Institute for Excellence in Writing - A Crew Review

 Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way.

When I was but a young, distracted high school student (does that sound dramatic enough?), I detested writing assignments. The thought of having to compose my thoughts on a particular subject and somehow put together an intelligent essay caused me great anxiety. Many years later, I can see what was behind my dislike- fear of failure. Simply put, I felt inadequate for the task. I cannot recall being taught the basics of writing. I had my share of papers to write, but I was simply given the homework, and the due date. Somewhere, the how-to's were missed. Outlines, titles, introductions...ugh. I was so intimidated, and it wasn't until sometime in my college years when I finally pieced it together (through many tears, I might add) and sort of came into own as far as writing goes. As my daughters began their school years, I was determined that they would be taught the foundations for writing that were so lacking in my own education. Just in time for our school year, Institute for Excellence in Writing® provided our family with Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level C (High School) to use and review. See the  Structure and Style® for Students page to look at the program.

This course is appropriate for students in 9th-12 grades. It is a 24 week class.
Included in the kit:-Student Packet-Student Binder-Teacher's Manual-SSS Forever Streaming Card - this has an online activation code that provides access to the teaching videos, forever, although this is for use by the purchaser only.
Everything comes in a sturdy cardboard box, which I will definitely keep, because it's an excellent box, and I'm told that's what adults do.

A look at the lessons:

Sample weekly lesson:

Source Text:

Tabs show where to store texts

There is a small amount of preparation before you begin, but the program is well organized, and easy to follow. You will go to the IEW website and create your account. Select your level, add your activate your code, and you then have access to the videos.
Next, you'll set up the student binder. There is an Introduction within the Student Packet that will guide you in getting everything together. There are tabs in the binder that tell students where everything goes. You'll begin by putting all of the papers for Week 1 in the front of the binder. As you work through the lessons, students will be instructed when to pull out specific pages. 
There is a suggested weekly schedule included in the binder that breaks down the Units into manageable parts. Of course, you can decide if you want to use this or not. I like the schedule just fine, and we're using it just as it is presented. Material covered in this course:
Unit 1: Note Taking and OutlinesUnit 2: Writing From NotesUnit 3: Retelling Narrative StoriesUnit 4: Summarizing a ReferenceUnit 5: Writing From PicturesUnit 6: Summarizing Multiple ReferencesUnit 7: Inventive WritingUnit 8: Formal Essay ModelsUnit 9: Formal CritiqueResponse to Literature

Sample of text guide

Key Word Outline or KWO

List of -ly verbs was one assignment

You can elect to work through the course with the videos and the material included in the kit. If you like, you can add to the course by having your students read the books that are used for the Source Texts. You can also round out the program by including Fix It! Grammar in your lessons as well. It's up to you. We're doing both the literature and the Fix It! Grammar ourselves.
Andrew Pudewa is the instructor for this course. He is, without exaggeration, the teacher that I always hoped to have, whatever the subject. When first looking at his appearance, dressed perhaps somewhat formally in a suit, you might expect him to be, if not stuffy, at least not necessarily personable. However, Mr. Pudewa is indeed very personable! He has a somewhat soft spoken manner, a fun sense of humor, and a welcoming personality that quickly makes a student feel comfortable. He is also known for his corny, but funny jokes.
The videos were filmed with Mr. Pudewa teaching a live class of students, so you'll get a sense of in person teaching. I really like the way that he interacts with the students in those videos. As students provides answers to his questions, he encourages their responses, perhaps helping to complete a thought, or gently leading them to the answer. It's a safe environment for students to bring their ideas, without fear of scorn. 

Sometimes there are "Banned Words" Points are lost if these overused words are used

The course itself is fantastic. It has everything that I had hoped for in a writing program. Students will learn all of the components needed to write well. Among skills that are taught are writing outlines, learning various stylistic techniques, and vocabulary words. They will even learn the do's and don'ts when speaking in front of a group.

A final draft of an assignment

My oldest teen is known for her intense dislike for writing, and I was eager to have her begin this course, and hear her opinions. Andrew Pudewa is a great teacher for her. His humor and relaxed attitude have her laughing throughout the lessons. She still may not love the general subject, but she likes the class. As I think about her feelings, I'm reminded of one of Mr. Pudewa's jokes, where he quips, speaking of one of the assignments, something like, "That wasn't so painful was it? Don't worry, there will be more pain." I showed my husband some of the first videos, and his response was that he could easily get caught up in the lectures, even as an adult. 
This is a wonderful course, and I'm thrilled to use it with my teens. My only regret is that I didn't discover IEW sooner in our schooling. If you're students are not high school age yet, there are other other levels to check out:
Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level A (Grades 3-5)
Structure and Style® for Students Year 1 Level B (grades 6-8)






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Our Crew members reviewed various levels from Institute for Excellence in Writing®  . Read them by clicking on the banner below!