WriteShop is a parent-led writing curriculum designed for homeschooling. It helps students build writing skills step-by-step, making it easier for them to express their thoughts clearly.
Most homeschool families report completing core academic subjects in 3-4 hours per day for elementary students, compared to the 6-7 hours typical of traditional schools, due to the one-on-one instruction and absence of classroom management overhead (NHERI, 2024). According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population.
What is writeshop?
WriteShop is a writing program made for parents to lead. Created by Kim Kautzer and Debbie Oldar in the late 1990s, it has helped homeschool families since 2001. Published by Demme Learning, the same company that brings you Math-U-See, WriteShop uses a simple "learn-practice-do" method. This means kids learn writing skills bit by bit, practice them often, and build on what they know. It focuses on organizing thoughts before writing and self-editing afterward. This way, kids get tools to improve their own work instead of just relying on parents.
The writeshop levels
WriteShop has different levels for various ages.
- WriteShop Primary (Books A, B, C) is for grades K-3. It includes fun activities and games, plus parents can help as scribes for new writers.
- WriteShop Junior (Levels D, E, F) is for kids moving from elementary to middle school. By Level E, they start writing five-paragraph essays and cover research reports in Level F.
- WriteShop I and II target grades 6-12, focusing on descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive writing. The levels are based on skills, not just grades. So, a seventh grader who struggles can start at WriteShop I, while an advanced fifth grader might do the same. Important ideas come back in later levels.
How teaching works
Teaching with WriteShop means parents play a big role, especially in the early levels. Expect to spend about 20 minutes three to four times a week with your child. The teacher's guide gives detailed scripts and schedules, so you won’t have to plan lessons. Kids learn through brainstorming, skill-building games, graphic organizers for planning, and self-editing checklists. WriteShop is great at helping students organize their thoughts and revise their work. Many parents see success with kids who are reluctant writers or have learning differences like dyslexia. The step-by-step method helps reduce the stress of facing a blank page.
Writeshop vs. institute for excellence in writing
Parents often compare WriteShop with IEW, another popular writing program. WriteShop provides ready-made lesson plans with clear schedules. In contrast, IEW requires parents to attend a long seminar and create their own plans. WriteShop also encourages creativity with different topic choices, while IEW uses a more structured keyword outline method. Both programs teach strong word choices and sentence variety. WriteShop is great for parents who want a structured approach without a lot of prep, while IEW fits those who want to dive deeply into the teaching methods.
The bottom line
WriteShop makes teaching writing straightforward. It gives parents clear instructions on what to say and do. Its step-by-step method helps students who feel overwhelmed or who have struggled with other programs. The flexible pacing works well with different family schedules. While it needs ongoing parent involvement, the scripted lessons cut down on prep time. For families looking for a complete, organized writing curriculum that builds skills systematically, WriteShop has been a successful choice for over two decades.
