composition decision

[Leigh Ann in VA]

I moved to a Latin-Centered curriculum last year and have read LCC, which is where I learned of CW. I am trying to decide if this approach is best for my daughter, who has completed First Lang Lessons and is a good speller. I had been in a neoclassical program and would've moved to Intermediate Lang Lessons by Serl for "grammar" in the coming year with more informal writing assignments. My daugther just finished 3rd grade. She is very visual and actually enjoys workbooks and activities. While I recognize the value of CW, I am concerned that it might just burn her out on writing or turn her off.
Can someone offer some input or reassurance on this?
Thanks,
Leigh Ann in VA

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

Leigh Ann,

Thank you for posting. Student burn out is a very real concern, especially in an endeavor which can be made intense, as homeschooling certainly can.

Before I give a more specific answer, let me give a disclaimer. If you look at CW, and unidentifyable red flags are popping up in your head, listen to your 'gut' and think carefully before you jump in. The program may not be what would work best with your teaching style or with your daughter's learning style.

Now... for my general answer. Curricula do not burn out students.... homeschool moms do!! I won't repeat it, but it is a strong opinion of mine that it is not the program that will hurt your child (be it ours or any other program you consider) but what you decide to do with it.

Every curriculum is a tool, you choose how much of it you want to do. In the case of CW we have many weekly assignments but you decide whether to do the maximum 10 sentences we suggest, or only 5.

I do BJU math with my younger kids. We always only do the odd problems on any lesson. If the lesson was not successfully completed, we go ahead and do the even problems the next day. Most programs are designed like that. Do the 'odd's and then repeat with the 'evens' if the lesson didn't stick. NOWHERE in any workbook are you required to do all the work. You are the teacher, you are in charge, and you choose how much to do and when to do it and what to cut.

The biggest problem I see with most American homeschool moms is that they are 'too obedient' and too conscientious. They are SO afraid to give themselves permission to skip a workbook page, leave a box blank or even skip a week for fear of 'missing something'.

In writing, skipping something ... even a WHOLE WEEK... is a whole less dangerous than it would be in math. The key to using CW is to learn how to use it, budget YOUR time... that is how much YOU can afford to spend on it, and then give yourself permission to follow YOUR plan and YOUR timeframe, not ours.

Our time frames... much as the very time intensive schedules in The Well-Trained Mind.... are only 'maximal' guidelines, meant for the mom who does it all. Most of us don't do it all, we can't... and so we need the confidence and the discernment (FAITH!!) to skip and not feel guilty.

If you do not feel that you are at a stage where you can give yourself that sort of liberty, CW can be quite a slavedriver if you're not careful.

Does that help?? if not, please let me know... I might have misunderstood.

Lene