Writing Strands 3 differs from Writing Strands 2 in that it is designed to be self-taught. As a busy mother of six, I really appreciate this. My son understood and enjoyed the instructions because of the humor element. I can see how this would appeal to a child in the upper elementary grades however the humor might put off an older or more mature child.
One of the aspects of Writing Strands my children and I both appreciate is that it does not use redundant and rote worksheets, drills or sentence diagramming. However one of the frequent complaints is that Writing Strands does not teach grammar skills. If that appeals to you, you may want to supplement. I have found that my son is more encouraged to write when it is about something his own brain conjures up and his own imagination is in charge. The quickest way to get a weary writer is by requiring rote repetitive writing exercises.
If you are considering buying the Writing Strands curriculum but are unsure if you should get the teacher's manual, my recommendation is that you purchase the manual when you approach Level 3. It is at this point that the parent's role becomes secondary to the child's and the child is really put in control of his lessons. The parent is merely an evaluator. As nice as this sounds, I have personally seen a lot of damage done to children who are sensitive to parents who are overly critical or punitive in their evaluation. Evaluating Writing will really help parents find a happy balance.
Originally I just reviewed Writing Strands 2 and 3 but also decided to review Writing Strands 1 when I was unable to get any information from those in my community. It seems most people don't use Writing Strands 1. I am sure this is because, in part, parents don't really think about teaching writing until the child is able to do simple things such as write his name. The interesting thing that Writing Strands 1 taught me is that there is so much a parent can do to create the kind of thinking that promotes good, creative writing from even as young as 3 years old. A child does not have to be a writer to start developing these skills. I started working the program with my 4 year old and he absolutely loved it. My six year old naturally joins in even though he is probably ready to start Writing Strands 2. While working the program, I realized that if my oldest son (the reluctant writer) had started using this program many years ago, he may have avoided much of the stress and anxiety about writing that he is trying to overcome now. He was in public school at that time and the schools (and most parents) look at writing as a very clinical process. None of the excellent writer-promoting skills are taught to most kids. I have high hopes that my little ones will ease into writing without a second thought.
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