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So we are loving Writing and Rhetoric along with the CtC year and enjoying it very much. It's so simple to use and my child is doing well. I already bought the new IEW medieval level recently, and then noticed that Carrie is moving to W&R for Res to Ref and am just wondering if anyone has read why she moved away from IEW. Is it because the feedback from W&R users is just that awesome, or something else?

Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons has gone into so many reprints and updates that writing new plans year after year became cumbersome. We liked the first version the best, and each updated version got further and further away form that original resource. However, this is only one reason why we have now switched to Writing and Rhetoric. Our Creation to Christ users (just like you ) have thoroughly enjoyed Writing and Rhetoric! We continually hear excellent feedback about this resource. So, that was a factor in the switch as well!

The Writing and Rhetoric series is based on the premise that students learn best by reading and imitating excellent literature, which is very much in keeping with Charlotte Mason's ideals (whom you know we love). Book 3: Narrative II exposes students to different story genres, and teaches new skills such as identifying fact and opinion and asking the five W’s of a historical narrative (who, what, when, where and why). Book 4: Chreia & Proverb teaches students how to write a six-paragraph essay based on a saying or an action, while using the five W’s as a framework. As students read excellent, whole-story examples of literature, they learn key writing principles and grow their skills through imitation. This sequence of composition is also very Charlotte Mason-like. So, this was yet another factor in the switch!

Carrie and I both liked how IEW taught our sons to take notes from a literature source in a key-word outline form. We also liked the subsequent skill of using those notes go rewrite the piece one section at a time. Additionally, we liked the emphasis of avoiding writing with overused words - and instead incorporating more appealing and interesting words focused upon the 5 senses. We were going to be sad to see those excellent skills go by the wayside... until Carrie found Fairy Tales (which replaces The Exciting World of Creative Writing in Revival to Revolution). The Fairy Tales' plans feature all of these important skills we loved from IEW, but they do so in a way that also encourages creativity! Truly the best of both worlds!

So, from my conversations with Carrie, this is what I can recall. She is busy writing long hours each day and not able to respond now, so this is my best recollection of our conversations about IEW being replaced. I hope it helps, and I am so glad to hear you have enjoyed Writing and Rhetoric Books 1 and 2 in CTC! I pray you enjoy Books 3 and 4 in RTR as well!

In Christ,
Julie