Write with the Best 2

[Allison TX]

I received my MtMM package, and it looks wonderful! The shipping was also super fast. Thank you HOD!

My husband and I have been enjoying looking through all the books. He wants to read them all too!

I am a little worried about Write with the Best. It looks so challenging! It seems a huge step up from WWTB 1. Does anyone have any tips for me? I am feeling a little overwhelmed with how to try and teach this. I would love some suggestions. Thank you!

Allison

[LynnH]

Allison,
I forget if you did Write with the Best 1 and then the writing programs in RTR and Rev to Rev. I don't have WWTB 2, but looking at the sample online the format looks similar to Vol. 1, but the type of writing does look like it is the more challenging types of writing, but also seems like if the dc have done IEW and the Exciting World of Creative Writing that it is a logical progression up to WWTB 2. I wonder if once you get the guide if Carrie's instructions for that box will help. It seems like she always finds a way to make the writing programs not as intimidating as they first look. I was feeling that way about The Exciting World of Creative Writing and then started looking at the guide and see that Carrie cuts back some of the assignments and made them seem more manageable.

[deltagal]

I agree with the pp, if you've been using HOD the last couple of years I am quite confident that Carrie will have a "plan" that makes WWTB2 do-able and I believe it is only scheduled twice a week.

[Allison TX]

Thank you both. We have used HOD for several years, but have not used the writing suggestions, except for the year that IEW was scheduled. We have been using IEW history theme books and my boys writing skills have improved with IEW. However, my husband would like us to try to use HOD's suggestions for writing. He feels it would be good to have the boys try a different writing program, as their writing does have more of an "IEW feel" to it. I do have the Exciting World of Creative Writing and Write with the Best 1, and have looked through them thoroughly. WWTB 2 just seems to be so much more challenging. The models are very difficult reading material. Maybe when I have the guide, and see the way Carrie breaks up the lessons, it will seem more doable.

[LynnH]

I can see why if you have used mostly IEW why it would look intimidating. We did IEW this year and I did like how you knew exactly what to add and how many to add etc. My ds liked that also. WWTB vol 1 did take more creative thinking and was not near as formulaic. When we did WWTB vol 1 my ds was 11 and the passages were pretty above him, however he understood it enough to see what they were talking about. For example he didn't totally understand all the big words in the passage from 20,000 leagues Under the Sea, but he was able to see how descriptive it was. That is what they wanted him to grasp. With IEW the passages in the text are used as a direct model or as something you are directly taking the information from. In at least WWTB vol.1 the passages were more examples of that style. It wasn't important that he understood the passage completely. I don't know if that makes sense or not. I didn't find it hard to teach and Carrie did break it up into steps that helped make sense of it all.

[Carrie]

Allison,

The ladies have done a great job in helping you talk through the writing in MTMM. In MTMM, we're assuming that your kiddos have been using HOD's writing instruction along the way in order to prepare you for the writing that is scheduled in the WWTB: Vol. 2. We're also thinking that you have been using Rod and Staff English, which also has it's own writing instruction that helps prepare kiddos for what is scheduled in MTMM too. So, if you've traveled a different writing path, and if you've traveled a different grammar path, it is possible that WWTB: Vol. 2 will be a very large jump.

In pondering the move from a more formula-driven writing program like IEW, it may be wise to think about using WWTB: Vol. 1 first, depending on the ages of your kiddos. I can't recall their ages for sure, so if you get a chance to pop back and share that we could advise you more clearly on what possible writing path to consider. It would also help if we knew if you used Rod and Staff or something else for grammar up to this point.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Allison TX]

Thanks, Carrie.

My boys are 12 & 13, about to turn 13 & 14.

We had the best of intentions for using Rod&Staff the last couple years, but it kept getting shelved for Growing with Grammar, because the boys could use that mostly independently. They useds levels 6 & 7 this past year.

I had also planned to use WWTB 1 for the 12 year old and the Exciting World of Creative Writing for the 13 year old this past school year, but was so comfortable with the IEW format that I didn't switch. They used US history based lessons vol 1.

I have great hopes of staying with HOD's LA recs from this point on. I think it will end up simplifying things for me in the long run. (especially as we approach the high school years)

What would you suggest for this coming year?



Lynn,

Thank you for your help. You are very right about IEW having a lot of structure. I think that is one reason I tended to gravitate towards IEW, because I lack the ability to think creatively. WWTB would have had to stretch my thinking too much. I need to work on that.