Like many people, I first became acquainted with IEW while I was homeschooling my children, and I taught IEW in homeschool co-ops for many years. However, when my kids were grown, I started looking for the next step. I applied for and was hired as an English teacher at a University Model school where students attend classes on campus three days a week and complete assignments at home the other two days. My experience with IEW was a large part of the reason I was hired. In the past eight years, I have had the opportunity to expand the use of IEW methodology to the entire school. Let me share with you how we have done that.
Our first step in implementing IEW® methodology school-wide is requiring our teachers second grade and above to complete the Teaching Writing Structure and Style® (TWSS) teacher training seminar and become Registered Instructors within two years of being hired. When we initially implemented this, the teachers and I worked through TWSS together, watching one unit a month. This was valuable as it also gave us time to share how we were applying what we were learning in our classrooms as well as troubleshooting problems together. Moving forward, our new hires will work through the TWSS on their own and observe the experienced teachers often. Having teachers who are well versed in IEW methodology is essential for student success.
Following that, at the beginning of each school year, we host a bootcamp for parents to educate them in the University Model and our methodologies. During that time, I give a presentation that provides a general overview of IEW methodology. We have found that parents struggle less with an unfamiliar methodology when they know what the end goal is and how we are going to get there.
Another way we implement IEW as a school is in pacing; starting in fourth grade, all grades work on the same unit at the same time at their level. For example, in February we are working on Unit 6: Summarizing Multiple References. This month our teachers assign Projects of Interest, which include a writing component. Unit 6 is perfectly suited to this. Additionally, I created a short video for parents for each unit, outlining the goals of that particular unit and giving tips for how they can help their students at home. Parents who have multiple students in multiple grades appreciate this as they feel better equipped to come alongside their students on at-home school days, and they are not overwhelmed by trying to keep track of different units at the same time. Working through the units as a school provides cohesion for our teachers, students, and parents.
Finally, since our entire school studies the same period of history together, we chose to use a theme-based book to complement our history studies. This year we are studying medieval history, so we are using Medieval History-Based Writing Lessons. It is easy for teachers to differentiate for their students by using the source texts in the book or the Simplified Source Texts and Advanced Additions that accompany it. We love how it reinforces what we are learning in our history studies and even provides information that the history curriculum does not.
IEW methodology can be incorporated throughout all grades even if your school setup differs from ours. The most important piece is ensuring that teachers are thoroughly trained in IEW methodology by working through TWSS. Using the same theme-based book and working through the same unit each month fosters unity across the grades, both at school and at home. Educating parents in the basic IEW concepts enhances their ability to coach their students at home. This is what makes IEW methodology attractive—it is effective in any educational setting, including schools. If you would like more information on how to implement IEW at your school, please contact one of our Educational Consultants today!
by Deanne Smith
