Help-homeschooling three severely dyslexic children

[Guest aprils]

Hello,

 

I'm new to this forum and I need some serious help. :confused:

 

We are going on our 3rd year of homeschooling. I have four children, 6, 8, 10, 12, the last three are very, very dyslexic. I am having a very difficult time fitting everything in as all of them need one on one attention and all are at different levels. I have no independent readers. My 12 year old can read on her own but has difficulty comprehending difficult subject matter due to reading difficulties. All struggle with math as well--math facts are a constant practice.

 

Homeschooling has become a real drag because we spend so much time on remedial work that by the time we get to do anything fun, like science or history, it is already the afternoon and we are burnt out on intense drilling in the morning--Mom especially!

 

I feel so much pressure to offer my oldest two more academics beyond the remedial. I try to group together but quit frankly, I can't group language arts together as they are all so different. I spend about one hour each just on lauguage arts for my oldest three and 1/2 hour with my 6 year old. So with a few breaks for mom--there is already 4 hours gone and it's lunch time. Dad is now taking over math so that is a real help for me--praise God!

 

I need to talk to other people who have SEVERAL dyslexic kids, not just one. And how do they do it. Everywhere I turn, every seminar I attend, every book I read, it's about how average kids homeschool and perhaps they have one "struggling" reader in the family and this is how they did it--not working for me...

 

I hope someone can direct to those who have walked my path and can offer some ideas.

 

Blessings and Prayers,

 

April S

Santa Cruz, Calif.

[lisabees]

Welcome. It sounds like you have a full plate. I only have one dyslexic son, so I cannot give you advice on dealing with three, specifically.

 

I can relate to working so hard on LA that it's hard to fit in other things. As you know, it is important to do so , though - for everyone. Maybe you can work M-W-F on the "dull" stuff and T/H on the fun stuff? Is there a friend, family member or high school graduate (maybe taking a gap year) who can help you in the mornings for a couple of hours?

 

I do encourage you to repost this question on the K-8 board, as this one can be quite slow.

 

Best wishes to you. :grouphug:

[justamouse]

I have no wisdom to offer you, but it sounds as if you are overwhelmed. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Renee in NC]

I am right there with you - my 11yo and 8yo sons are dyslexic and possibly the 7yo (I keep going back and forth with him.) My 5yo dd, OTOH, is picking up reading like it is nothing (praise God from whom all blessings flow!:D)

 

So, yes, I understand.

 

My 11yo is doing REWARDS Secondary and learning to write paragraphs. He can't do a whole lot by himself, but we are working towards more independence. He is behind grade level in math due to his difficulty learning math facts, but we are getting there. He is finishing up MUS Gamma right now and I expect that he will finish Delta this year and start Epsilon.

 

My 8yo is severely learning disabled. We are using Reading Reflex with some success - he is gaining fluency with CVC words (which he started reading in the spring with a speech therapist using something similar to LiPS.) He cannot count to 20 and just recently started being able to respond "8" when asked how old he is (this is HUGE for him.) He will be starting MUS Alpha soon. I am also teaching him cursive as he seems to be able to do that while his printing is all sizes, directions, and a mismatch of capitals and small letters.

 

My 7yo - I am less sure about him. He *can* rhyme, where his brothers could not. He can tell me beginning and ending sound. He is starting to blend sounds together. However, it takes him a lot of repetition to learn those letter sounds. He may just be a little late of a bloomer. I am using MUS with him as well and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (sometimes we have to repeat a lesson - unlike his 5yo sister who can do 2 a day easy.) I'll know in another couple of months where he is going to fall (and if 100EZL doesn't start making more sense to him by lesson 35 or so, he'll do Reading Reflex too.)

 

We have the same problem you are mentioning - by the time I do the language arts with the 4 of them (all separate), we don't seem to have time to get to history or science. I have started doing it *first* in order to get it in and then doing whatever else we need to. I school from 8am to 3pm (sometimes 3:30) with an hour break for lunch. My 11yo does 3 online classes through the FL Virtual School which take a lot of time as well (I have to work through some of it with him, but the more we get done in REWARDS, the easier it gets for him in his classes.)

 

I have mixed results with pushing some independence. My 8yo does Explode the Code mostly on his own, but sometimes that means we have to go back and do the pages over again together. It has taken a tremendous amount of work to get him where he is and I am thankful even if all we do is inch forward.

 

ETA: A wise woman on this board once said that homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. I try to remember that when I get overwhelmed and figure that we will get there eventually and they will be successful adults, no matter what happens with their reading.

[Mom0012]

April -

 

I'm not much help, but I wanted to ask how you are drilling the math facts? I use a software program called Fastt Math that I learned about on ldonline.org http://www.ldonline.org/article/Technology-Supported_Math_Instruction_for_Students_with_Disabilities:_Two_Decades_of_Research_and_Development..

 

This program is expensive, but for me, it has been well worth it. My ld son knows his facts and it has taken the burden of constant drilling off of me. This is our 4th year using the program and it only takes about 15 minutes a day. My daughter, who does not have lds, uses it as well.

 

Lisa

[Guest aprils]

That's what we are then, two peas in a pod--found someone like me (us). Yes, I homeschool til 3:30 sometimes even 4:00 and we are still not done. We start at 7:30. At 4:00 I have to walk away and cook dinner and then when I venture upstairs (our classroom is down stairs) the upstairs is a mess. Like I said, I'm so busy with remedial, it's difficult to fit in all the rest.

 

For lauguage arts, I use Spell to Read and Write which I find to be totally awesome! Great program for dyslexia. And it's inexpensive! We just started MUS. We have been on Saxon.

 

We need to keep in touch. I'm new to this so I don't know how to private email.

 

Hope you see this!:)

April

Santa Cruz

[Renee in NC]

That's what we are then, two peas in a pod--found someone like me (us). Yes, I homeschool til 3:30 sometimes even 4:00 and we are still not done. We start at 7:30. At 4:00 I have to walk away and cook dinner and then when I venture upstairs (our classroom is down stairs) the upstairs is a mess. Like I said, I'm so busy with remedial, it's difficult to fit in all the rest.

 

For lauguage arts, I use Spell to Read and Write which I find to be totally awesome! Great program for dyslexia. And it's inexpensive! We just started MUS. We have been on Saxon.

 

We need to keep in touch. I'm new to this so I don't know how to private email.

 

Hope you see this!:)

April

Santa Cruz

 

We might go back to Spell to Write and Read in the future for my 11yo (and I will use it for my 5yo.) The problem we found was that there were too many rules thrown at him all the time. Just teaching him all the phonograms made a big difference, though! My 8yo will use AAS - there is no way he could do SWR.

[lisabees]

I am right there with you - my 11yo and 8yo sons are dyslexic and possibly the 7yo (I keep going back and forth with him.) My 5yo dd, OTOH, is picking up reading like it is nothing (praise God from whom all blessings flow!:D)

 

So, yes, I understand.

 

My 11yo is doing REWARDS Secondary and learning to write paragraphs. He can't do a whole lot by himself, but we are working towards more independence. He is behind grade level in math due to his difficulty learning math facts, but we are getting there. He is finishing up MUS Gamma right now and I expect that he will finish Delta this year and start Epsilon.

 

My 8yo is severely learning disabled. We are using Reading Reflex with some success - he is gaining fluency with CVC words (which he started reading in the spring with a speech therapist using something similar to LiPS.) He cannot count to 20 and just recently started being able to respond "8" when asked how old he is (this is HUGE for him.) He will be starting MUS Alpha soon. I am also teaching him cursive as he seems to be able to do that while his printing is all sizes, directions, and a mismatch of capitals and small letters.

 

My 7yo - I am less sure about him. He *can* rhyme, where his brothers could not. He can tell me beginning and ending sound. He is starting to blend sounds together. However, it takes him a lot of repetition to learn those letter sounds. He may just be a little late of a bloomer. I am using MUS with him as well and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (sometimes we have to repeat a lesson - unlike his 5yo sister who can do 2 a day easy.) I'll know in another couple of months where he is going to fall (and if 100EZL doesn't start making more sense to him by lesson 35 or so, he'll do Reading Reflex too.)

 

We have the same problem you are mentioning - by the time I do the language arts with the 4 of them (all separate), we don't seem to have time to get to history or science. I have started doing it *first* in order to get it in and then doing whatever else we need to. I school from 8am to 3pm (sometimes 3:30) with an hour break for lunch. My 11yo does 3 online classes through the FL Virtual School which take a lot of time as well (I have to work through some of it with him, but the more we get done in REWARDS, the easier it gets for him in his classes.)

 

I have mixed results with pushing some independence. My 8yo does Explode the Code mostly on his own, but sometimes that means we have to go back and do the pages over again together. It has taken a tremendous amount of work to get him where he is and I am thankful even if all we do is inch forward.

 

ETA: A wise woman on this board once said that homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. I try to remember that when I get overwhelmed and figure that we will get there eventually and they will be successful adults, no matter what happens with their reading.

 

We had great success with REWARDS. We did Intermediate and Secondary. At the age of 13, he went from a 3-4th grade reading level to a sixth grade reading level. HUGE gains for us.

 

For math, Math Mammoth has been wonderful! The amount of repetition has been great and various ways of looking at a problem really helps my son. Like most dyslexics, he's a visual-spatial learner, and Math Mammoth is perfect. DS still doesn't have his math facts down, but we drill every day.

 

I am only hs him, so I work one one one with him most of the day. I read almost all science and history aloud.

 

What I didn't realize, since this was our first year hs, was just how many gaps he had. I knew he couldn't read. I didn't fully anticipate how that would affect his skills in writing and vocabulary and grammar and math and his ability to organize thoughts in his head. I remember a wise woman ;) on this board once saying that slow and steady wins the race. That's true here.

[Mandamom]

:grouphug: I know how difficult this can be. It would be nice to be able to do what other homeschoolers do but the fact is that you are in a different situation. It sounds to me as if you are doing the right thing in focusing on the basics.

 

I work in a small school for children with learning disabilities and our phonics, math and comprehension, which also include writing, classes are usually 2-3 students so it is very similar to homeschooling. Since 99% of our student body is language and/or reading impaired I can relate to the challenges of having a group of ld students at one time.

 

My suggestion is to keep up the remedial work since that is what they need the most and will benefit them the most. Yes, the rest matters but the reading, math and language has to come first.

 

As long as they have pretty good auditory capabilities you can do a lot of read alouds using histories and science books, videos from the History Channel and PBS, experiments, and many field trips can round out your content subjects. Also, there are many 2-4th grade books on various people in history (Stage 3 books) that you can have your children read independently once they get to that level. Using IEW allows us to pull material from other subjects in our writing classes.

 

So, yes, you definitely have a different looking classroom and priorities than most homeschooling families just as I work in a school that looks very different than typical schools.

[Guest aprils]

Yes, I need to hear that. "That is just the way it is." Thanks for the encouragement.:iagree:

[Guest aprils]

April -

 

I'm not much help, but I wanted to ask how you are drilling the math facts? I use a software program called Fastt Math that I learned about on ldonline.org http://www.ldonline.org/article/Technology-Supported_Math_Instruction_for_Students_with_Disabilities:_Two_Decades_of_Research_and_Development..

 

This program is expensive, but for me, it has been well worth it. My ld son knows his facts and it has taken the burden of constant drilling off of me. This is our 4th year using the program and it only takes about 15 minutes a day. My daughter, who does not have lds, uses it as well.

 

Lisa

 

thanks for the tip. I went to the site and checked out the demo.:001_smile:

[ElizabethB]

:grouphug:

 

My phonics lessons may help, you can give them a try, that would get in some good review while you are working with other children.

 

Also, you could try Webster's Speller--since it is based on syllables, they all start with some syllables for review every day (and also you all work on all the syllables until they are mastered at first) and then everyone can benefit from everyone else's work since it's based on the same principles and was designed to be taught in one-room schools. (It was designed to teach both phonics and spelling.) My dyslexia page talks about the atomic nature of syllables and why I think they are helpful.

 

You could also play games with them all at once--my phonics concentration game, each child could draw from the sounds they are currently working on, and the games in cat phonics--linked at end.

 

With my remedial students who read very slowly, I found that I could work with 2 students just as fast as 1--I would set one to reading a line of words silently so they would be ready while the other child read the line they had been working on aloud to me, setting each child on a full line or a half line of 8 words depending on their reading speed. (1/2 line would be 4 of the words.)

 

A flashmaster may help w/ math drilling, it's been an effective tool for us. We also like the RS math games, you could modify some of the games so that they are each working on different things.

 

You could also try Read, Write, Type and Wordy Querty, a bit expensive but all 4 of your children could have their own login. They are cheaper if you buy both at once in their bundle. You can try a demo to see if it will work out for you.

Edited November 15, 2009 by ElizabethB

[Katrina J]

I try to group together but quit frankly, I can't group language arts together as they are all so different.

 

I haven't walked your path so apologies in advance if my comments just add to your frustrations.

 

Before I had my children I worked as a high school teacher and it was normal to have children with learning disabilities, 'average' and gifted kids all lumped into one class. In that sense, I do understand how difficult it is to teach children working at all different levels at the same time.

 

I can't help thinking that there must be a way to teach language arts to two or more children together. Is this an area you could revisit? I use a program designed primarily for classroom teachers who need lessons that can be done at multiple levels. If you have the time and inclination to briefly PM me with what you are currently working on with each child, I'll see if I can come up with some lesson examples.

 

Teaching all day and running a household is exhausting. I do hope you can find a way to make teaching your children an easier and more enjoyable experience.

[Hikin' Mama]

as I only have one dyslexic child. But :grouphug: to you. I know how much more intensely one must work with a dyslexic child as compared to a child who can read well.

 

Your desire to do the best for your children is a huge blessing to them, even though they may not know it yet!

 

Blessings to you!

[Verity]

:grouphug: I know how difficult this can be. It would be nice to be able to do what other homeschoolers do but the fact is that you are in a different situation. It sounds to me as if you are doing the right thing in focusing on the basics.

 

My suggestion is to keep up the remedial work since that is what they need the most and will benefit them the most. Yes, the rest matters but the reading, math and language has to come first.

 

As long as they have pretty good auditory capabilities you can do a lot of read alouds using histories and science books, videos from the History Channel and PBS, experiments, and many field trips can round out your content subjects. Also, there are many 2-4th grade books on various people in history (Stage 3 books) that you can have your children read independently once they get to that level. Using IEW allows us to pull material from other subjects in our writing classes.

 

So, yes, you definitely have a different looking classroom and priorities than most homeschooling families just as I work in a school that looks very different than typical schools.

 

:iagree: I have three boys at home, the older two are actively being homeschooled, both have learning disabilities - ADHD, possibly Autism Spectrum and definitely dyslexia on my middle son. I have to sit right next to them and work with them to get them through anything. The way I have managed is we start off the morning as a group with Bible and history read aloud that I read and we discuss out loud. I take turns asking the children leveled questions (harder for the older, easier recall for the younger), then my younger does a narration out loud to me (I write it, fine motor skill deficits for both). For my older I am using History Odyssey 2 and he will answer the questions and fill out the summary part but with alot of resistance. It usually requires me to sit next to him and we take turns reading the spine text outloud while I solicit him for where I should underline to answer the questions. My middle is either doing playdoh, blocks, related coloring page or taking recess during this one on one time.

 

Next I have to split them and I have them each take separate "recess" while I work one on one to do math (MUS they watch the video and do the workbook with my oversight), Latin (video/chanting I do with each), and Language Arts. I'm using WWE and FLL (level appropriate) and I love that neither requires alot of writing. What I don't like is that it is very instructor intensive but I think any program with my boys would be that way. We keep our lessons short, sweet and to the point. We do lots of auditory work, memorizing short poems that I read aloud and we practice daily. The Latin songs and chants are very interactive and at the lower level quite fun, my latin program includes learning derivatives so that is our vocabulary and language study as well.

 

With my two (plus a pre-k age running around) we do logic twice/week (one page from a workbook - yes I have to be right there), handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears and I got ReadyWrite for stylus skills plus the calculadder review sheets), music/composers study (online and a book with a CD, plus pulling up free stuff from Youtube), Artistic Pursuits (with the poor fine motor stuff they don't like art and this falls to the wayside most weeks) and I'm really trying to squeeze science in there more often.

 

Some weeks I am overwhelmed and it's really hard to get going. I'm working to just focus on the basics (my 5th grader is doing Gamma/3rd grade Math U See because he just didn't have his multiplication tables) and making sure that we do reading. It stinks being the one who has to do most of the reading and even the writing but it does encourage me to keep the lessons short and to the point. As for math I am grateful for MUS, even though I'm pretty good at math I am glad to have someone else to teach the principles and the boys enjoy getting to watch the short lessons. We take regularly planned mental/physical breaks, I do brushing (per PT) on their hands and arms to stimulate, and let them sometimes play with playdough and other things with their hands while we discuss history/bible etc.

 

This is my first year homeschooling my kids and I have had to adjust my ideas and schedule, sometimes on a daily basis! Still, I know they are getting more one on one from me than they would at public school and I really know and care where they are in their skills. I am capable of taking a week or two or even a semester or more to remediate the key skills that they have to have to succeed.

 

We start school around 9am (we are a late hours kinda family) and my 7 yr old son is usually done by noon. After lunch I usually have under an hour left to finish up with my elder son. I can see that you have 4 kids you are teaching so I can see it would take longer. The 6 year old should really just focus on learning to read and count, some handwriting, more crafts (coloring, cutting, pasting, sorting, etc.). Have him listen to read alouds you do with the other kids and lots of playing with legos, playdoh, swinging, learn to ride a bike, etc... The two older (10 and 12) should be grouped together for as much as possible, sometimes maybe the 8 and 10 year old grouped depending on their relative strengths and weaknesses. Make this is easy and simple for yourself as possible - one person can only do so much! My language arts with my 11 year old has him narrating to me most days, this is taking one skill step at a time and not overburdening him with combining thinking up what to say and writing it down at the same time. This kind of program might be a real win for you.

 

My house is a wreck, usually these days, but I keep reminding myself that a clean house will not guarantee happy and successful lives for my kids, my time and attention to their education will. :P At the same time several times a week my kids are told that they won't get any lunch until their bedrooms are picked up, beds made, etc and later that day no dinner until the toys and accumulated detritus is cleaned out of the living room. I make them all work together on the big stuff and when the older kids complain that they didn't make the mess I point out that I cleaned up for them when they were little so now it's their turn! hehehe

 

Big hugs and keep coming back here for encouragement and ideas! Being a parent who cares and is deeply invested in your kids is a hard job but the most important job in the world.

[MerryAtHope]

As long as they have pretty good auditory capabilities you can do a lot of read alouds using histories and science books, videos from the History Channel and PBS, experiments, and many field trips can round out your content subjects.

 

Also look into what you can get on Audio for history and science. Apologia offers a free audio of their science books if you provide documentation of your child's disability (at least for the upper science--I don't know about all levels). My kids have also learned lots of history and science from things like Your Story Hour.

 

(((Hugs))) to you. Merry :-)

[Laurie4b]

Hello,

 

I'm new to this forum and I need some serious help. :confused:

 

We are going on our 3rd year of homeschooling. I have four children, 6, 8, 10, 12, the last three are very, very dyslexic. I am having a very difficult time fitting everything in as all of them need one on one attention and all are at different levels. I have no independent readers. My 12 year old can read on her own but has difficulty comprehending difficult subject matter due to reading difficulties. All struggle with math as well--math facts are a constant practice.

 

Homeschooling has become a real drag because we spend so much time on remedial work that by the time we get to do anything fun, like science or history, it is already the afternoon and we are burnt out on intense drilling in the morning--Mom especially!

 

I feel so much pressure to offer my oldest two more academics beyond the remedial. I try to group together but quit frankly, I can't group language arts together as they are all so different. I spend about one hour each just on lauguage arts for my oldest three and 1/2 hour with my 6 year old. So with a few breaks for mom--there is already 4 hours gone and it's lunch time. Dad is now taking over math so that is a real help for me--praise God!

 

I need to talk to other people who have SEVERAL dyslexic kids, not just one. And how do they do it. Everywhere I turn, every seminar I attend, every book I read, it's about how average kids homeschool and perhaps they have one "struggling" reader in the family and this is how they did it--not working for me...

 

I hope someone can direct to those who have walked my path and can offer some ideas.

 

Blessings and Prayers,

 

April S

Santa Cruz, Calif.

 

I have two out of four. The older one of the two with dyslexia is pretty well remediated. His spelling is not great, but with Spellcheck, it's quite acceptable. I was able to remediate him using a Phonograhix tutor for a short period of time , followed by REWARDS. He went from a 5th grade level (his grade at that time) to a 9th grade level with REWARDS. (It took a couple months)

 

The second one is pretty well remediated in reading. I used the first 2 books of Wilson, then REWARDS, the REWARDS plus to get him there. He has multiple other issues. Right now, we're working on getting his written language up to where it needs to be. I allow him to do all his written work on a computer and we use IEW plus a spelling program I designed. This child, however, absorbed huge portions of my time for the past 2-3 years. The others I had to attend to in shifts almost.

 

You do have a lot on your hands and it sounds like you are very successful in what you've been able to accomplish. You really do have to keep concentrating on the 3 R's. Those skills are more important than the content areas of history and science. The content in those areas keeps being repeated. Middle school life science forms about 60% or more of high school biology, so if you don't get it the first time around, you can get it the second. Same with history. What's different is the higher level thinking skills (analysis, etc.) in high school.

 

I would keep your mornings devoted to what's most important like you are doing now. You can acquire a variety of computer, video, and audio helps for other subjects so that the kids can work independently. Examples we've used successfully:

Story of the World CD's are great for history. My younger dyslexic kiddo has practically memorized them!

Rosettastone for foreign language.

Brainware Safari for working memory, visual spatial skills, and higher level thinking.

Lyrical Life Science CD's for Science.

Netflix has a variety of documentaries, etc.

 

Join the Homeschool Buyer's Coop for a lot of savings on audio and visual stuff. It is free to join and you can get really great discounts.

 

You could also have your older kids "teach" your younger kids for small portions of the time. That will reinforce the skills for them and free you up.

 

I would definitely look for outside classes for the 12 year old. It's good to get them used to a classroom environment in middle school and their grades don't have to be recorded on a transcript yet. You could use outside classes for science and history at that age.

 

You could also hire a tutor. Older homeschooled kids are often good at tutoring. They've received one-on-one teaching their whole lives! They are cheaper than adult tutors if money is an issue.

[siloam]

I second focusing on the basics (reading, handwriting and math) and using audio resources when you can.

 

The way I set up our schedule I have those things that need to be done daily: phonics, reading, and math stuff. Then I have the rest on a loop schedule (RA, writing, crafts, spelling, basics that they don't need daily coverage of, and misc stuff). We do as much of that as we can get to, and then pick it up the next day were ever we left off. I read science at breakfast, and history at lunch and even those readings we keep short.

 

I didn't start art till this year, and my oldest is the only one doing it and she is doing it independently. Latin she started last year and is again the only one doing it, though she usually only does one page a day, so she is on the very slow boat to China. At least it is getting done.

 

Just keep swimming....

[Mamakarla]

I second focusing on the basics (reading, handwriting and math) and using audio resources when you can.

 

The way I set up our schedule I have those things that need to be done daily: phonics, reading, and math stuff. Then I have the rest on a loop schedule (RA, writing, crafts, spelling, basics that they don't need daily coverage of, and misc stuff). We do as much of that as we can get to, and then pick it up the next day were ever we left off. I read science at breakfast, and history at lunch and even those readings we keep short.

 

 

Heather,

 

I'm sure you've posted about this somewhere else, but would you mind sharing ( or directing me to your posts) about how you set this loop up....what you DO daily, what's in the loop, how much you usually get done, how does it work??? I know there's alot of info on loops here, but I'm really interested in how you require the daily basics of language, math and reading, and then loop the other stuff in there.....

 

This is an old post, so maybe you aren't doing the same thing, but just thought I'd ask!!

 

Thanks!

[jewell]

Hi!

I found your message searching the boards.

I have 10 children ages 3-20

5 of whom have some kind of either mild (2) or significant (3) LDs

for some reason, my 7 yob more signiciant dyslexia is throwing me for a loop! For goodness sakes, I've done things like Nonverbal learning disability and dysnomia! But this is hard. argh

 

If you haven't found

www.myaudioschool.com

you may want to go visit. Some is free, the subscription rate is minimal!

Let me know what you think!

 

Oh! and I know this lady! You may want to read her article

http://creation.com/images/pdfs/home-school-corner/teaching-reading/6654your-12-yr-old-still-cant-read.pdf

 

hth

Monique

[elise1mds]

No advice, because I can't imagine I'd do any better than you are! Keep up the good work and hopefully you get some great advice from some folks who know the ropes :grouphug:

[sleepymommy]

No wisdom here, I do have a :grouphug: though.

[siloam]

Heather,

 

I'm sure you've posted about this somewhere else, but would you mind sharing ( or directing me to your posts) about how you set this loop up....what you DO daily, what's in the loop, how much you usually get done, how does it work??? I know there's alot of info on loops here, but I'm really interested in how you require the daily basics of language, math and reading, and then loop the other stuff in there.....

 

This is an old post, so maybe you aren't doing the same thing, but just thought I'd ask!!

 

Thanks!

 

Karla,

 

I can tell you what it is like right now, though it is ever changing (at least feels that way). I have posted it before so if you could find one (searching on things like loop, schedule) then you could see how it has changed.

 

When I first started I sat down and picked out the 3-4 most important things for each child to do daily, then put everything else on a loop schedule. Over time I have been able to move some things up from the loop to daily because either they finished something else, priorities changed or I made some changed to how we do things that allow me to do more daily work.

 

Quickly I will address the changes in our schedule. When I first started a loop schedule we were hsing 4 weeks taking one week off. That wasn't enough planning time, and eventually I caught up to all my planning. (Panic now.) Now I am doing a schedule where I do 2 weeks of hsing, take a "planning week" where the kids do all their independent work, but nothing one on one with me and then two more solid weeks of hsing before we all get a solid week off. When you only have two weeks to get through it is easier to "buck it up" and get more daily face time with the kids, KWIM?

 

Sweet Pea rising 7th grader

 

Daily:

Right Start E (ending soon, next level is independent)

Homer B/Poetry B (ending next year, next level is independent)

AAS Spelling, on Level 4-probably have another year and a half here.

 

Loop:

Memorization (review of grammar terms, Bible memory work, ect...)

Math Corrections-there are some problems in Singapore that are just too hard and she needs help, so I schedule a time for this.

Bible-she also does a devotional daily. This will probably become daily when Pumpkin joins in her program...or I might keep it twice a week till my 3rd dd joins.

 

Everything else she does independently.

 

Pumpkin rising 5th grader

 

Daily:

Spelling, on Level 3 going slowly till sis is done then will speed it up.

Right Start D

CW Aesop

Bible w/ narration

 

Loop:

Memorization

Math Corrections

Review Grammar work

Science-changing science, the girls will work together on WTM style, so this will go away and become independent.

 

Everything else is done independently.

 

Honey Dew rising 4th grader

 

Daily:

Spelling (this just moved up from loop)

Reading (for fluency she still reads aloud to me)

Dictation (her poor spelling has kept her from doing it independently like my oldest two do)

Right Start C

Barton Reading level 1 (will only do level 1, she had problems hearing the difference between sounds, so she has done LiPS and now this to remediate that-have seen huge improvements, but she doesn't need the reading instruction in the rest of the levels, so this will go away in the next year)

Bible w/ narration

 

Loop:

Memorization

Math Corrections

Writing With Ease-this will become daily when she finishes the auditory work-she also has comprehension issues which Visualizing and Verbalizing combined with WWE will fix, but I don't have the time to tackle it head on yet.

 

Everything else is done independently.

 

String Bean rising 2nd grader

 

Daily:

Barton Reading

Right Start B

LiPS

Bible

 

Loop:

Memory work

Small Motor work-great large motor skills, poor small motor skills so he does a lot of Kumon cutting, tracing, folding type books to work on these skills.

Pre-ETC books-have them, but will probably drop them long term and focus just on Barton.

Word work-he has lingering speech issues as he had a lot of ear infections as a child. Was approaching 5 and you could tell he was speaking in full sentences, but you could only understand a few words. LiPS also doubles as speech therapy. Now he only has problems with /l/ and /r/, but has some words he has pronounced wrong for so long he still does out of habit, so during this time I work and finding those words and correcting them.

Read Aloud-Aesop stories right now

 

Nothing independent yet.

 

Here is what they do independently, I didn't want to list it above because it just gets to be too overwhelming.

 

Singapore Math-I purposely wait till 2nd grade to start with Primary 1A so that they can do it on their own. I spend 2nd grade explaining every page to them (they only do 2 pages a day) and then they do it on their own. In 3rd grade and up I schedule the text pages for them to read on their own and then do the pages (which is 3 in 3rd grade and 4 in 4th and up). Most topics are introduced in Right Start so they really only need a quick reminder of how to do it. They aren't learning from the text.

 

Devotional-Keys for Kids

 

Reading time-they do by timer and cover literature, history and science as needed. Time varies by kids, ability, ect... Generally not quite as much time as WTM recommends.

 

Phonics Games-reinforcement for her and helps with ds.

 

Right Start Games-some played with her older siblings and some with ds.

 

Mapping-2 places a day

 

Typing-5 mins a day

 

That was Honey Dew's list, Pumpkin does all of that, less the phonics games. She also does:

 

Vocab-TOG for history, will cover WTM recommendations for science. She and her older sister do them together. One recites from memory while the other double checks their work.

 

Test prep book-we only test 4 times in Oregon, and on a testing year I have them work though a test prep book just to get a feel for the book. I also can review any weak areas if I want to. She will be the only one testing next year.

 

Dictation-via mini-recorder. I record the sentences all at once over the weekend and then listen to them and write them out as scheduled.

 

JAG-grammar, I do read the unit introductions to her, but that is only a couple times a month.

 

CW Aesop-She still needs help with outlining and needs me to teach new material. Review she does on her own.

 

Handwriting-HWT cursive books

 

Craft time- Learn new crafts, doing latch hook right now. (5 mins a day)

 

Sweet Pea does all of the above except typing (already mastered it), phonics games (though she will still play phonics bingo), and handwriting. She of course does AG instead of JAG and Homer B/Poetry B instead of Aesop A. She also does:

 

Science: Finishing up God's Design Physics book. She reads the lesson, answers the questions, checks her questions and has study time.

 

Timeline Figures: 1-2 a day

 

Logic: WTM recommendations

 

Latin: Minimus right now (for fun) will do 2nd level next then Latin Alive. She moves slowly so that she can do it on her own. She did Lively Latin at once page a day for a year, then did 2 pages a day till she finished. My 2nd dd will start with Lively Latin at one page per day this year.

 

Piano- Self instruction course, 15 mins per day.

 

Artistic Pursuits-Working on a lower level, doing one project per week.

 

I think that sums it up. Mostly I do a lot of delaying of topics till they can cover them on their own, unless it is a core subject. Typing I do early so they can type their Aesop work. We are all probably dysgraphic, at least none of us can trace a line without going off it a bunch, so typing keeps their attitudes from crashing.

 

Heather

[Mamakarla]

Heather,

 

I stand amazed!!! I have homeschooled for 23 years now and my head is spinning with all you do!!! And how organized you are!!! That is incredible!!! And to top off all you do in school, you are all over the homeschooling boards helping other people!!! I wish I had a fraction of your organizational/follow-through skills (and energy!!!!) You often talk about your dyslexia, but it sure hasn't stopped you!!! My problem is ADHD (undiagnosed, but very, very real)....I have all those great ideas and want to do so many things, but I research and research, then can't make up my mind, agonizing over decisions for months, then I order something and it sits on the shelf and I struggle just to get the basics done, and all of this is with a struggling 12 year old son with HFA that HATES school!!!!

 

I feel frustrated so much of the time and don't feel like I get nearly done what I know we need to do....thus the questions about the looping schedule....I think I will try to figure it out.....just three or four basics every day, no matter what, and the rest of it as we can get to it....at least that way I'll feel like we're doing "something"!!!!

 

Thanks so much for your response....I see you "everywhere" and I always read what you say....and listen.....and think....and I respect what you have done/are doing with your children.....you honestly amaze me!!! I wish I could come sit at your house and soak up what you do for a few days!!!!

 

Blessings,

Karla :-)

[siloam]

Heather,

 

I stand amazed!!! I have homeschooled for 23 years now and my head is spinning with all you do!!! And how organized you are!!! That is incredible!!! And to top off all you do in school, you are all over the homeschooling boards helping other people!!! I wish I had a fraction of your organizational/follow-through skills (and energy!!!!) You often talk about your dyslexia, but it sure hasn't stopped you!!! My problem is ADHD (undiagnosed, but very, very real)....I have all those great ideas and want to do so many things, but I research and research, then can't make up my mind, agonizing over decisions for months, then I order something and it sits on the shelf and I struggle just to get the basics done, and all of this is with a struggling 12 year old son with HFA that HATES school!!!!

 

I feel frustrated so much of the time and don't feel like I get nearly done what I know we need to do....thus the questions about the looping schedule....I think I will try to figure it out.....just three or four basics every day, no matter what, and the rest of it as we can get to it....at least that way I'll feel like we're doing "something"!!!!

 

Thanks so much for your response....I see you "everywhere" and I always read what you say....and listen.....and think....and I respect what you have done/are doing with your children.....you honestly amaze me!!! I wish I could come sit at your house and soak up what you do for a few days!!!!

 

Blessings,

Karla :-)

Karla,

 

Thank you!

 

Part of my success is learning what works for me and using it to my advantage. I am a serious routine person, do best adding one small thing at a time, and I also work better with a reward, so I have built little rewards in my day. Sometimes as simple as getting a soda when I start hs for the day.

 

Thus I start with a base routine and do that till it becomes second nature. Then I add the next pebble, then the next, then the next. Over time it builds, but it wasn't something that got there overnight, and we often have set backs. :D

 

For example, it took 2 years of adjusting, regrouping and such to get my oldest where she is in science. She started out just reading the text in 5th grade, then in 6th I added the questions. At the end of 6th I had a very short foray into Apologia General where I discovered she needs to learn to study because she is a big idea person and not detailed. She couldn't pass a test to save her life. For 7th I have had her learning to take tests. I started out having her do one lesson a day with the questions, vocab and a 10 min study time. Did much better still didn't pass. Then gave her two days, 20 mins of study time (part of which she uses to create a story using the concepts because she remembers it better that way), but that still was only partly working because she started skipping the worksheets and experiments due to time constrains. Ok the time constraints are arguable, you could relate to her, she has a horrible time keeping on task. Anyway I was looking at having to give her another day for worksheets and experiments and then realized it would take FOREVER for her to get through Apologia General in our current fashion (one day for reading each section, one day for writing, a day for on my own questions, a day for each experiment, multiple days for the study guide....). Then someone suggested I look at WTM recommendations, and those seem so much more do-able for dd learning style. Next year the plan is to have them together the experiments and then do their write ups on it separately. I will just expect more detail from my older dd. I must admit though that after building up her current skills that seems too easy (it was so hard!). But she can't do it at normal pace without it being a battle, and to slow it down means she will take roughly 1.5 years per level.

 

I am also easily overwhelmed, just when I think something is too much. Never mind if it really is. Just a few years ago if I had a bad night and got up late I would just give up before we started and take the day off. I have had to train myself to instead of dropping it all just to take the next step and do as much as possible. This is very real today because ds did come down with a cold and he had me up last night. Today is going incredibly slow. I probably shouldn't have taken the time to type up that post, but on days like today that keeps me going: remembering where we have been, where we are and where we are going. Today I got science and history read, but that doesn't take long. That is it so far. :D I will probably get everyone's daily done, and my oldest dd's loop. The rest will wait. Generally in a week I get 2 loop times in for each child, and on a good week I also get in 2 RA times and 2 craft times. So far this week we have only managed 1 round of loop time and that is it.

 

Also don't fall into the habit of comparing yourself to others, try to look instead at what you were doing last year and if you are doing better now. I too see people here that seem super, way above what I do (their kids are doing math at grade level, LA above grade level, looking at AP and honors work). It is easy to become discontent. Keep running your race, taking just the next step, and eventually you will cross the finish line.

 

Heather

[Leonor]

Heather, thanks for taking the time to post and encourage us.