
Success in Schools
Teachers who are teaching writing well by Janet Spitler When it comes to teaching writing, the teacher must often choose between art and science. However, finding the freedom to express individual style and voice (the... read more

A Common Language
Lower Yukon School District in Alaska implements IEW’s Structure and Style method districtwide to improve students’ language arts knowledge. Who are we? We are a people of the salmon, of the whitefish, and pike. Of... read more

A Swing towards Sanity
by Andrew Pudewa Every once in a while, something happens which restores hope that the world is not completely insane. When this occurs in the field of education, it is particularly pleasing. When it... read more

The Work of a Child
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the March 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) At some point, most homeschooling parents experience a sort of anxiety spike when their child hits twelve or thirteen years... read more

Imitation: A Common-Sense Approach
by Andrew Pudewa As in many areas of education, the skill of writing has been elevated to the status of art, which it rightfully should be. However, this has often been to the detriment... read more

A Weekly Spoonful of Inspiration
“We (IEW) should do our very own podcast.” This sentence was not initially greeted with much enthusiasm, believe it or not. Doubts of not having enough content, or the right equipment, or enough... read more

The Art of Teaching a Skill
or, The Skill of Teaching an Art by Andrew Pudewa MORTIMER ADLER, IN HIS PAIDEIA PROPOSAL calling for a return to a classical curriculum, points out one of the major problems of modern education: the... read more

Hate of Learning: One Cause and a Possible Remedy
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the February 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) When one of my daughters was around twelve years old, we faced a significant problem with her motivation and... read more

Interview with Nancy Helm, Education Specialist
This summer at the IEM Innovate Conference in Sacramento, I met Nancy Helm, an Education Specialist for twelve years at the South Sutter Charter School. Soon afterwards, I received an extremely gracious email... read more

The Colloquium Environment
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the September 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) For the past ten years, I have always held a regularly scheduled colloquium for my teenage children and a... read more

The Writing Skills Gap
This country is locked in a learning quagmire caused by an educational misalignment, which has resulted in many students entering higher education with a clear deficit in college-ready writing skills. Long-term, the United... read more

However Imperfectly: Lessons learned from thirty years of teaching
by Andrew Pudewa It’s hard to say exactly when I began thinking myself a teacher, but I do remember when I set out on my own as an independent violin instructor, preschool owner, tutor,... read more

That Puppy Won't Fly
The Core Problem with Educational Standards Today by Andrew Pudewa Over the past decade, I have had the privilege to interact with a wide range of teachers and parents, schools both public and private, charters,... read more

Getting Started with Structure and Style
Every year, IEW has chosen an outstanding teacher who has implemented IEW in his or her classroom with enthusiasm and fidelity. Join us this year as we put the spotlight on an administrator... read more

Harnessing the Power of Parent Participation with One Activity
The Institute for Excellence in Writing encourages parents to participate in their students’ education. Because recent studies prove parent participation is a key factor in students’ success, schools are shedding the lingering attitude... read more

Many Paths, One Writing Method: An interview with IEW mom Lisa Averitt
Lisa Averitt lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where she is a pastor’s wife and mother of five. She has a BA in English and several years of teaching experience followed by sixteen years... read more

Mixed-Age Classrooms
by Andrew Pudewa As a teacher, professional development presenter, and educational consultant, I have had, over the past twenty years, a chance to visit a wide range of schools and school districts—a range that... read more

In Retrospect: Heroes of Providence
by Andrew Pudewa From the time I could talk, I was begging for a violin. Or so said my mother. I don’t remember, but the harangue must have been relentless because I began violin... read more

Is IEW "Classical"?
by Andrew Pudewa With the rapid rise of interest in classical education in homeschools, hybrid schools, and even full-time schools, we at IEW are often asked if our approach to teaching writing with structure... read more
What We Really Need
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the August 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) Depending on when one starts counting, this fall marks about our twentieth year of homeschooling. Daughter number four graduated... read more

Writing Maketh an Exact Man
Recently, we at IEW began the process of acquiring a very high output (and rather expensive!) printer. During our initial conversations pertaining to the financing of this purchase, the manufacturer’s national credit manager... read more

De-Confusing Essays
by Andrew Pudewa “Essay” is perhaps the one word most feared by students, wielded by teachers, and misunderstood by many. But what is it actually, and how important is it? And if it is... read more

Music Is Not “Nice”
by Andrew Pudewa Most people today think of music as a nice thing—something to break the monotony of a boring job or keep you pumped up while exercising. It’s nice to have music; it... read more

One Myth and Two Truths
Nurturing Competent Communicators by Andrew Pudewa “Good readers will become good writers!” A mantra frequently heard in the lecture halls of academia, echoing along the corridors of junior high schools, and boldly preached from the... read more

Concerns About Common Core
Over the past few weeks, many homeschooling families and bloggers have been expressing concerns about homeschool curricula changing to align with the Common Core standards. We would like to clarify for the homeschooling... read more

Thoughts on Common Core
by Janet Spitler and Genevieve Priest The Common Core State Standards Initiative® has caused quite a stir in the educational world. Most states made the decision to adopt the standards before they had seen... read more

Finding What Works
The Chesleys are a busy homeschool family. Austin Chesley is the mom of and the primary educator for all five Chesley kids, ranging in age from 10 to 18 years. Dr. Colin Chesley... read more

Structured Success
With each edition of the schools magalog Arts of Language, we enjoy spotlighting a teacher or administrator who has implemented with fidelity the Structure and Style method within his or her classroom or... read more

Low-Tech Teaching with High-End Results
by Andrew Pudewa If you attend a large education conference these days, a quick circuit around the exhibit hall makes one fact immediately evident: Everyone and everything is moving high-tech. Apple® likely sports the... read more
Process versus Product
by Andrew Pudewa In the 1992 film A River Runs Through It, there is a particularly charming scene which gives us some important insight about the teaching of writing. Early on in the movie,... read more

The Arts of Language
by Andrew Pudewa For many of us, the expression “Language Arts” evokes an emotional response; in some it causes excitement, but more often uncertainty, anxiety, or confusion. As with many terms, it has meanings... read more

Why and How Music Will Save the World
Challenging the Crises in Educational Thought by Andrew Pudewa “Maybe music will save the world,” said Pablo Casals, the great cellist and humanitarian musician of the twentieth century. Shinichi Suzuki, founder of the Suzuki Method,... read more

Plagiarism
What is it really? And what to do about it... by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the IEW Newsletter—Spring 2008.) One of the more amusing stories from this past year goes something like this:... read more

Bad Writing vs. Bad Circumstances
by Andrew Pudewa Recently, a co-op teacher commented, “Help! My students are completing the checklist but producing bad writing! They may use an '-ly word' and check it off the checklist, but it’s not appropriate... read more

IEW: The Key to Success
Forty years ago the better colleges did not have the writing labs that are a ubiquitous feature of college campuses today. Contrary to the pedagogy of the past few decades, students benefit from... read more

Motivation
by Andrew Pudewa To accomplish difficult tasks, motivation is absolutely necessary. No one doubts the need for motivating students, and methods of inspiring them to accomplish a teacher’s goals are numerous. On one extreme,... read more

Lesson Planning
by Andrew Pudewa The goal of Excellence in Writing is to make writing part of what your students are learning, not a course unto itself. With nine structural units, you can easily plan your... read more

Testimony to Oklahoma House Education Committee Regarding Common Core
Occasionally we are asked by concerned teachers and parents what position IEW and Andrew Pudewa take on Common Core. We invite you to read for yourself what Andrew testified to the Oklahoma House... read more

Good Writing vs. Great Teaching
by Andrew Pudewa Good writing. What is it? Everyone has an opinion, but opinions differ widely. While one language arts curriculum judges that simply adding in more adjectives will “improve” sentences, other experts—quoting Mark... read more

Developing Skills and Character through Homeschool Speech and Debate
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the January 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) Welcome to my column: Finishing the Race! It’s such an appropriate title for me, as I myself need encouragement... read more

Common Sense on Standards: Freeing Teachers to Be Teachers
by Andrew Pudewa The idea of standards in education is not new. Since the first Nation’s Report Card in 1969, schools, districts, states, and publishers have been adopting criteria for what should be taught... read more

But it’s so ... so ... awkward!
by Andrew Pudewa Awkward. Even the spelling of the word is disturbing. If we look back, we likely have memories of high school or college teachers having scribbled the ugly “Awk” word in the... read more

Remembering Mrs. Myers
ON JUNE 29, 2012, Lesha Myers passed from this life after a long battle with cancer. The beloved author of three of IEW's books, The Elegant Essay, Windows to the World, and Writing... read more

Now Is the Time
by Andrew Pudewa A decade has passed since the Institute for Excellence in Writing became a full time enterprise, and over these ten years we have seen some truly remarkable results. Thousands of parents... read more

Why is Structure and Style® so effective?
by James B. Webster, Ph.D. I completed a four-year B.A. with honors in history and English, in which three to four yearlong courses required three substantial essays each plus a three-hour final exam, in... read more

Recitals, Recitation, and Theatre
Performances in Preparation for Life DO YOUR CHILDREN TAKE MUSIC LESSONS? Ours did. Although their musical talents are vastly different, all three had music as part of their daily agenda, and my husband and... read more

What? or That!
Reflections on Reports by Andrew Pudewa In sixth grade or thereabouts, you had to write A REPORT. Searching for a subject that seemed moderately interesting, such as Japan or Betsy Ross, you went to the... read more

Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing
by Andrew Pudewa We’ve all suffered it at one time or another—frustration about writing assignments. Either on the receiving end or perhaps now on the giving end, there can be a few distinctly discouraging aspects... read more

What Are We Really Doing Here?
by Andrew Pudewa Adorning our humble office, there are two things that always brighten my day and help restore my focus—a map and a pile of papers. The map is an ordinary, somewhat faded Rand... read more

Success in Schools
Teachers who are teaching writing well by Janet Spitler When it comes to teaching writing, the teacher must often choose between art and... read more

A Common Language
Lower Yukon School District in Alaska implements IEW’s Structure and Style method districtwide to improve students’ language arts knowledge. Who are we? We... read more

A Swing towards Sanity
by Andrew Pudewa Every once in a while, something happens which restores hope that the world is not completely insane. When this... read more

The Work of a Child
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the March 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) At some point, most homeschooling parents experience... read more

Imitation: A Common-Sense Approach
by Andrew Pudewa As in many areas of education, the skill of writing has been elevated to the status of art, which... read more

A Weekly Spoonful of Inspiration
“We (IEW) should do our very own podcast.” This sentence was not initially greeted with much enthusiasm, believe it or not.... read more

The Art of Teaching a Skill
or, The Skill of Teaching an Art by Andrew Pudewa MORTIMER ADLER, IN HIS PAIDEIA PROPOSAL calling for a return to a classical... read more

Hate of Learning: One Cause and a Possible Remedy
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the February 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) When one of my daughters was around... read more

Interview with Nancy Helm, Education Specialist
This summer at the IEM Innovate Conference in Sacramento, I met Nancy Helm, an Education Specialist for twelve years at the... read more

The Colloquium Environment
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the September 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) For the past ten years, I have... read more

The Writing Skills Gap
This country is locked in a learning quagmire caused by an educational misalignment, which has resulted in many students entering higher... read more

However Imperfectly: Lessons learned from thirty years of teaching
by Andrew Pudewa It’s hard to say exactly when I began thinking myself a teacher, but I do remember when I set... read more

That Puppy Won't Fly
The Core Problem with Educational Standards Today by Andrew Pudewa Over the past decade, I have had the privilege to interact with a... read more

Getting Started with Structure and Style
Every year, IEW has chosen an outstanding teacher who has implemented IEW in his or her classroom with enthusiasm and fidelity.... read more

Harnessing the Power of Parent Participation with One Activity
The Institute for Excellence in Writing encourages parents to participate in their students’ education. Because recent studies prove parent participation is... read more

Many Paths, One Writing Method: An interview with IEW mom Lisa Averitt
Lisa Averitt lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where she is a pastor’s wife and mother of five. She has a BA... read more

Mixed-Age Classrooms
by Andrew Pudewa As a teacher, professional development presenter, and educational consultant, I have had, over the past twenty years, a chance... read more

In Retrospect: Heroes of Providence
by Andrew Pudewa From the time I could talk, I was begging for a violin. Or so said my mother. I don’t... read more

Is IEW "Classical"?
by Andrew Pudewa With the rapid rise of interest in classical education in homeschools, hybrid schools, and even full-time schools, we at... read more
What We Really Need
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the August 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) Depending on when one starts counting, this... read more

Writing Maketh an Exact Man
Recently, we at IEW began the process of acquiring a very high output (and rather expensive!) printer. During our initial conversations... read more

De-Confusing Essays
by Andrew Pudewa “Essay” is perhaps the one word most feared by students, wielded by teachers, and misunderstood by many. But what... read more

Music Is Not “Nice”
by Andrew Pudewa Most people today think of music as a nice thing—something to break the monotony of a boring job or... read more

One Myth and Two Truths
Nurturing Competent Communicators by Andrew Pudewa “Good readers will become good writers!” A mantra frequently heard in the lecture halls of academia, echoing... read more

Concerns About Common Core
Over the past few weeks, many homeschooling families and bloggers have been expressing concerns about homeschool curricula changing to align with... read more

Thoughts on Common Core
by Janet Spitler and Genevieve Priest The Common Core State Standards Initiative® has caused quite a stir in the educational world. Most... read more

Finding What Works
The Chesleys are a busy homeschool family. Austin Chesley is the mom of and the primary educator for all five Chesley... read more

Structured Success
With each edition of the schools magalog Arts of Language, we enjoy spotlighting a teacher or administrator who has implemented with... read more

Low-Tech Teaching with High-End Results
by Andrew Pudewa If you attend a large education conference these days, a quick circuit around the exhibit hall makes one fact... read more
Process versus Product
by Andrew Pudewa In the 1992 film A River Runs Through It, there is a particularly charming scene which gives us some... read more

The Arts of Language
by Andrew Pudewa For many of us, the expression “Language Arts” evokes an emotional response; in some it causes excitement, but more... read more

Why and How Music Will Save the World
Challenging the Crises in Educational Thought by Andrew Pudewa “Maybe music will save the world,” said Pablo Casals, the great cellist and humanitarian... read more

Plagiarism
What is it really? And what to do about it... by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the IEW Newsletter—Spring 2008.) One of... read more

Bad Writing vs. Bad Circumstances
by Andrew Pudewa Recently, a co-op teacher commented, “Help! My students are completing the checklist but producing bad writing! They may use... read more

IEW: The Key to Success
Forty years ago the better colleges did not have the writing labs that are a ubiquitous feature of college campuses today.... read more

Motivation
by Andrew Pudewa To accomplish difficult tasks, motivation is absolutely necessary. No one doubts the need for motivating students, and methods of... read more

Lesson Planning
by Andrew Pudewa The goal of Excellence in Writing is to make writing part of what your students are learning, not a... read more

Testimony to Oklahoma House Education Committee Regarding Common Core
Occasionally we are asked by concerned teachers and parents what position IEW and Andrew Pudewa take on Common Core. We invite... read more

Good Writing vs. Great Teaching
by Andrew Pudewa Good writing. What is it? Everyone has an opinion, but opinions differ widely. While one language arts curriculum judges... read more

Developing Skills and Character through Homeschool Speech and Debate
by Andrew Pudewa (This article first appeared in the January 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®.) Welcome to my column: Finishing the Race!... read more

Common Sense on Standards: Freeing Teachers to Be Teachers
by Andrew Pudewa The idea of standards in education is not new. Since the first Nation’s Report Card in 1969, schools, districts,... read more

But it’s so ... so ... awkward!
by Andrew Pudewa Awkward. Even the spelling of the word is disturbing. If we look back, we likely have memories of high... read more

Remembering Mrs. Myers
ON JUNE 29, 2012, Lesha Myers passed from this life after a long battle with cancer. The beloved author of three... read more

Now Is the Time
by Andrew Pudewa A decade has passed since the Institute for Excellence in Writing became a full time enterprise, and over these... read more

Why is Structure and Style® so effective?
by James B. Webster, Ph.D. I completed a four-year B.A. with honors in history and English, in which three to four yearlong... read more

Recitals, Recitation, and Theatre
Performances in Preparation for Life DO YOUR CHILDREN TAKE MUSIC LESSONS? Ours did. Although their musical talents are vastly different, all three... read more

What? or That!
Reflections on Reports by Andrew Pudewa In sixth grade or thereabouts, you had to write A REPORT. Searching for a subject that seemed... read more

Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing
by Andrew Pudewa We’ve all suffered it at one time or another—frustration about writing assignments. Either on the receiving end or perhaps now... read more

What Are We Really Doing Here?
by Andrew Pudewa Adorning our humble office, there are two things that always brighten my day and help restore my focus—a map... read more