Homeschool Writing Curriculum Review: Well Trained Mind

This article is all about choosing the right curriculum for teaching writing in homeschooling. If you are a homeschooling parent wondering which writing curriculum will be best for your child, you have come to the right place. Here I am sharing my honest opinion and experience to help you understand how a writing curriculum works and what you should look for.

Is it easy to choose a homeschool writing curriculum?

To be honest, no. Choosing a writing curriculum is not as easy as it seems. Just like every child has a different experience with math, the same is true for writing. Some children love writing, while others find it a burden. And when a homeschooling parent is not adept at writing themselves or doesn’t have a structure to teach it, it becomes even more difficult.

This is what happened to me. I am a writer myself, so I thought teaching writing would be easy for me. But when I started teaching my own kids, I realized that teaching writing is not just about “feel.” Most of what I learned was from experience and practice, which was hard to convey to kids. And most importantly, most of my kids don’t like writing. When they don’t enjoy it, teaching them becomes even more challenging.

Is there a “best” writing curriculum?

You may be wondering what is the best homeschool writing curriculum? This is a difficult question because there is no one right answer. There are a lot of good curriculums out there. But the reality is that every family and every child is different. So you’ll have to try out a few curriculums to find out which one works best for you.

We’ve tried a lot of different curriculums. Started some, then quit. Some worked, some didn’t. Sometimes you start a new curriculum, use it for a few weeks, and then realize it’s not for you. This is a normal process. It is very common in homeschooling that you experiment, learn and move forward.

If you want to understand how to choose the right curriculum, the first thing to consider is your child’s interest, your teaching style and the resources available.

My Experience: “The Complete Writer” Curriculum by The Well Trained Mind
Now I would like to tell you about a curriculum that I have been using for many years. It is called “The Complete Writer” by The Well Trained Mind. This curriculum has two levels: elementary and middle/high school.

The main reason why my children became good writers

In my experience, one of the major reasons why my children became good writers is that they are very good readers. They love reading books. They read books so fast that we have to buy new books. When a child reads a lot of stories, he starts understanding what goes into a good story. He also starts writing on his own.

Still, I felt it was important to have an organized curriculum to teach them the rules, grammar and discipline of writing. So I chose “The Complete Writer” and had a great experience.

Writing With Ease (Primary Level)

The primary level of this curriculum is called Writing With Ease. It has a total of 4 books and each book is for one year, but you should choose this book according to the child’s ability and not according to his/her class.

What is taught in it?

• Narration: The parent reads a lesson and the child narrates the story back in his/her own words.
• Dictation: The child writes down the sentence or paragraph that the parent speaks.
• Listening and Comprehension: The child’s ability to listen and understand improves.

Organization

We started this curriculum in class 2. Each book has a teacher’s book and a student’s book. All the scripts are given in the teacher’s book. You just open the book and read exactly as it is written – in an “open and go” style. This is what makes it special.

For example:

Suppose the lesson plan for a day is – “The Lion and the Mouse”. You read the story, the child listens to it carefully and then repeats it in his own words. The next day you speak a sentence from the story and the child writes it on paper. This helps the child develop all three abilities of listening, understanding and writing simultaneously.

There are 4 lessons every week. One lesson takes about 15 to 20 minutes. You can do it four days a week or finish quickly by doing two lessons on the same day. This gives a lot of flexibility, especially when you have a busy schedule or doctor’s appointments.

What’s special about it?

• It is completely scripted – you don’t have to think of anything on your own.
• Grammar and writing skills are taught gradually.
• The habit of reading and writing develops.
• Student pages are also included in the book – you can get these done on a copy as well.

Writing With Skill (Secondary/Higher Secondary Level)
When the child is in 6th or 7th grade, you can start Writing With Skill. It also has two books – one for the teacher and one for the student.

What is taught at this level?

• Now the child studies on his own.
• Outlining replaces Narration – that is, reading a text and making an outline of it.
• Writing styles are taught – like Chronological Narratives, Descriptions, Science Writing, Characters, Biographical Sketches, Research etc.

My daughter is doing the first part of this course and she is liking it. She now reads on her own and also practices. Many times I sit with her so that she keeps getting motivation.

What has been its effect?

My daughter is now in 6th grade and she writes very well. She knows how to introduce characters, express emotions, and move the story forward with dialogues. All of this she learned through her love of reading and this course.

Have you not done Writing With Ease before? No problem!

If your child is starting straight from Writing With Skill and has not done any structured writing exercises before, this course is still suitable for him. It teaches very gently and gradually, so the child progresses easily. The scripted instructions do not require much preparation from the parent either.

Conclusion

Teaching writing in homeschooling is not easy, but it is possible if you have the right tools and curriculum. “The Complete Writer” by The Well Trained Mind is a great writing curriculum that guides both you and your child through the writing journey.

If your child loves to read, writing will automatically improve. But a good curriculum can make that process even stronger.
If you want a curriculum that is easy, ready-made, and that your child won’t dislike – then you should consider “Writing With Ease” and “Writing With Skill”.

FAQs