If you’re like me, the thought of teaching your children to write causes some anxiety. Give me science or history or art, but writing – ack! I am not even sure I do it right. I’ve been told the materials from the Institute for Excellence in Writing are just what I need. The Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (TWSS) and Student Writing Intensive (SWI) work together to teach the parent or teacher and the student the tools and techniques to make writing easier. Sounds like just what we need!
When we opened our box containing both the TWSS and SWI level A we were overwhelmed. There was a binder for each and a set of DVDs for each. Of course, once I actually opened these things up and looked through the papers as they were put in the binders the anxiety started to dissipate. Everything was broken down into “bite-sized” bits and neatly laid out. Maybe I can do this after all!
Once I had completed the first session, I started right in with my children in using what I had learned. We began with Student Writing Intensive – A while I was still feeling brave. Because we (or maybe that’s just me) are not confident writers, I started even my older girls with this first level. My 12, 10 and 9 year old girls enjoy creative writing – making up stories inspired by things we read or their current interests (horses, etc.). By allowing them to mostly write on their own, they were starting to develop bad habits and attitudes. The thought of re-writing is terrible to them. The suggested ages for this level are grades 2-4. I don’t think my soon-to-be 2nd grade son is ready for this, but the rising 4th grader daughter probably was at that age. I like to teach together when I can, so this would have put the other girls at 3rd and 5th and probably would have worked well.
The student binder is for use by one student, but I was able to make copies and get the other girls set up with their own binders. You can buy additional sets for $19 or the binder alone for $9. There is a suggested schedule that we stuck to pretty closely. It divides the whole course into five sessions per week over 30 weeks. We condensed/combined those 5 days into 4 days fairly easily. For the younger two girls, this pace is perfect. My eldest daughter has had more writing instruction, though she isn’t confident. I’m going to let her pick up the pace as she feels the need. I know- there goes my plans of teaching them together, but it will be better for her to keep moving forward as she is ready. From the look at level B in the TWSS, she would have done fine there – adjusting the pace if needed, but I don’t think the younger two would have.
Thus far, we have been creating key-word outlines of given paragraphs and then writing our own paragraph using those outlines. The outline is corrected using a checklist, then mama checks it. Then, their least favorite part of re-writing. My perfectionist daughter just wants to use a pencil and correct as she goes. Using a pen and no erasing is helping her to see the benefits of re-writing the corrections. After spending some time using this the past several weeks, they all are less resistant to those re-writes. It is finally becoming part of the process for them.
I recall the advice not to get stuck in Units 1 & 2 (I think it was in the TWSS – Tips & Tricks). I can see how this would be easy to do. Pulling good information out from the source gives a good outline and subsequently makes writing a paragraph easier. For their grade levels, spending only 4-6 weeks here is recommended even if they don’t “get it” fully. The skills will be practiced as we move forward and add onto them.
The paragraphs needed for the lessons are included, but that doesn’t mean you cannot gain more practice by utilizing your own. You can take a paragraph from a lesson in a different subject or from free reading. I love utilizing skills learned in one subject and applying it to another one. Tying things together across the curriculum is one of the things we like in homeschooling.
One caveat I have heard about using such a structured program is that the student’s writing has no personality or creativity. If personality and creativity means poor sentences or lack of organized writing – making things difficult to read then we can pass on that. From looking ahead to the lessons to come and watching the student workshops for the older grades, having this structure to put their personality and creativity onto will make them excellent writers.
The DVDs feature Andrew Pudewa as the instructor — both for the teachers set and the student set. He has an engaging teaching style. We have all enjoyed his humor and way of making things easy to understand. Some of those teacher sessions are long but definitely nor boring. If a child wandered in, they were drawn in and watched too.
The Teaching Writing: Structure and Style is available alone ($169) or as part of a package ($249 – what we received) with a level of the Student Writing Intensive ($109). A Deluxe Combo ($299) is newly available and includes the items we received plus some of the most common (and helpful) additions: Fix It! Grammar and Editing Made Easy with Classics, A Word Write Now, and a Portable Wall.
Not sure which level your learners need? There are samples and other information to help you decide. There are continuation courses if you have finished one level but aren’t quite ready for the next. There are also some great them-based sets. We actually have the geography set that goes along with Beautiful Feet’s geography course. It was from beginning this that I realized I am not ready to use it on my own. Once we have completed SWI-A, I am ready to jump back into the geography unit. I really love this way of learning about writing and how to teach it.
Be sure to read the reviews. We reviewed level A, while other families reviewed the other two levels and some reviewed Teaching the Classics. All I have seen from Institute for Excellence in Writing, it stands out as excellent curricula.
