Expanded Testimonials Regarding the Hunter Writing System: Sentence Sense from Home-Schooling Parents

Paul Rosman, Victor, NY (children in 5th through 8th)

"Your text is the BMW (British Motor Works) product:  simple, solid, doesn't break down, easy-to-handle, dependable.  Children make progress fast; they're good on their feet with English.  They understand more clearly the proper use, position, and reason for grammatical units.  (I teach to the molecular level so my children are left without a question--and this text helps me do that.)  This text helps them solve problems relatively simply, and it is easy to master.  They  can own it, learn it, know it without its being tattooed to their frames.

Your text is to language what Math-U-See is to math; it beats the sneakers off of other programs as far as children owning the language (others use fancy terms and regulations; they do not make it that simple).  You've made it simple and simple enough to own and operate safely.

What is the difference your text makes?  Knowing your system, they have a leg up on, and are a notch above, other students.  All the other programs that I have experienced have required rote memory.  As students proceed through your program, their growth is evidenced by the way they successfully complete the practices so that at the end of each section, we're left with a student that knows what he has done (that is, understands the mechanisms involved in the work he's done), versus one that is struggling to remember what he has recited.  Your system has the same kind of concreteness as Math-U-See because it is like students' building the language as they go.  By forcing them to put it together (versus remember, say, a past participle), it's now language that they can see; it's concrete, positive.  Students are enabled to read, analyze, and communicate more clearly and effectively.

If you  compare before-Hunter writing with post- or interim-Hunter writing, you can see the improvement, and there is more depth to what a student can produce and/or understand.

It has allowed me as an instructor to gain a more fluid mastery over the subject of language.  I'm much more confident.

My wife switched to another program in the middle of the instruction.  Whenever we ran into a snag in the other program (for example, the instruction got too technical or confusing), I would go to Hunter and see what he said; the problem would always be solved.  In addition, the other program never explained why you did what you did.  We returned to Hunter the next year.

Dorothy Corwin, Charlotte, NC

"My children [in 7th & 8th] seem to actually enjoy studying your program, which speaks volumes for it. They have yet to complain when we get ready to work on it.  What a switch from the noise I heard last year!"  

Tom and Kathy Martin, Virginia Beach, VA

"We truly believe our son [in 6th grade] retained a lot more with The Hunter Writing System: Sentence Sense than he would have with any other curriculum, and we have used quite a few different ones over the years. His writing is better structured and more enjoyable. . . .  He actually strives to write each new essay better than the last."

Edward and Terry Zimmer, Courtland, VA

"Our daughter entered college in her junior year of high school.  She learned your text in the summer and fall before that; it was the last full book in English she did.  She was the best student in her college freshman writing class."

Margaret Drye, Plainfield, NH

I am teaching your text to my 11th, 9th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd graders all at once--and I am learning grammar for the first time myself.  It's been great--so simple and logical.  They--and I--enjoyed the learning experience so much that we are sad that it is coming to an end.  My junior did very well on the SAT's, the grammar part; he understands.

"My daughter [in 6th] hated to write and hated grammar, but she loved to work in your text. Now she enjoys the grammar part and the writing part for the first time ever; and her writing is improving." 

Brenda McKay, Dover, PA

"My son [in 7th] loves it.  He really doesn't mind doing the work.  It has really helped him.  It made sense, and it was not tedious.  He doesn't complain (what people have said is really true)."

Have you any questions or comments?  E-mail us.

[Back to top]