it, and just went back to nothing but copywork, which is pretty much all he did until this year (7th grade). I did notice around age 11-12 that his ability to copywork had increased--he was finally able to copy entire paragraphs quickly and effortlessly.

 

I started him in Wordsmith Apprentice, which was good for a while, but towards the end, he got tired of the contrived newspaper theme. He had a hard time thinking of the types of things they were wanting in the lessons. He didn't finish this curriculum, but I still feel he got valuable practice in writing.

 

Then WWE came out, and how I wished it had been around when he was little! I never really felt like I knew how to teach narrations, or the copywork/dictation recommended in WTM, to my kids, but this book makes it seem so simple. I like to say that it's like having SWB in my house, holding my hand as I teach my kids the fundamentals of writing. :D

 

Anyhow, I had him do some of WWE 3 this year, and we are now taking a break and he is working in Writing Strands 3. He wasn't real keen on WWE 3, but he is actually enjoying WS 3--which I think has nothing to do with anything other than his readiness for the materials. If I had asked him to do that when he was younger, I think he would have not liked it at all. I plan to have him continue doing some of both, hopefully finishing the WWE level and WS 3 before our new school year begins (in Oct.). We are about to start a science unit, and I plan on having him write a paragraph each week--he just learned to write an original paragraph in WS--to give him more writing practice.

 

So...

 

I do think WWE is a good place to start, even at age 10. The book will help you figure out at which level to place him.

 

After he's worked with that a little, then try Classical Writing, or whatever curriculum you want. And, BTW, I've heard that Writing Tales is similar to CW--Aesop, but more simply presented. It might be a better starting place than CW.

 

Sorry this got so long...:tongue_smilie:

[Samiam]

Lots of good info..and that can never be "too long" :).....but poo, I just looked at Writing Tales for the first time and I LOVE that too....but at least I have decided that we will not do CW for now, but either WWE or WT2.....

...okay, it is completely possible that I have a curriculum shopping addiction and pretty much "LOVE" everything I look at :((((.

 

AND we are stopping Jump IN as of this very week before I completely squash his writing spirits.

[iammommy]

I have a 10 year old reluctant writer, too. We've been using Just Write Book 2 but we've gotten to the point where he has to write a "Story" and he panics. I just ordered WWE Book 2 and can not WAIT to start it in the fall. (if not sooner). I think it's perfect for our 10year old+ reluctant writers. I love the literature selecetions...not babyish at all, and the simplicity of it should certainly be gentle enough. I truly believe that until my ds masters narration, and dictation, we're at a standstill with writing.

Nan

[Lori in MS]

I used WWE 3 and 4 with my 5th and 6th graders this year. They were not too old for it. SWB says anyone 3rd to 12th grade that doesn't have these skills needs to have them. They will continue to struggle otherwise.

 

I had them take the year end evaluations until they couldn't do one. They both started in year 3 but were really weak in dictation. After a while they improved so I had my 6th grader just do the selections in the book for year 4.

My 5th grader did WWE 3 three days per week and Writing Strands 3 2 days. This has worked well for him. He will do WWE 4 next year.

[Guest aquiverfull]

Add me to the group!! I also have a 10 year old reluctant writer. I could have easily written your post, as we did the exact same thing with writing. I've really been stressing about it lately. OhElizabeth (here on this board) suggested to me to start WWE with her and then I could also add in WT1. So that's what I plan on doing. I think they really need to get the skills first that are taught in WWE before attempting a writing program.

 

Also I don't know how much writing your son is doing in his homeschool subjects, but we were doing very little writing at all. Basically we were just doing a little copywork in our Language arts. So I'm making a real effort to get my dd to write as much as possible. We just started doing BJU reading and there is quite a bit of writing in the workbooks. As we go through WWE I plan to add some writing narrations for her in her other subjects like Science and History as well.

[razorbackmama]

I am using WWE with a 6th grader right now. He just started level 2 about a week ago. Level 1 was pretty easy, but level 2 has been a struggle since it is about summarizing (something he stinks at LOL). We went through level 1 quickly - did 1 week's worth of work each day), and we're going semi-quickly through level 2 (2 days' worth of work each day). He probably is "behind" in where he should be for his grade, but I wanted to build those foundational skills in him, and I think WWE will do a good job of that.

[Barefoothomeschooler]

I too have a 10 year old and a 11 year old reluctant writer. I just got WWE 1 and 2 and plan on using it with them (not sure which to start with) My 10 year old just started WT1 yesterday and my 11 year old is almost finished WT2. I think WWE and WT will be a good combination. But still need help with Grammar. They did FLL 1 and 2 (when I first got it) and we got away from it. I am thinking of picking up FLL3 for them. they are grammar week so I think it will help. But is WWE, WT and FFL3 too much?

 

Bahama Blessings

Heidi Jo

[melmac]

My 5th grader just finished WWE today, in fact. I have watched him grow by bounds and leaps. He's even made huge progress in overcoming his pencil-phobia. It made a huge difference here.

 

I also have my 2nd grader working at his level in it and he's doing great.

 

I love this book and I, too wish it had been around years ago. But it works just as well for those who need to catch up.

 

Best wishes. :)