25/10/2021
Complimentary Product Received
Writing, for my son, is one of his most challenging subjects. He produces a magnificent product at the end, but each stage in the writing process brings about a different challenge. WriteShop I is a writing program for middle and high school students that helps students figure out what to write, how to write it, and ways to ensure that writing is polished.
I was super excited to get the opportunity to review the Student Workbook and Teacher's Manual for WriteShop I through the Melanated Gold Review Squad.
To get started, I read through the Teacher's Manual, especially the introduction, which was a crucial step because WriteShop's program was different from other programs we previously used. Then we assembled our student binder that would house all of my son's work. WriteShop recommends a few extra items to make writing easier for the student: a thesaurus, dictionary, writing handbook, and dry-erase book. Fortunately, we already had those items, so there were no additional funds to spend, which is always a plus!
Schedule
Students can complete this program in one to two years. WriteShop provides a suggested schedule in the Teacher's Manual that allows students to complete one writing piece over a two-week timeframe, perfect for students who need to pace themselves when writing. WriteShop recommends this schedule for most 7th-9th graders, a 6th grader who is highly skilled and motivated, or a 10th-11th grader who needs more practice. We need all the pacing over here, so this is the schedule we selected, and we found it to be appropriate.
There is a one-week lesson plan that covers WriteShop I and II in one academic year. This schedule is appropriate for an older student (9th grade and above).
Lessons
WriteShop ensures that the writer gets lots of practice by setting up the lessons the same way each time. Skill builders teach new concepts. Next up is pre-writing to get the student's brain charged up and ready to write. Then comes the practice paragraph. Next is copying and dictation. It was nice to work with my student on these steps because generating ideas and getting them on paper is where my son needs assistance most.
After completing those tasks, it is time for the "real" paper. My student (more independently this time) worked through the recommended steps: brainstorming, sloppy copy (first draft), and self-editing and revising. Then he turned in his work to get parent editing and feedback before the final submission and evaluation. If more practice is needed, WriteShop does offer additional writing activities.
There are many content districts covered in this program, which gives the student a solid writing foundation. Level I covers fundamental concepts like describing an object, explaining a process, and first and third-person point of view. Advanced concepts like compare or contrast essays, timed essays, and letters to editors come later in the program.
WriteShop I Video Companion Course
I would highly recommend the Video Companion Course for teachers who struggle with teaching and editing. The videos give tons of tools for objectively looking at and grading student papers and steps to overcome some teaching obstacles. For students, these videos provide more coaching and clarity for the assignments.
Honestly, I did not use the videos as much as I should have. There were quite a few times with this program that I thought I had a good grasp on the assignment but somehow did not communicate it well to my student. Perhaps, if I had used the videos as intended, we would not have had some of those challenging moments.
Overall Impression
I think WriteShop I is a solid choice for a middle school/high school curriculum. There is a lot of variety in the assignments, and students have to stretch their writing muscles. I like that the program lays everything out in a manner that is easy to implement and does a great job of providing tons of practice.
WriteShop I was not a perfect fit for my student (at this time) for a couple of reasons. First, he could not grasp self-editing, which is a big part of the writing process. Maybe he needs more practice, so we will continue to work on these skills. Also, he could not stretch his thinking as far as the curriculum required. For example, the first assignment was to describe an object. He chose his baseball bat. He quickly noted the color and texture, but the program wanted a description using all senses. He selected several other objects but kept running into the same issue.
Please note, however, WriteShop I is a fabulous program that may work well for your student. I sincerely believe it is worth trying. Check out the WriteShop website. There are tons of sample lessons, scopes and sequences, and lists of covered skills. WriteShop may be just the writing program you have been searching for, and who knows, we may revisit it later this year when we have worked on refining our skills.
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