If you have been following along all year, we have made it to the final episode in this year’s series on the unit models. Join Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker as they discuss Unit 9: Formal Critique. In some ways, it is the culmination of all the units. Explore the value of learning the skills of analysis and writing about literature even if students are not planning to pursue a literary career. Referenced Materials Teaching Writing: Structure and Style®Seminar WorkbookMagnum Opus Magazine Unit 9 SamplesFormal Critiques: Going beyond the Boring Book Report webinar Episode 417: Using IEW through the Years  If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

In this week’s episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker are joined by Heidi Thomas and Joseph Tabenkin. Heidi is part of IEW's Product Development team. This past year she and her team have worked alongside Joseph, a product and software developer, to create IEW Gradebook, an online tool designed to help teachers grade more efficiently and effectively. Listen in for exciting details! Referenced Materials IEW GradebookFour Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing audio talk by Andrew Pudewa“Simplify Grading with IEW Gradebook” Teaching Writing: Structure and Style® Theme-Based Writing LessonsStructure and Style® for StudentsHeidi ThomasJoseph Tabenkin If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

It’s time for another Live Ask Andrew Anything episode! Join Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker as they answer questions from listeners. They were joined by Ashley from Joyful Noise Learning, who asked how to answer a child who asks, “Why do I have to learn writing when I am not going to be a writer when I grow up?” Andrew also shares what he is reading to his grandchildren as well as a few other book recommendations. Referenced Materials Joyful Noise Learning However Imperfectly by Andrew PudewaPenrod by Booth TarkingtonPinocchio by Carlo CollodiSwallows and Amazons by Arthur RansomeHow to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott NewstokStructure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level CDual Enrollment with Christian Halls InternationalUniversity-Ready WritingIntroduction to Public Speaking If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

In this episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss the goodness of memory. Andrew shares his experiences with memorization and some of the reasons behind his passion for it. They introduce a new tool that will help you furnish the mind with poetry, songs, math facts, and more.  Referenced Materials Nurturing Competent Communicators audio talk by Andrew PudewaMastery Learning, Ability Development, and Individualized Education audio talk by Andrew PudewaTen Thousand Times and then Begins Understanding audio talk by Andrew PudewaBy Heart: The Goodness of Memory audio talk by Andrew PudewaLinguistic Development through Poetry MemorizationTeaching Writing: Structure and Style®"The Fly" by Ogden Nash"Relativity" by Arthur Henry Reginald BullerHow to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott NewstokEpisode 398: Think like Shakespeare, Part 1Memory Mentor"The Children’s Hour" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss the importance of learning the basic essay model even when many say it is outdated or formulaic. Learn how to take the basic essay model and expand it to a super-essay. Andrew even discusses the name of the longest essay model that uses one of his favorite words. Referenced Materials “De-Confusing Essays” article by Andrew PudewaUnit 8: Easy Essays and Beyond webinarUniversity-Ready WritingUniversity-Ready Writing free lessonsTeaching Writing: Structure and StyleSeminar WorkbookMagnum Opus Magazine Unit 8 samples   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker give a quick overview of how to start with IEW before diving into the question of how long students should use IEW courses. Students sometimes complain that they are doing the same thing over and over again. Learn why Andrew recommends the repetition of the Structure and Style syllabus over multiple years and whether students will ever graduate from the checklist. Referenced Materials How to Get Started with IEWIEW Homeschool MagalogIEW PathwayTeaching Writing: Structure and StyleStructure and Style for StudentsBleak House by Charles Dickens“Celebrate the Checklist”Introduction to Public SpeakingLinguistic Development through Poetry MemorizationUniversity-Ready Writing   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker spend this episode sharing the legacy of Dr. James B. Webster. Hear the stories behind the unit models and a few personal anecdotes from Andrew’s long friendship with him. As Andrew said, “If you have benefitted from IEW in any way, you can be grateful for his brilliance, his vision that all children could learn to write well, and his decades-long friendship with me—without which IEW would not exist.” Referenced Materials Dr. James B. WebsterAnna InghamIEW’s storyDr. Webster’s obituaryBlended Structure and Style in Composition by Dr. James B. WebsterBlended Sound-Sight Program of Learning by Anna Ingham   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

In this Homeschool 101 episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss the importance of attending homeschooling conventions. They reminisce about the conventions they have attended and their favorite things to do when attending a convention. Andrew shares his heart on why home educators and grandparents should make the time and put forth the effort to attend a homeschool convention.    Referenced Materials Great Homeschool Convention-South Carolina (GHC-SC) GHC-MissouriGHC-OhioUTCH Convention 2024IDEA AnchorageIDEA Soldotna IDEA FairbanksIDEA Juneau FPEA Florida Homeschool ConventionNCFCA National Championship41st Annual Virginia Homeschool Convention (HEAV)CHEA's Annual Homeschool Convention2024 Northern California Homeschool Convention Transcript of Podcast Episode 415 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk to Lisa VanDamme, founder of the VanDamme Academy in Southern California. Lisa is passionate about making meaningful works of literature part of everyone’s life. They are joined by Joseph Tabenkin, who began following her reading program and developed an app for it: Read With Me. Listen to this episode as Andrew and Lisa compare favorite novels and share the joy of reading. Referenced Materials Lisa VanDammeVanDamme AcademyRead With MeJoseph TabenkinCyrano de Bergerac by Edmond RostandNinety-Three by Victor HugoIEW Book RecommendationsVanDamme Academy favorite booksTranscript of Podcast Episode 414 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).   If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

More than a podcast episode, this interview is a chance to listen to two friends share the story of how they met and the impact each has had on the other. Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk with Adam Andrews about the history of the Teaching the Classics course and CenterForLit as well as the importance of using Socratic questioning to listen to and learn from authors as they speak through their writing.  Referenced Materials Teaching the ClassicsCenterForLitReady ReadersPelican Society“Rikki Tikki Tavi” by Rudyard KiplingGreat Expectations by Charles DickensAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyBiblioFilesTeaching Writing: Structure and StyleTranscript of Podcast Episode 413   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).   If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss preparing to teach Unit 7: Inventive Writing. While most writing programs start with writing from a prompt, the Structure and Style method does not teach this until later in the course. Learn why this is and discover tips for helping even the youngest writers overcome the blank page. Referenced Materials Episode 398: Think like ShakespeareCultivating Language Arts – Preschool through High School audio talk by Andrew Pudewa2023 Essay Contest Winners Teaching Writing: Structure and Style (TWSS)   If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.com Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).   If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

In this episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk with Sara Osborne, author of Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life. Listen as they discuss her comparison of teaching reading to long distance running and the surprising rewards for both the teacher and the student when learning is hard. Referenced Materials Reading for the Long Run by Sara OsborneLearning Differences? IEW can help!R14: Learning Differences, Part 1 — DyslexiaEpisode 159: IEW and Dyslexia: A Conversation with Susan BartonEpisode 197: While Andrew's Away: Living with Dyslexia—An Interview with Chris PudewaEpisode 231: The Dyslexic Advantage: A Conversation with Brock and Fernette EideEpisode 363: IEW Helps Students with DyslexiaEpisode 378: IEW and Dysgraphia with Jennifer MauserTranscript of Podcast Episode 411 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

After the fun we had with our 400th episode live question and answer, we invited some of our affiliates to join Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker for this live Q & A episode. This week Mandi Malz asked for Andrew’s advice for preparing a student for college. Alicia Brown asked which of Andrew’s articles in However Imperfectly is the most vital lesson in the book and what aspects make it particularly significant. Listen for these and other questions sent in by listeners. Referenced Materials Handmade HomeschoolerEpisode 385: Hacking High SchoolUnboundChristian Halls InternationalWrite with Mrs. BrownHowever Imperfectly by Andrew PudewaFour Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing audio talk by Andrew PudewaPremium MembershipIEW Schools DivisionPortable Walls for Structure and Style StudentsVirtual Teaching Writing: Structure and StyleTeaching Writing: Structure and StyleThe Great TWSS AdventureStructure and Style for Students Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level B Premier PackageTheme-Based Writing LessonsIEW Online ClassesTranscript of Podcast Episode 410 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

January is National Mentoring Month. In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss what makes a good mentor and some mentors that they have had. Listen in as they talk about memorable experiences with mentors. Dr. Webster, Andrew’s mentor, encouraged students to mentor one another. How does that work? Does a mentor have to be older than you? This month is a perfect time to consider these questions and perhaps begin a mentoring relationship yourself. Referenced Materials Dr. Shinichi SuzukiGlenn DomanDr. James B. WebsterThe Odyssey by HomerAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyTranscript of Podcast Episode 409 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Listen to Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker as they discuss the Unit 6: Summarizing Multiple References teaching process. Remembering that this is a process, not a product, teachers need to model the research and writing steps with their students. The skills taught in Unit 6 may seem simple, but they form the foundation for research reports and essays. Referenced Materials Teaching Writing: Structure and StyleStructure and Style for StudentsAdventures in WritingDiscoveries in WritingWonders of Science Writing LessonsEpisode 293: Process versus ProductTranscript of Podcast Episode 408 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

What skills do students need to succeed in collegiate writing? Listen to Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss this brand new video course that will prepare your high school and college students for college writing. Hear why Andrew would have called this “How to spy on your professor and figure out his or her writing style and imitate it so you can get a better grade on every paper you turn in”! Referenced Materials University-Ready WritingEpisode 354: Paper and Pen — What the Research SaysTRIACEpisode 236: The Five Canons of RhetoricAPA Style MLA StyleEpisode 347: A Citation Pathway “Teaching Documentation with Confidence”Transcript of Podcast Episode 407 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

To kick off a new year, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss IEW’s theme for 2024: Furnishing the Mind. Listen as Andrew describes how the idea of furnishing the mind with beautiful and good things relates specifically to cultivating the skills of language arts. Referenced Materials However Imperfectly by Andrew PudewaEpisode 54: What Are We Really Doing Here?Cultivating Language Arts – Preschool through High School audio talk by Andrew PudewaRecommendations for Cultivating the Language ArtsProfound Effects of Music on Life audio talk by Andrew PudewaEpisode 128: Are You a Read-Aloud Family?The Story about Ping by Majorie FlackLinguistic Development through Poetry Memorization“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” speech by Patrick HenryEpisode 398: Think like ShakespeareNarrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassTranscript of Podcast Episode 406 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

At this time of year, many people take time to reflect. It is through reflection that learning and growing occurs. In this Homeschool 101 episode, Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker have an inspiring discussion that applies to novice and seasoned homeschoolers alike about the benefits of applying the practice of reflection to homeschooling. They offer several things for parents to consider when they reflect on the last few months of homeschooling. Referenced Materials Mastery Learning, Ability Learning, and Individualized Education audio talk by Andrew PudewaStructure and Style for Students If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk about the purpose and history of IEW’s Twelve Days of Christmas Giving. They also give a hint about the gifts IEW is sharing. Join us! Referenced Materials Twelve Days of Christmas GivingTranscript of Podcast Episode 404 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com

Motivated by a desire to set teachers up for success, Denise Kelley, IEW Manager of Product Development, works tirelessly to ensure all IEW products and services are aligned with the company’s cornerstone product, Teaching Writing: Structure and Style. Join Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker as they discuss with Denise how her over two decades of experience at IEW have shaped her philosophy of product development. Referenced Materials Denise KelleyTeaching Writing: Structure and StyleStructure and Style for Students (SSS)Theme-Based Writing LessonsFix It! GrammarIntroduction to Public SpeakingUniversity-Ready WritingIEW Online ClassesHow to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott NewstokEpisode 398: Think Like Shakespeare, Part 1Transcript of Podcast Episode 403 If you have questions for Andrew, send them to podcast@IEW.comPerhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA). If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or info@IEW.com