Teaching Writing: Structure and Style...More than just a Seminar

I got my IEW:TWSS last week and I was able to watch disc 1 & 2 twice now and I want to share you my experience watching the video. First, I would like to tell Mr. Andrew Puweda , a warm thank you from the bottom of my heart. This video seminar so far accomplished 2 wonderful things for me. One, being just one of the best teaching writing curriculum I have seen so far. The seminar walks you step by step in learning how to write. You don't need to think about what to write, you can use any stories and start from there. The curriculum is GREAT but it did more than teach me on how to teach writing to my children but it taught me to be more compassionate and patient in teaching my children. I saw a mistake I thought was just normal and just part of teaching and learning process. While doing the exercises in the video, at first, it gave me a hard time doing it not because I don't know how to do it but because it was all new to me and Mr. Puweda said that that is normal because it is a new skill to learn, a different way, a new process. And he gives you advice how to handle or teach a student without breaking their will to learn how to write. And I saw my fault watching that video, now I understand , that everything that I am teaching my children are new to them. Not because it looks easy for me, it will be easy for them too. Sometimes, I get upset and say something I should not. I am lucky and blessed to have this chance to have seen these videos. This curricum have made me realize mistakes and lead me to the path of correcting my way of teaching. I need to be more patient with my kids. I need to slow down when they are having a hard time , I need to encourage them more and tell them more how wonderful they are doing. I need to focus and let them know the great improvements they have accomplished. I need to use more encouraging words in correcting their works. I don't want to kill the fire in their hearts to learn. I don't want them to stop asking questions that make them think and analyze and wonder. IEW have made me a better teacher and a better mom. Sometimes, you learn a lesson in life in weird circumstances. And this is one lesson in life, I will always be thankful for. Not only for the impressive curriculum but the way it made me realize to have more patience and lots of understanding teaching my children.

A New Plan

I knew that I would change my mind and I did. Regarding our writing program. This summer we will be finishing Classical Writing Aesop A and I think that will be the last one for us for that particular program. It seems like too much busy work for my son. He has been advance in all his subjects especially Language Arts and if we want to continue using CW, I have to let go of our Grammar program which is Rod and Staff. But my son told me that, he likes to learn grammar because of R&S. And he wants to continue using it because he enjoys it. So I started looking for another writing program. And with all the searching and reading reviews, I finally settled with Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW). I bought the TWSS and will probably get it next week. It's a pretty pricey curriculum but you can use it in any grade level so I think it's worth it. They have a lot of supplemental materials to go with it so that is also a plus. I just have to watch the dvds and I hope I will be able to do that this summer.
Another curriculum that we are changing is our Science program. For the last 2 years, we had been using Elementary Apologia, my son loves them, but he got bored and wants to try something new. He wants something with Life, Earth and Physical Science in a year. This is my problem now. I couldn't find something. We used BJU Science before but we didn't like the format. I was leaning now to God Design Series. I was thinking of choosing their Animal Kingdom for Life Science, Our Planet Earth for Earth Science and I will use Living Learning Science Chemistry, which I bought last year that we didn't use. So far, that's the new plan and changes for us this year. If I can just stop tweaking and doubting my choices. I pray that this will be the last changes I will be making for this year.