Institute For Excellence in Writing Review

Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, a homeschooling father of seven, and a grandfather of three. Presenting throughout North America, he addresses issues relating to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students and teachers have helped transform many reluctant writers into competent communicators and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students' skills.
Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan (Suzuki Method) and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him "the funny man with the wonderful words." He and his beautiful, heroic wife Robin currently teach their three youngest children at home in Locust Grove, Oklahoma.

My Review:

Thank you to Institute For Excellence in Writing for letting us review the Structure and Style Overview and the Student Writing Intensive A Notebook and Packet.

 We are doing this curriculum with one other family. At first was wasn't convinced to have my child (9yrs old, boy) do any structured writing other than copy work. But when I reviewed this program and realized that my child needed to learn how to write and the why behind it. They start pulling out the key words and build upon that afterwards. Some of the things they cover are dress-ups,"ly" adverb,banned words, which clause and much more.  I'm so impressed with this program and how our son is having fun doing writing which has always been a struggle for him. I highly recommend this program. Andrew integrates grammar into the writing in a discrete way. This program doesn't hinder the child but rather they let the child develop at there own pace.


Our Son's Story:

The Selfish Boy
By: D Man

A young boy reached his hand into a pitcher of nuts. He grabbed a big handful of nuts and tried to pull his hand out which his fist was bulging with nuts and he could not get his hand out. Unwilling to let go of any nuts he was unable to pull his hand out. He burst into tears. A nearby man quietly came up to the boy that was cryign and said you will have to be satisfied with fewer nuts. Sometimes you ahve to give a little to get what you wish.

Bear of the Mountainside

By: D Man

In the video Teaching Writing: Structure and Style method of teaching writing Andrew is very informative and very inspirtual and encouraging. . This video definitely gave me an overview of the program and what there beliefs are of teaching writing. I loved what Andrew said: You can't help a child to much. There is a wealth of information in this video, definitely worth it.

In this 2 hour and 20 minute DVD and accompanying handouts, Andrew Pudewa introduces you to the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style method of teaching writing. Briefly covering the nine units of structure and introducing several stylistic techniques, Andrew gives the audience insight into why this method is so effective in teaching even the most reluctant writer.
Ideal for teachers to give to the parents of students in their classes

 Andrew teaches in such a way that is understandable to the child. Andrew makes it fun so it's not like work. Andrew is very knowledgeable about writing so you know your child is getting what he needs.

Please check out there website for more resources and information.
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/about-us

You will be pleasantly delighted with Institute For Excellence in Writing.

Thank you again for the opportunity to review this wonderful product:)

GEORGIA AQUARIUM OCTOBER 2011

WORLDS LARGEST AQUARIUM

GEORGIA AQUARIUM

2011

(Before you play DMan's commentary, pause the music)

TIGER SHARK!!

 SAW FISH

D MAN IN FRONT OF FISH

WHALE SHARK

IT'S AMAZING SEEING THIS, THEY SAID.

MANTA RAY

6 FT WING SPAN

D MAN AND HIS FRIEND POINTING AT SOMETHING.

WHALE SHARK AGAIN

TOUCH TANK

THEY GOT TO TOUCH STARFISH.

HUGE CRAB

LEAFY SEA DRAGON

COOL MAN

YOU COULD TOUCH THE STINGRAY

D MAN TOUCHING A SNAIL

D Man's Commentary on the Piranha

D Man's Commentary on the Lion Fish

THE END!!

IF YOU EVER GET A CHANGE TO GO TO THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM IT'S WORTH IT. I HOPE OUR WHOLE FAMILY GETS TO GO NEXT TIME BUT I'M GLAD THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WHILE THEY WERE THERE FOR THE GYMNASTICS MEET.

FUTURE STARS STATES AND REGIONALS 2011

FUTURE STARS STATES 2011

FLORIDA

2ND ALL AROUND

FUTURE STARS REGIONALS 2011

ROSWELL GEORGIA

3RD ALL AROUND

NATIONALS QUALIFIER

D MAN IS GOING TO COLORADO SPRINGS IN DECEMBER.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU DMAN!!!!

Apolgia Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day-Lesson 2 Dolphins and Whales

Paper Mache Dolphins

I got this from http://dltk-kids.com/

Mini Flower Pot Whales

My friend Nicole and I are doing ocean crafts together a couple times a month. She found this craft on someone blog. Check out her blog to get the info.

http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/

Thank you Nicole, we had fun and love the craft:)

How do whales communicate?

D Man and Ducky are using megaphones to communicate with each other with through the wall.

We also made a paper cup telephone system that they could communicate with.

You can't hear each other very well.

Some objects reflect sound while others don't.

This shows how Toothed Whales use sound to determine what kind of object is near.

Construction of Our Ocean Box for the Year.

I had them write the verse on the top of the box.

Genesis 1:21

 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

D Man drawing a whale from the Draw Write Now books.

http://www.drawyourworld.com/

The Plains Indians

Projects about the Plains Indians

By: Marian Broida

We decided to take a break from Mystery of History and move on over to The Native Americans.  We were almost there anyways. I thought it would be a perfect time to study the Native Americans with Thanksgiving around the corner.

This book has some awesome crafts in it, with a story.

The Cheyenne

There tipi's were made out of buffalo hides.

This is our version of the tipi's with some decorations on it.

The Lakota

They harnessed a pair of tipi poles to a horse and between the poles is a platform made from willow saplings.

This is called a Travois.

Winner of the Zoobies Blanket Pet

Thank you to all who participated.

The Winner is Dee at Two of a kind working on a full house.

http://www.twoofakindworkingonafullhouse.com/2010/01/about-me.html

Dee said:

I am pregnant with #3 and we will be doing a cowboy theme...I would LOVE the cow!

Please email your address within 24 hours, as I will pick a new winner after that.

Thank You:)

Our Schoolroom 2011-2012

This is our schoolroom.

As you can see we have lots of resources.

This is our spare bedroom, our children like to be close to us so they like to sleep on the couch. I know sooner or later we will have to get a bigger place but for now it works great.

This is our craft section that gets used ALL the time.

Ducky loves to craft. A friend of mine once shared with me that in other to build creativity you need to leave things out for them to create. So that's what this section is all about. It's messy but worth it.

A different view of our room.

In this section we shore our markers,crayons and some other craft items.

Also the boxes are crafts that have been done.

The Big Black Cabinet has our games, glue,paint and misc items.