The co-op sounds wonderful–just the sort of thing i’d enjoy! The question of which level to skip is challenging. I’d be inclined to just pick and choose modules from the first two books to make exactly the kind of year you want. Your teen may have some input, too. Alternatively, you could just look at the books covered in each level, and pick a level based on what you want to read. Whichever way you go, I hope you have fun with it!

Thank you, Janice. This confirms my thinking. I lead a CM co-op where we study artists, composers, poets, as well as hymns and folk songs among other things. My daughters are great with practicing handcrafts and art on their own, so that part is covered. I agree with you about it’s importance!

May I ask which volume of EIL would you skip if you have only the four years of high school remaining? I can’t see skipping American, British, or World, but both the Intro. and Lit./Comp. look great, too. Too many resources, too little time!

Hi, Christie,

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get back with you. As I look over all your daughter has done already, and the things you are considering, I lean toward simplicity and focus. She has worked with both essays and analysis in a preparatory way, so I would just begin with Intro to Lit. If, after the first 2-3 modules, you feel that you want to add something extra, you can do so then.

I’d be inclined to add in some form of art that includes art history, appreciation, and application (doing it). It may seem counterintuitive, but creative work can complement analytical study and writing, helping students to think and write more clearly. When we educate head, heart, and hand, we cultivate balance and perspective. Plus, it’s just plain fun. I hope that’s helpful!

Thanks so much! I will order the SWI-B for my 11 year old son. I do think the formula will be helpful for him. I’ll look forward to hearing from you later re. my 14 year old daughter. It’s so helpful to talk through the options with someone who has been there and done that.

Dear Christie,

We’re just walking out the door for a conference, but I’ll put together some ideas for you, and post them or email them as soon as we are back.

I will say that for your 11y/o son, IEW might be a great choice. The reason I think so is because of what I have seen over and over at conferences—Andrew Pudewa can hardly walk through a convention hall without being approached boys of about that age who are fans. There seems to be something about the way he teaches that speaks especially well to that audience, and we all know what a challenge it can be to get them to write, let alone to love it and want to talk with the teacher!

Will write more later. Thank you for stopping by!

DD14 will be 9th in the fall. I’m feeling the need to have a roadmap for high school. She has always done oral and written narrations which are pretty good. She’s taking Essay Styles this summer and has done a little work with persuasive writing. She’s taken a lit. class from Center for Lit using Socratic discussion for analysis. I’m just not sure what direction I want or need to go. I own Lost Tools of Writing I, your Intro. To Literature. Other things that interest me – Power in Your Hands (may be overkill after the summer class, not sure), Windows to the World from IEW for learning close reading/annotating, etc., Lightning Literature. As you can see, I’ve too many options swimming around. I do think she needs more instruction than just direction. I feel I need a high school road map and I don’t even have the starting point.

DS11 is different. His oral and written narrations are only fair and while I can’t believe I’m considering it, I think IEW SWI may really benefit this kid. He’s a get it done type. Wondering about just coming up with a literature list for him to narrate and using SWI-B for 6th, Jump In for 7th, Lost Tools of Writing for 8th, then moving on to your courses or something similar.

Thank you for any feedback you can offer.

Is there really such a thing as overthinking school materials;-)? It sounds as if you are discovering by trial and error what works and what doesn’t, and sometimes that is just what you have to do.

Your 7th-grade daughter’s comment about the teaching notes that don’t teach is interesting. Since I’m a learn-by-doing (and look-up-whatever-is-unclear) sort of learner, I’d be interested to know what kind of teaching she would like. With a student that age, I’d provide writer’s handbooks (and possibly some good websites) and expect her to look up things she has a question about. She’s also at the age when grammar instruction should soon give way to a foreign language. Latin will teach her more grammar in a more memorable way than anything else I could ever suggest. Other foreign languages are good, but not as good as Latin.

For an artistic, creative student like your 6th grader, working with formulas can be like trying to dance in a broom closet — very frustrating. If this daughter has a decent grasp of mechanics, perhaps she’d like to do the One Year Adventure Novel or something of that nature. Model-Based Writing can also be good (my newest book is about that). I think she’d especially enjoy the Transform step. Working from models gives students tools that can be applied to any type of writing, and they can use it more or less creatively. Write Shop would be worth a look, too. I haven’t used it myself, but I like the way it’s set up, and I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from those who have used it. In a year or two, Lost Tools could be the perfect thing.

I still like Elegant Essay for teaching composition. It’s simple, clear, and easy to follow, and it’s laid out so well that it can be used as a review or reference after the girls work through it. I don’t think it’s at all dependent on having done the IEW Structure and Style — at least it doesn’t appear so to me, and I know many who have used it without having done other IEW materials. After EE, she will continue to learn by doing if she goes into Excellence in Literature.

As long as you read voraciously and love the classics, I’m sure you’re on the right track. I hope the rest of your year goes well!

$ is always an issue. I wanted to do IEW B with both girls now to get a jump on next year. We tried Beyond the Book Report – it went back. We tried Bauer – lovely, but too verbose. It wasn’t working. We are looking for composition. AHHHH! Ideas?

I love, love Kern’s work for myself. I think that there is a nice blend of formula and classical structure. Visual and math-spatial. It is too dense for my younger dd.

I have 4, so I am trying to order something now with my credit from returning what didn’t work this year. We school year round, so there is no start or end to life-long learning. The EE is on my list, but would be hard without the IEW structure – it uses the same terminology – which kind of markets many of us non-IEW folks out of the market / catalog.

Your books are on my list. We start EIW I with both girls in the fall. They both read voraciously and we LOVE the classics.

I understand about receiving input from mom– it can be a challenge! There are some excellent writing classes offered through classical schools such as Memoria Press (http://www.memoriapress.com/onlineschool/), Circe Institute (http://www.losttoolsofwriting.com/), and http://www.pottersschool.org/. I’m sure there others as well, and there may even be a local co-op in your area that has something useful.

At minimum, The Elegant Essay is a good guide and could probably be worked through by the student with an outside evaluator. I know there are several people who evaluate, including Connie Schenkelberg, a retired teacher and homeschool mom and the author of Grammar Made Easy and Spelling Made Easy. If you’d like her contact information, please let me know.

I hope you find something that fits!