Writing & Rhetoric: Tour The Program that Works for Two Very Different Students

Writing & Rhetoric, by Classical Academic Press, is a complete writing program with an emphasis on learning to write through good literature and modeling of quality writing.  It is a hit in our homeschool with two very different students.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gwq0rj2S60[/embedyt]

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What is the idea behind Writing & Rhetoric?  What grades is it for?

[su_box title=”From Classical Academic Press….” style=”soft” box_color=”#ea2746″]The Writing & Rhetoric series method employs fluent reading, careful listening, models for imitation, and progressive steps. It assumes that students learn best by reading excellent, whole-story examples of literature and by growing their skills through imitation. Each exercise is intended to impart a skill (or tool) that can be employed in all kinds of writing and speaking. This series is a step-by-step apprenticeship in the art of writing and rhetoric. [/su_box]

Book 1 begins at grade 3 or 4 and the series continues through Book 12. Each book is written to cover one semester and each has a different focus.  We started with Book 1 with my fourth grader this year and it was perfect. He did not have a lot of experience with a formal writing program, though he’s been dictating complex stories to me to type for years.

If you have an older child, it is not necessary to start at the beginning of the series.  My older daughter began with Book 3 in 6th grade and it was perfect for her level.

How much time do you spend each day on Writing & Rhetoric?

A lesson is designed to be completed in a week.  I have one student who needs 20-30 minutes a day to complete it at that pace and one who needs 15-20 minutes per day.

Where can I buy Writing & Rhetoric?

Amazon
Classical Academic Press {The only place to purchase the digital audio files.}
Rainbow Resource

Will my student need me to complete a lesson?  Is there prep work for me to do?

I spend a few minutes a week looking over the next lesson but there is no actual prep work I need to do before my students complete a lesson.  I like to look at it so I know what the lesson covers, spot any parts I expect they will need help with, cross out any parts they may skip, etc.
The books are written to the student, so they are not parent-intensive.  Depending on your student, though, some may need more guidance than others.  My natural writer rarely needs assistance.  I have my other kiddo mark any part she requires assistance on and we spend 10-20 minutes each Friday going over those parts.

What does a lesson look like?

Here’s a short video walkthrough of a single lesson from Book 2.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fs7cptV2bI[/embedyt]

Should I buy the extras?

The audio files are useful if the reading is overwhelming for your child or you want to be able to listen on-the-go. Otherwise, I would skip them.

I have had one teacher’s edition out of the five Writing & Rhetoric books we have gone through. If you had asked me prior to book 6, I would have said that I did not find them that useful. In fact, I said just that in my spotlight review video! Book 6 has a focus on writing thesis statements, something I never learned to do well.  After working through a couple lessons in it, we decided it would be worthwhile to have it.  My new advice is to take a look at the table of contents and sample and then decide, reevaluating with each new book.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DQPSa10hIE[/embedyt]

Are you using it now?  Will you stick with it next year?

My eighth-grader will finish Book 6 this school year.  The eager fourth grader completed Books 1 & 2 by February but, rather than move on to Book 3 (he’d have time), we decided to change up his writing and use Wordsmith’s Apprentice for the remainder of the school year.
My current fourth grader will do Books 3 & 4 next year.
Since taping the video, though, we have decided to move away from it for my eighth grader, at least in part.  Writing and Rhetoric is reading-heavy.  That isn’t a bad thing, of course.  The program is designed to provide great writing for the kids to absorb and model.  For a child that is a slow-reader, language processing disorders, etc, however, it can be an impediment.  The program has improved her writing but we want her to focus on actually writing without being slowed down by all the reading.  {What will we use instead?  We haven’t made a decision, next week we are going to try a few program samples.  Stay tuned!}