Feeling frustrated

[mamakelly]

This is my first post to this board. I have 4 kids that I've homeschooled. I'm currently homeschooling my 11th grader, 8th grader and 2nd grader. My 3 older kids fell pretty near to average for everything school related. They had struggles in some years, and we did various therapies to overcome educational issues, ADHD, vision therapy etc... We are still dealing with math struggles with my 8th grader. My youngest is another story. He picks everything up so fast, I feel like I'm constantly playing catch up with him. We switched to CLE math this year. I needed something more challenging than Saxon (we were using it 1 year ahead and it was too easy for him). Everyone said how CLE is more advanced etc...Okay it's November and he's halfway through the 2nd grade books already. Sometimes I skip lessons because it's not teaching anything new and he gets bored. I guess he doesn't need all the review. I bought Beast 3A, but I"m not sure if he's ready to start it. I'm having him do 1st Language Lessons book 2, but he hates it because he says, "I already know this". Spelling is fine. He just doesn't need a week to learn the words like my other kids did. I can go over the rules with him and by the next day, he knows how to spell all the words. For writing we were using a Star Wars writing book that he picked out at Costco. He's finished with it, and now I'm not sure what to do for writing. I had planned to do WWE,  but I'm thinking he will complain that it's too slow and he already knows all of the information. I guess I have the opposite problem that I've had all these past 15 years of homeschooling and I'm realizing that having a kid who is ahead, can be just as frustrating as a kid who is behind. It's exhausting to have our week all planned out, and he complains about being bored, and flies through all his work so fast. He's still a typical boy though, so he's wiggly etc... I'm not really sure what I'm asking here, lol. I guess I just needed to introduce myself and complain at the same time. 

[Miss Mousie]

I haven't homeschooled elementary, so I can't help you with specific recommendations, but the bolded portion below is spot-on.

 

This is my first post to this board. I have 4 kids that I've homeschooled. I'm currently homeschooling my 11th grader, 8th grader and 2nd grader. My 3 older kids fell pretty near to average for everything school related. They had struggles in some years, and we did various therapies to overcome educational issues, ADHD, vision therapy etc... We are still dealing with math struggles with my 8th grader. My youngest is another story. He picks everything up so fast, I feel like I'm constantly playing catch up with him. We switched to CLE math this year. I needed something more challenging than Saxon (we were using it 1 year ahead and it was too easy for him). Everyone said how CLE is more advanced etc...Okay it's November and he's halfway through the 2nd grade books already. Sometimes I skip lessons because it's not teaching anything new and he gets bored. I guess he doesn't need all the review. I bought Beast 3A, but I"m not sure if he's ready to start it. I'm having him do 1st Language Lessons book 2, but he hates it because he says, "I already know this". Spelling is fine. He just doesn't need a week to learn the words like my other kids did. I can go over the rules with him and by the next day, he knows how to spell all the words. For writing we were using a Star Wars writing book that he picked out at Costco. He's finished with it, and now I'm not sure what to do for writing. I had planned to do WWE,  but I'm thinking he will complain that it's too slow and he already knows all of the information. I guess I have the opposite problem that I've had all these past 15 years of homeschooling and I'm realizing that having a kid who is ahead, can be just as frustrating as a kid who is behind. It's exhausting to have our week all planned out, and he complains about being bored, and flies through all his work so fast. He's still a typical boy though, so he's wiggly etc... I'm not really sure what I'm asking here, lol. I guess I just needed to introduce myself and complain at the same time. 

 

Flexibility is key, I think.  You may want to look at some of Michael Clay Thompson's materials (at rfwp.com) for book suggestions.  If nothing else, reading a ton of classic children's lit can buy you some time while you gather resources and make (tentative! flexible!) plans going forward.

 

Also - as a mom of another gifted wiggly boy - any hands-on or movement-friendly stuff can be very helpful.  Although, now that I think of it, when DS was in 2nd grade in PS there was a component of the spelling program that required using rubber-stamp letters to spell out each word one letter at a time - DS found that to be an excruciating waste of time, because of course he had known all of those words for several years.  So whatever you choose will have to be a challenge of some sort, as well.

 

Looking forward to reading other responses.  :)  Best wishes to you & all your kids!

[MomatHWTK]

LOL, quit planning your week out.  For my students, I have selected materials and we go through them at the student's pace.  Some topics go quick, some go slow.  When work is done, their time is their own.  If your student finishes the material or already knows it, move him to the next level.  Allow him to "test out" of material he already knows.  You are customizing his education to him now- enjoy the freedom.  ;)  

[Jackie]

I figured out with my kid that I needed to find programs that didn't try to choose the pacing or scripting for me.

 

CLE generally has a reputation of focusing on algorithms rather than concepts. It teaches how to plug in the numbers, but not why the math works. Since you already have CLE, I'd work through it but add in some conceptual math with living math books or Zaccaro's Primary Grade Challenge Math. Then after second grade math, you can move to Beast Academy.

 

Combining some Michael Clay Thompson and some BraveWriter is working for us so far for language arts.

[SanDiegoMom]

Also consider Singapore Math Intensive Practice. My son started in first grade with the second grade books and was finished with 5B by the end of 2nd grade. He whizzed through them (and I still cut out some problems, did evens or odds) but her rarely complained about repetition.  Now he's in Aops and loves it.  No repetition at all.  Its important though to get the IP books if he's advanced in math, not the just the regular workbooks.  

[slackermom]

I figured out with my kid that I needed to find programs that didn't try to choose the pacing or scripting for me.

 

CLE generally has a reputation of focusing on algorithms rather than concepts. It teaches how to plug in the numbers, but not why the math works. Since you already have CLE, I'd work through it but add in some conceptual math with living math books or Zaccaro's Primary Grade Challenge Math. Then after second grade math, you can move to Beast Academy.

 

Combining some Michael Clay Thompson and some BraveWriter is working for us so far for language arts.

We used Zaccaro's Primary Grade Challenge Math in second grade.  It presents problems at multiple grade levels, so it is great for a kid who can grasp the concepts quickly and take it the next level right away. 

We also followed it with what was available in Beast Academy, and made the switch to AOPS Pre-A in 4th grade when it was clear dd was ready to move beyond elementary math.

I eventually gave up on trying to follow a time line. Just keep going. :001_smile: