What can you tell me about Bravewriter online courses?

[rwalizer]

Or anything else about Bravewriter for that matter. I keep reading good things about it. Am I understanding correctly that there is a textbook with exercises? Do you order the writer's jungle for middle through high school? Does anyone just use an occasional online class along with their current writing curriculum for a break from the routine? Anything you can tell me about the program would be helpful. Thanks.

[GailV]

I own the Writer's Jungle, which I have never read all the way through (aside: see, if we had an emoticon that showed a bag over the head, I could use it here). It explains how and why to do dictation, various games to play with your kids to get them warmed up to writing, etc. I think this might be what you're referring to when you mention a textbook with exercises. It's really quite wonderful, and I happen to like the writing style of Writer's Jungle. But, alas, I am a slug, so I haven't read it all.

We haven't tried any of the online courses, but we have used other services.

We subscribed to Arrow a couple of years ago, which is for grades 3-6. Once a month I would print off the current issue of the Arrow from the forum. I think there's an example of it on the Bravewriter website, so you can get an idea of the types of things it includes. We enjoyed the Arrow. Each month we would read the book being used for the dictation exercises, some of which were new to us. We managed to average about 2.5 dictation exercises per month (4 are given each month, figuring 1 per week). This was a HUGE leap from previous years -- see above comment "I am a slug" -- I need it all laid out for me nice and neatly or else it isn't going to happen. We really didn't do so much with the monthly prompts, although one was about onomatopoeia, which dd had never heard of and was quite charmed by. I appreciated the grammar discussions and general literary comments provided.

This year we tried Boomerang. We started off with Boomerang Complete, which means that I could print off the monthly issue PLUS dd could participate in the forum for an online discussion of the current book. Alas, dd decided she didn't like participating in a forum (I adore forums, obviously), so we dropped that part of it. We still do the dictation exercises, and read through the discussions of grammar, punctuation, and literary elements in the monthly issues. I've been reading the books with dd so we can discuss them together.

I also get the emails -- sort of like FlyLady, but about having a writing-rich lifestyle. They're free. After getting several dozen reminders to have a Tuesday Teatime, for example, we actually got around to doing it on a regular basis. She also has prompts for Friday Freewrite, which is a nice break from routine.
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[rwalizer]

I must have missed the sample pages on the website. I'll check again!

[Michelle in MO]

the book, although I haven't read it through all the way yet, either. (I'm currently swamped with studying for my big GRE test on Monday, in addition to helping the oldest and middle through geometry and algebra, and doing the Great Books reading!)

Anyway, I heartily recommend the book. To me, it's not only about methodologies with writing (i.e., dictation, narration, etc.) but also about living a lifestyle that encourages writing in your children.

I signed my oldest up for the Bravewriter SAT/ACT Timed Essay writing class in January. I thought the class was excellent; the explanations were clear and thorough, and Julie Bogart kept the tone of the class forum extremely positive. My oldest struggled with the class because she is shy and doesn't like to share her writing with others, plus the "timed" part of the class was a real challenge for her. I'm hoping that she'll eventually get fast enough with writing that she can tackle these timed essays without fear.

All in all, I've thoroughly enjoyed what I've seen so far on the Bravewriter website, and I would do more if I had time.

HTH!

:)