Rated 5 out of 5
Nov 19, 2023
We tried sticking to a purist Charlotte Mason writing progression and it failed miserably. After four years of arguing over written narrations (which never got done), asking other CM homeschoolers for advice and just getting "Trust the process!" responses, I decided to try this. I wish I had gotten it sooner. Kids really DO need explicit instruction! Telling them "Hey, just write about what you read" is too open-ended. WWS breaks it down step-by-step so the writing process isn't overwhelming. My son has grown as a writer with this. Is he the next Twain or Dickens? No. But to go from refusing to touch a pen and struggling to get a vague paragraph down, to happily doing WWS assignments and writing 5 pages on a topic is a massive improvement! :) He is in the final week of the course and writing a full paper. He looked up and said "Well it isn't easy, but it is fun!" Fun?! My boy called writing fun?! Yes, we will be using levels 2 and 3.
Other benefits:
It can be done mostly independently. I liked the look of a lot of other programs but I don't have time to spend a couple hours reading and prepping then doing one-on-one work (I have 6 kids including a baby; 4 students currently). I check the work against the teacher's guide. Only maybe twice have I had to sit and do the comprehension questions--the longest took only about 10 minutes of one-on-one time.
The TG includes rubrics and ideas of what kind of answer to expect.
Includes poetry analysis!
The author was homeschooled herself, homeschooled her own kids, and teaches college writing. She knows the needs of both homeschoolers and college professors. She knows that not every child is a natural-born writer. She knows parents are busy and may not be trained writers. This course offers the stepping stones needed
JessK
Rated 5 out of 5
Mar 27, 2023
My kids and I are loving this curriculum. The story excerpts she uses are fun and engaging. The lessons are short and sweet. And for my boys, who hate writing, this is great because the writing is well guided and minimal as far as a writing curriculum goes.
Thomas B
Rated 5 out of 5
Sep 1, 2021
Great curriculum to prep for middle school readiness.
Better than I expected and the boys, grade 6, are enjoying it as well. Challenging activities with well written, clear instructions for both student and teacher. Planning to order the next level as well.
Amanda G
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 24, 2021
I'm teaching two different ages and this book is great for my older student to use independently with little help or instruction needed from me. I also really like the curriculum, it is well written and engaging
Shawna F
Rated 5 out of 5
Oct 29, 2015
We are doing this book in two years, as per the author's suggestion, 5th and 6th grade. We would have started it in 4th, and skipped WWE Level 4 if we had known the author also suggested that option. Best things about this program, and book in particular:
1. little steps that keep frustration to a minimum.
2. the steps help understanding develop
3. the progress is measurable and significant.
We have used this program from the beginning, and I believe my children have an exceptional writing education because of this method. It is high quality, high standards, high performance, but none of the pressure and frustration. From day one, Ms. Wise encourages small bites, and lots of support. And six years later, we have three good writers. My girl(9) and boy(8) are doing the first half this year, and my older son(11) is finishing the second half this year. 8 yo boy is two grades ahead of his age, and shows no sign of fatigue, or lack of understanding, which I attribute to this method.
Melita S
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 5, 2013
Writing with Skill is not just a writing curriculum While teaching students how to write clearly and effectively they are also introduced to good works of literature It introduces students to various genres of writing and helps the student analyze what they have read Many times my daughter has gone on to read the whole work of a featured excerpt Throughout the course students learn and practice numerous writing skills such as outlining summarizing describing and researching The course contains lessons for 36 weeks with 4 days of work each week There is a lot of reading involved in the course so it may not be the best choice for students who are not particularly fond of reading Writing with Skill was easy for me as the parent because preparation is minimal However the course does require parental involvement This involvement is mainly dialogue between the parent and student to help the student write in complete meaningful answers Students do most of the work independently coming to the instructor when they have completed each days work or if they have difficulties The teachers manual is necessary as it walks the parent through helping the student and gives a grading rubric for each final composition Writing with Skill has helped my 12 yr old daughter learn many composition skills as well as how to think through a writing assignment I have also seen her writing in other areas improve as well I think Writing with Skill could be a valuable course for slightly older students as well who don't have a strong writing background I look forward to using more writing resources from the same author or publisher
Martha Schaum
Wanted a straightforward writing text that focused on academic writing skills.
my fathers world 7th grade
This is an excellent program that is easy to understand and builds great rhetoric skills. Susan Bauer uses a conversational style in the student book which keeps my students engaged. I begin this book…
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