Frontier Mom Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I just bought TOG Redesign 2 and plan to use it for all next year. Here is my problem. I like some things we do but my middle ds's are driving me nuts. At the start of the year, I used Robinson Curriculum approach with them but that didn't work very well. I gave them both easy beginning readers (2nd grade) but they completely bombed the quizzes every time. Now I know they can read, I just don't think they are applying themselves. I just can't pinpoint the problem. Feeling like they were accomplishing nothing, I ordered CLE lightunits for them in reading, social studies and science so they could work some independently, work on comprehension and have enough to do to not be disruptive during the day. This has been a nightmare as well. They are not doing their workbooks and giving them thought, just putting down something. My dh and I went over this last weekend and decided to let me progress at their own speed. They can check their work and take the unit test. If they don't pass the test, they must repeat the unit. After taking the tests on the first units today, I think they will be doing these until 2010. What advice can you give me? I strongly feel they can do the work if they would only learn to concentrate. For instance, just looking up the words in the glossary and using them in a sentence which is something they should both be able to master. I feel so defeated..... Now, would you stick hard and fast to the rule we made or do something different. I need to spend time with my other dc's so I am tempted to pull them back to the basics - Reading, Writing and Math only. Possibly having them read for 2 hours, write for 30 min to 1 hour (we use CW) and math (we use BJ). Help!! I also have all four years of SOTW and AG. Would you jump into something like that with them and assign reading at this point in the year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 28, 2008 Author Share Posted January 28, 2008 They got way tooooo excited about the video games and Disney Channel shows and talked about them continuously. I want the focus to change to education, even if it kills me (and it just might). Just kidding. Thought I would add this to my previous post after I read thread on limiting game systems, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 My boys are now 13 and 10, and they are not nearly ready for the level of independence you are expecting from your 11 and 9yo's (if I read your post correctly). As Ria used to say, students need teachers. I keep telling myself that because I know I read posts here about kids who ARE independent, but mine aren't. Maybe yours aren't either. I don't have nearly the number of students you do, but I also use Ria's advice about "Reading through the lesson with #1, do a few problems together, and have him finish independently while you rotate to #2, and so on." It is very mom-intensive, but it saves our sanity because everyone knows what's expected, and I know he knows how to do what's being asked. There are too many mess-ups and misunderstandings (and tears!) when my ds's insist on doing their lessons without that mom time. Not all kids/moms are alike, so that may not work for you. Hope you do find something soon! (Have you looked at something like SL, where you could all be together for some things? - Of course, I'm having SL-envy right now, but thought I'd mention it- LOL!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 but boys that age are just going to have a difficult time sitting still and doing all their work without someone checking on them and encouraging them to finish. Ask me how I know:rolleyes:. Honestly, my 14 y.o. ds is starting to mature and be more accountable, but the past few years I have felt like he needed more supervision than he did when he was 2! I would absolutely limit t.v. and video games or tie them in to rewards for completing school work at a certain standard. Have them sit next to you while you work with your other dc so you can periodically check on their progress. Read ahead on their assignments so you can ask "did you get to .... part, yet?" One time when I'd had it with ds, I had him start reading When They Were Boys out loud to me every morning, hoping he'd get inspired. He did like the book:). Leaving them to do their work alone though, will probably just lead to more frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 I do think it is easy to read these boards and, don't misunderstand me as I see you as my biggest support, feel behind or intimidated. I really want my guys to learn "how to study" as they are getting older. We have done almost all our work together in the past but this year I wanted them to do a few subjects on their own. CLE reading has vocabulary words, context questions, comprehension questions, etc. that I felt was missing. My oldest ds is quick to answer when we are all together and I want the two middles to learn that they have the ability to interpret the info. as well. For the most part, we do work together. My oldest is doing Apologia General Science and just blows the test after each module. He actually has a science mind and I "quiz" him on what he is studying along the way. However, his test taking skills are really struggling right now. Well, I am going to persevere, break things into little bits and try to make their learning more pleasant for me and doable for them. I bought TOG for next year because I think it might work better for us to work all on the same period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 (((FrontierMom)))), As someone who just started hs'ing when my oldest was in 5th, trust me, I *know* how hard it is not to feel "behind". It's dizzying to see how well my kids are faring at home and at church, and then come here and suddenly feel like we're still in the Dark Ages (and I don't mean in history - LOL!) It is hard on my younger son, too. There are times he tries too hard to be equal to his older brother, or he just quits trying at all. It is hard to balance out my older son's need to be "more grown up" than his younger brother, with my younger son's need to feel like a contributor. It is a balancing act we pull off well every now and then if we're lucky - and the rest we just muddle through as best we can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 My ds's just completely bombed all tests yesterday. My dh explained to them that all the material is within their ability to learn. He as well as I feel we are dealing more with a lack of motivation and hard work than ability here. Anyway, since they did not know definitions and vocab. words, they were sent to their rooms early last night and had to copy ALL of them in a spiral notebook. Then they had to quiz each other and review their workbooks. Guess what? They retook the tests today and all of them got an A. I just need to keep up the strict rules for a while to encourage some learning around here. Thanks for carrying me through yesterday!! You are so great at encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 It seemed to help some but, I also think, just learning to study is so important. Like he says in the TG of Apologia, if your children ever want to make it in college, they need to know how to study, take and pass tests. Up until this year, we haven't done tests. However, I saw some issues of not retaining information at all so I felt it was time to learn some study skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Yeah! Good for you! I, OTOH, had my 13yo insist on doing his Math and his History by himself in his room. My 2yo dd and I both are not feeling well, so I agreed. He came up and announced he was "almost done". That was at - oh 10:30. It's now 2:40. He's. Still. Not. Done!!! What would have been a more accurate assessment of his situation was, "I decided to wrap the quarters out of the bucket of coins I got for Christmas." So much for all my happy thoughts of, "And just yesterday I was posting how he was *so* not ready for independence." HA! =) Live & Learn~ Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 I tell mine I feel like I'm a preschool teacher one minute and high school teacher the next. What is going on? Of course, with my dd we have lots of drama so I'm not sure which is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 My children do CLE math and grammar and I have to check their work as soon as they are done (DS more than DD). DS will say he's done, but when I look in his workbook, he has x'ed out the sections he didn't feel like doing. Very frustrating! He knows I'm going to be checking, but he still tries it every once in awhile. My only advice is that. Check the work over as soon as they say they are finished. A pain, but necessary here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Mine will just put something down that makes no sense. Drives me nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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