Wordsmith Craftsman

Typically counted as 1/4 credit for high school students.

Wordsmith Craftsman
The third and last of the Wordsmith series focuses on building, integrating, and polishing practical writing skills. This self-directed program allows students to take charge of their assignments and schedules. Strong in preparing the student for college, Part 1 addresses practical, everyday writing: notes, outlines, personal correspondence, summaries, business letters, and reports. Part 2 focuses on the power of language: paragraphs (principles, types, and organization), writing techniques, and developing a personal writing style. Part 3 concentrates on essay writing: descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive essays. Wordsmith equips young adults for a lifetime of excellence in communication skills.

About the Wordsmith Series
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with the slew of creative writing programs available for homeschoolers? As a curriculum provider, we have seen more writing programs than any sensible parent would ever want to see, and candidly, after a while they all look pretty much the same. So what stood out about the Wordsmith line?

No Slick Promises
To start with, the engaging exercises and doable assignments are pertinent for reinforcing the systematic process of thinking, organizing, writing, evaluating, and re-writing that is critical to any creative writing program. But ultimately, at the very core of the Wordsmith program is the honest reality presented by the author, Janie B. Cheaney, a regular columnist for World Magazine, that while her books will not always produce an enthusiastic and prolific writer, with the Wordsmith series, the actual skills of creative writing can be acquired by anyone. So if you need a language arts program that addresses creative writing in more depth, the Wordsmith series is the most effective, painless approach we have seen.



Author: Janie B. Cheaney
Publisher: Common Sense Press, 2003
Typical High School Credits Earned: 1 credit composition
Faith-Based: No

View a sample lesson of Wordsmith Craftsman
Scope and Sequence

Awards and Endorsements:
Cathy Duffy -- 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum

review by Pebblekeeper blog

"Nathan started working in Wordsmith Craftsman this year. I feel that this will be his go-to Language Arts Writing Course for the year – and possibly years to come as this book will guide him through the 12th grade...That was the surprise for me, that it wasn’t set out to be – Do this whole book in one year – but rather, do these parts each year... This is a thumbs up for Petra School!!"

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review by Eclectic Montage

"Wordsmith Craftsman is focused on the student alone. As a high school student, independence is key; however, I do wish there was an included parent guide for this book as well. The level and depth of material covered would benefit from parental guidance, especially for the weak writer...I could see this text being a good beginning in tenth or maybe eleventh grade; however, to really be prepared for college, your student needs to explore research in more depth in twelfth grade to be fully prepared for collegiate expectations."

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