Re: Need IEW Help (Classical Sources Message Board)

Re: Need IEW Help
Author: Cindy Marsch	September 14, 1999 at 09:20:11
in reply to: Need IEW Help* posted by Nancy on September 13, 1999 at 21:49:57*

Nancy, I have used the program sporadically over the last
couple of years but this morning will be having my third
weekly writing class with my own children and a friend's.
We have a 9th, two 6th, a 4th, a 2nd, and a 1st grader
doing the work in a 60 - to 90-minute session.

The first week we took the book lice piece in the notebook and just did the three-word notes on a white board as a group, then I had them copy those notes on paper and I erased the board. Then as a group we reconstructed the sentences based on the notes, noting how the older and more sophisticated students wanted to use different word choices compared to the desires of the younger ones. (I'll note, too, that my 1st grader, not yet reading, had only to copy things from the board and answer simple questions from me to keep her "with us.") I then took the style worksheet and quickly went over how we could add an -ly word, quality verb or adjective, etc. to add interest to the piece.
Last week we took a longer paragraph, the introduction to a Lewis Thomas essay from *The Medusa and the Snail,* and I wrote up whatever keywords different ones liked for each sentence, up to seven per sentence, but I asked each student to choose the three he or she wanted to use. Again, the second grader wanted "doses" and the ninth grader wanted "antibiotics," for instance. Once they had their own personal notes, I had them split up and assigned each one a sentence or two to "reconstruct" independently. I omitted the 1st and 2nd from this activity and helped the 4th. When they finished I typed up the "draft sentences" onto a sheet for each one to work with today.

Today I plan to have them revise through these sentences
together, and transitions will be a big deal since each
sentence was an independent project. But I'm going to be
emphasizing the style sheet today, helping them see how to
implement the various items, and I'll just require two or
three from the younger ones, etc.

If there's time today, or next week, I may have them try
the summary notes independently or in pairs...I haven't
decided yet. :-)

Another day last week, I worked with my own 6th grader on a
book summary. She wrote a very inadequate draft, and I
typed it up on the computer and let her dictate to me some
more that she wanted to add. We expanded from about 100
words to about 700, and she could see with just a word from
me how she'd gotten trapped in narrative "but," "and,"
"so," and "then," so we edited a LOT for those, with
reference back to some things we'd touched on in the IEW
session. She's really picking up on the techniques to
improve her writing, and I look forward to seeing more of
it incorporated in her work in time to come.

I do NOT do writing on a daily basis, other than
incidentals that come with our curriculum (math, the
science rules dictation my husband is giving them in the
living room at this moment, etc.). Rather, I prefer
intense, somewhat lengthy blocks of time (my daughter and I
spent a solid 90 minutes, perhaps 2 hours, on that book
summary last week) once or twice a week.

So there's a glimpse of how IEW works at our house, and I know even the first grader is absorbing the principles well, listening for important words in a sentence, etc. And since our group class starts in twenty minutes and I don't have my materials together yet and the baby needs a diaper change, I'll close there.

I hope this has been of some practical help!

Blessings, Cindy Marsch

Writing Assessment Services

Follow Ups

Re: Need IEW Help Nancy 14:02:11 9/14/1999 (0)

Post Followup

Name:
E-Mail:
Subject:
> Nancy, I have used the program sporadically over the last > couple of years but this morning will be having my third > weekly writing class with my own children and a friend's. > We have a 9th, two 6th, a 4th, a 2nd, and a 1st grader > doing the work in a 60 - to 90-minute session. > > The first week we took the book lice piece in the notebook and just did the three-word notes on a white board as a group, then I had them copy those notes on paper and I erased the board. Then as a group we reconstructed the sentences based on the notes, noting how the older and more sophisticated students wanted to use different word choices compared to the desires of the younger ones. (I'll note, too, that my 1st grader, not yet reading, had only to copy things from the board and answer simple questions from me to keep her "with us.") I then took the style worksheet and quickly went over how we could add an -ly word, quality verb or adjective, etc. to add interest to the piece. > Last week we took a longer paragraph, the introduction to a Lewis Thomas essay from The Medusa and the Snail, and I wrote up whatever keywords different ones liked for each sentence, up to seven per sentence, but I asked each student to choose the three he or she wanted to use. Again, the second grader wanted "doses" and the ninth grader wanted "antibiotics," for instance. Once they had their own personal notes, I had them split up and assigned each one a sentence or two to "reconstruct" independently. I omitted the 1st and 2nd from this activity and helped the 4th. When they finished I typed up the "draft sentences" onto a sheet for each one to work with today. > > Today I plan to have them revise through these sentences > together, and transitions will be a big deal since each > sentence was an independent project. But I'm going to be > emphasizing the style sheet today, helping them see how to > implement the various items, and I'll just require two or > three from the younger ones, etc. > > If there's time today, or next week, I may have them try > the summary notes independently or in pairs...I haven't > decided yet. :-) > > Another day last week, I worked with my own 6th grader on a > book summary. She wrote a very inadequate draft, and I > typed it up on the computer and let her dictate to me some > more that she wanted to add. We expanded from about 100 > words to about 700, and she could see with just a word from > me how she'd gotten trapped in narrative "but," "and," > "so," and "then," so we edited a LOT for those, with > reference back to some things we'd touched on in the IEW > session. She's really picking up on the techniques to > improve her writing, and I look forward to seeing more of > it incorporated in her work in time to come. > > I do NOT do writing on a daily basis, other than > incidentals that come with our curriculum (math, the > science rules dictation my husband is giving them in the > living room at this moment, etc.). Rather, I prefer > intense, somewhat lengthy blocks of time (my daughter and I > spent a solid 90 minutes, perhaps 2 hours, on that book > summary last week) once or twice a week. > > So there's a glimpse of how IEW works at our house, and I know even the first grader is absorbing the principles well, listening for important words in a sentence, etc. And since our group class starts in twenty minutes and I don't have my materials together yet and the baby needs a diaper change, I'll close there. > > I hope this has been of some practical help! > > Blessings, Cindy Marsch
Optional link URL:
Link title:
Optional image URL: