Writing for my 4th grader - IEW? CW? WT? Help needed!

[KIN]

I'm trying to decide on which way to go for writing next year.

My son is a very bright 3rd grader this year. He reads anything, spells on a 6-7th grade level (according to SWR tests), but but is pretty negative about writing. We are using WWE level 2 this year. It seems a bit beneath him, barely taking any time, and yet he complains about it.

I'm thinking we need to make a switch to something a little more challenging. Maybe what I'm doing just isn't enough. Where would you suggest I go with a bright ds that complains about writing? IEW? CW? WT? If I go with Writing Tales what level do I start with?

Thanks for any advice or thoughts you can give me!

[Karen in CO]

I think IEW is great for boys especially that don't like to write. Also have you looked at Write Shop? I know it isn't very popular, but it is recommended in the WTM. I used it with my ds in middle school way back before I ever heard of many of these other programs.

[KIN]

I think IEW is great for boys especially that don't like to write.

Karen,

What is it that I start with in IEW? It is a little hard to figure out for some reason. Thanks for your help!

[Karen in CO]

Karen,

What is it that I start with in IEW? It is a little hard to figure out for some reason. Thanks for your help!

LOL that is a great question. There are a couple ways to start with IEW.

The correct and expensive way is to get Teaching Writing Structure and Style (TWSS) which is a manual and set of dvd's. They teach you how to teach writing. They are great. There are also some lesson plans and samples. It is the correct way to start.

Another way to start is to find the level of Student Writing Intensive (SWI) for your student (probably B for your ds) and watch the videos with him and follow the lessons. It is easy and all laid out for you except the correcting. It doesn't give you all of the theory and doesn't give you all that you need to know to say you are full IEW. But if you do the SWI you will have completed a great writing course for the year, and you will need to determine then if you want to invest more in IEW afterwards.

The most cost effective way to see if IEW will work for your ds is to get one of the themed writing units. I am currently using the fables, Myths and fairy tales with my dd . Working through the themed writing book will quickly let you know if you would like the way IEW works. You will be missing some of the depth that you would get from having the more expensive dvd lessons, BUT you will get a good feel for how it works and what the lessons look like. This is what I recommend to people instead of spending the big money on the videos first.

Also IEW has great resale value. I did the whole TWSS and SWI-C with my ds when he was in high school. I think that at his level, I could have probably done fine with just the SWI (and I was terrible at actually making myself watch the TWSS videos). And our big problem at the time was actually sitting down and accomplishing writing so the SWI helped with that most of all. I really love the themed writing unit that I am doing right now and plan to use more of them.

[KIN]

The most cost effective way to see if IEW will work for your ds is to get one of the themed writing units. I am currently using the fables, Myths and fairy tales with my dd . Working through the themed writing book will quickly let you know if you would like the way IEW works. You will be missing some of the depth that you would get from having the more expensive dvd lessons, BUT you will get a good feel for how it works and what the lessons look like. This is what I recommend to people instead of spending the big money on the videos first.

This is very helpful! I had a hard time thinking about dropping $200.00 for a huge program that I didn't know would work. So, from looking at the website, all I would need to start with a themed unit would be the book? I think I would start with the Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales. Is the book consumable? I wish I could see this all in person! Buying without seeing is difficult.

[KIN]

O.K., Karen, I finally saw that I can see a sample. :) That was helpful! This looks good! How long does one themed unit take? I think I might start it this year yet, so as to get a feel if I should go ahead and purchase the DVD's. Thanks!

[HiddenJewel]

I think IEW is great for boys especially that don't like to write. Also have you looked at Write Shop? I know it isn't very popular, but it is recommended in the WTM. I used it with my ds in middle school way back before I ever heard of many of these other programs.

WriteShop is good for middle school and up.

[one l michele]

I'm thinking we need to make a switch to something a little more challenging. Maybe what I'm doing just isn't enough. Where would you suggest I go with a bright ds that complains about writing? IEW? CW? WT? If I go with Writing Tales what level do I start with?

I have used IEW's Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales (stopped after the Fables unit), 1/2 of Writing Tales 1, and am now using IEW with my 8y/o. IMO, IEW is more "boy friendly". My ds is thriving off of the clear step by step directions, hand holding, and checklists. The source materials in the SWI's are engaging him. My ds doesn't enjoy writing, but when we are using IEW it's the only time he doesn't complain.

IEW can be used three ways. Either the theme books, which make it open and go, but then you are "stuck" with one theme for that year. My ds likes more of a variety. Buy the DVD's and Syllabus, learn the program and pull it together yourself so you are doing writing instruction, but then practicing those skills across curriculum. Or go with the SWI's and have it all put together with variety and instruction done for you.

If you do go with WT 1, you'll want to up the pace to complete 1 composition per week instead of two, if he finds the 1 composition per week two comfortable (my ds did). But realize doing it that way, it will only end up taking 15 weeks to complete.

About the IEW Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales. My ds did well with the Fables unit (which is based off of IEW units 1/2). It was when he hit myths combined with IEW style narration he hit a wall. That is when we picked up WT 1. After getting halfway through WT 1, he had tolerated a year's worth of Fables/Fairy Tales and was ready to move on.

I have watched the IEW DVD's and took notes in my syllabus. It took me 2 attempts at IEW to realize, there is no right or wrong way to use it, I just had to jump in and do something. I'm getting the hang of it.

[KIN]

Michele -

Where would you start??? Would just purchasing Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales give us a good taste as Karen in CO suggested? Or, do I just need to do the whole she-bang and try the teacher DVD's & SWI? Does the SWI make it an open and go type of curruiculm? I can't get a feel for it. Does one level last one year? The theme book lasts one year?

I really like the look of IEW b/c of it's hand holding - for me as well as my son. The fact that SWB recommends it helps too. I just wish that the WWE workbooks were all out!

Thanks for your help.

[one l michele]

[QUOTE=KIN;814898]Where would you start??? Would just purchasing Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales give us a good taste as Karen in CO suggested? Or, do I just need to do the whole she-bang and try the teacher DVD's & SWI? Does the SWI make it an open and go type of curruiculm? I can't get a feel for it. Does one level last one year? The theme book lasts one year?

I really like the look of IEW b/c of it's hand holding - for me as well as my son. The fact that SWB recommends it helps too. I just wish that the WWE workbooks were all out!QUOTE]

have you read myths to your ds? Has he enjoyed them and understood them? My ds is quite literal, he was frustrated by all the big names and complex story line. You can't write about something you don't understand, YKWIM? I just didn't feel myths were a good choice for a beginning writer.

How about Fairy Tales, does your ds tolerate them? How would he feel about spending 3-4 months retelling them? Again, I have tried many many times to read fairy tales to my boys, none of them have enjoyed them.

The Fables are a nice gentle, introduction to the process, Imitations in Writing Fables also covers units 1/2 and really those units are "pre-IEW".

Now if you order directly from IEW, the download book (student resources) is VERY good. My ds used it while doing WT (on his own) and continues to use it for assigned writing.

The theme books are an open and go version of IEW, they provide the hand holding for both the teacher and student. They are a very good option if the topics fit your ds.

See if your library carries the TWSS dvds, mine does, I didn't learn this until after I purchased mine, sigh. If they do, you would just need the syllabus to learn the program yourself.

Also, have you joined and lurked around the yahoo group? The files have a lot of samples and insight into the program that will help you decide if it's a good fit for you and your ds.

I have a love/hate relationship with IEW (just as I did with SWR). The beauty of IEW is writing can be woven into other subjects and you can truly go at the child's pace and customize the program to the child. There are so many ways to use this program and still get a solid end result.

Some people need to watch the dvd's and see the "big picture" before understanding the individual steps.

I'm not trying to confuse you more, just give you things to ponder. How does your ds do with myths and fairy tales? Does your library have the IEW dvd's? Check out the samples of SWI A in the file section of the yahoo group. Then decide if IEW is a good fit and which route would get done regularly.

[Karen in CO]

YEs - one of the reasons FMFT is working for us is that my dd loves Fables, Myths, and Fairy tales. The fables which are first are good and gentle basic Aesop stuff. If your ds can tolerate that then that is a good place to start. My library doesn't carry the TWSS, but check if yours does. That is great advice. I wish mine had carried it.