Did you get that?? lol
Ok, homeschooling is full of ups and downs and a lot of those ups and downs can hinge on the curriculum you use. Some time ago I shared a definite DOWN with the curriculum I chose for my daughter's grammar. It was heavy, fast moving with little to no explanation for teaching the concepts.
Today I want to share an up that, if I could, I would attach to a balloon on this computer to illustrate just how UP this is. It is Sierra's writing curriculum.
When choosing curriculum for Sierra, I knew she needed a formal grammar program, but I also wanted her to work on a writing program. Her writing was typical, I think, for an 8th grader...as basic as basic can get with no real focus or structure. I wanted to get something that would change that.
I read about a lot of great writing programs out there, but one just seemed to outshine them all, at least by reading customer reviews and by the limited views I could see on the internet. Lucky me, it was inexpensive and thus easy to reject if necessary.
We have been using Wordsmith for a little over a month now and I am really impressed with the early results.
First of all, it is not dry or boring. The creator/writer of this curriculum writes as though she is in the room talking to the student. I read the text with Sierra and often find myself laughing. Many times what she says is not only funny, but so true and personable that I will stop after reading a sentence, again as if she is in the room, and comment...that is so true!
Secondly, it is loooooooooooong. We do not spend more than 10-15 minutes on a lesson per day. She gives some information, some examples and assigns the student a task. These tasks are often really fun like taking an old word like happy and coming up with other words you can use in it's place. This is great on so many levels because it shows Sierra the importance of those adjectives and adverbs that we are studying in Grammar. It has really gotten her thinking outside of her box and expanded her vocabulary.
Thirdly, in this short month of doing this program, I have noticed a HUGE difference in Sierra's writing. Today she had to write a restaurant review and I read it and laughed and nodded knowingly as she described the salad bar at Jason's Deli. Very descriptive writing that gave me, the reader, a clear picture of what she ate and why I would want to eat that....and why I would not want to drink the drinks there, too.
It is so thrilling when something sticks...and so, fourthly (uh...fourthly?), just as I started to write this review, Sierra came in and commented on my note on her restaurant review (which simply said "Awesome"). I was talking to her about how impressed I was with her form and descriptive writing and how she only had a couple minor grammatical issues and I saw the pride on her face. She often complains about the curriculum she is doing this year...it is hard, challenging, and asking more of her than she has ever had....but she sat on the end of my bed and told me she really likes Wordsmith. I grinned from ear to ear as she told me that she can see a difference in herself. That is the best reward of all.
So, check it out. It is truly a great writing program!! http://www.commonsensepress.com/wordsmth.htm
Ok, homeschooling is full of ups and downs and a lot of those ups and downs can hinge on the curriculum you use. Some time ago I shared a definite DOWN with the curriculum I chose for my daughter's grammar. It was heavy, fast moving with little to no explanation for teaching the concepts.
Today I want to share an up that, if I could, I would attach to a balloon on this computer to illustrate just how UP this is. It is Sierra's writing curriculum.
When choosing curriculum for Sierra, I knew she needed a formal grammar program, but I also wanted her to work on a writing program. Her writing was typical, I think, for an 8th grader...as basic as basic can get with no real focus or structure. I wanted to get something that would change that.
I read about a lot of great writing programs out there, but one just seemed to outshine them all, at least by reading customer reviews and by the limited views I could see on the internet. Lucky me, it was inexpensive and thus easy to reject if necessary.
We have been using Wordsmith for a little over a month now and I am really impressed with the early results.
First of all, it is not dry or boring. The creator/writer of this curriculum writes as though she is in the room talking to the student. I read the text with Sierra and often find myself laughing. Many times what she says is not only funny, but so true and personable that I will stop after reading a sentence, again as if she is in the room, and comment...that is so true!
Secondly, it is loooooooooooong. We do not spend more than 10-15 minutes on a lesson per day. She gives some information, some examples and assigns the student a task. These tasks are often really fun like taking an old word like happy and coming up with other words you can use in it's place. This is great on so many levels because it shows Sierra the importance of those adjectives and adverbs that we are studying in Grammar. It has really gotten her thinking outside of her box and expanded her vocabulary.
Thirdly, in this short month of doing this program, I have noticed a HUGE difference in Sierra's writing. Today she had to write a restaurant review and I read it and laughed and nodded knowingly as she described the salad bar at Jason's Deli. Very descriptive writing that gave me, the reader, a clear picture of what she ate and why I would want to eat that....and why I would not want to drink the drinks there, too.
It is so thrilling when something sticks...and so, fourthly (uh...fourthly?), just as I started to write this review, Sierra came in and commented on my note on her restaurant review (which simply said "Awesome"). I was talking to her about how impressed I was with her form and descriptive writing and how she only had a couple minor grammatical issues and I saw the pride on her face. She often complains about the curriculum she is doing this year...it is hard, challenging, and asking more of her than she has ever had....but she sat on the end of my bed and told me she really likes Wordsmith. I grinned from ear to ear as she told me that she can see a difference in herself. That is the best reward of all.
So, check it out. It is truly a great writing program!! http://www.commonsensepress.com/wordsmth.htm
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