Box checkers = boxed curriculum?

[AimeeM]

I bought a boxed program - for the first time - and I'm just not feeling it. We haven't even started it. Great program, it is, but I'm just not looking forward to it. I thought it would be a great fit since, hey, I'm a box checker. 

 

I think part of the joy I found in homeschooling was finding the cool things for us to do that fit each kid - and me. With a boxed program I'm stuck trying to figure out HOW to fit in these lovely things like BFSU and ancient history - without it turning into a 7 hour school day for a second grader :(

[Rosie_0801]

Check the box carefully, then recycle it? :p

[KrissiK]

My daughter is a box checker. I am, too. And I force my son to be otherwise he wouldn't get anything done. He's in 7th grade and would like to play Legos all day. But we don't use a boxed curriculum. I just make up weekly schedules with all their assignments on it, and when they complete the assignment, they cross it off. That way I know it gets done.

[Syllieann]

Make your own boxes ;) and if you really want to feel like you got something done, make the boxes after you've already finished it. So what did you buy?

[AimeeM]

Make your own boxes ;) and if you really want to feel like you got something done, make the boxes after you've already finished it. So what did you buy?

Memoria Press. Their Simply Classical Level 2.

It just seems... so... boxed. No time for anything he really wants to do, as to get everything done (and it is almost all tied together, one lesson to another) it will easily take about a normal "school day" (9-2ish).

[silver]

I make my own schedule with boxes to check. It could be as simple as "Do spelling on Tuesday" or as detailed as listing out lessons to cover each week before the year starts.

[AimeeM]

I want to use (and have most of)

BFSU (love and have on my shelf)

TAN's Story of Civilization

Saint literature

Memoria Press Literature Enrichment with read alouds

Dancing Bears

Miquon

 

Not a whole lot different than what we did last year, but I do need to stay more consistent and scheduled, so there's that :

[Rosie_0801]

I want to use (and have most of)

BFSU (love and have on my shelf)

TAN's Story of Civilization

Saint literature

Memoria Press Literature Enrichment with read alouds

Dancing Bears

Miquon

 

Not a whole lot different than what we did last year, but I do need to stay more consistent and scheduled, so there's that :

 

What's stopping you doing those things in a consistent and scheduled way?

 

I put everything we should do in a pile outside the back door. (Small house. The school stuff lives on the back porch.) High tech, me.

[sbgrace]

Why did you decide to try the boxed, given you have all the curriculum you like or even love?

 

[AimeeM]

Why did you decide to try the boxed, given you have all the curriculum you like or even love?

It looked easier to implement (no scheduling)? Prettier? Momentary feeling that I wasn't giving him the very best education available?

[Ellie]

I bought a boxed program - for the first time - and I'm just not feeling it. We haven't even started it. Great program, it is, but I'm just not looking forward to it. I thought it would be a great fit since, hey, I'm a box checker. 

 

I think part of the joy I found in homeschooling was finding the cool things for us to do that fit each kid - and me. With a boxed program I'm stuck trying to figure out HOW to fit in these lovely things like BFSU and ancient history - without it turning into a 7 hour school day for a second grader :(

 

I don't love the term "boxed," partly because people don't all mean the same thing when they use it. I have seen Easy Grammar referred to as boxed. Also KONOS. :huh:

 

Similarly, some people use the word "cobbled" when they talk about how they chose different materials to cover history or science or whatnot, as if making those choices is less valuable somehow than buying a box of books from a single source.

 

Is it too late to return your box of books?

[MerryAtHope]

Box-checker options that aren't boxed:

 

Workboxes (you load up the boxes with what the student is to do that day, and it works like a 3-D schedule)

 

Combination lesson/timer approach: Plan a certain amount of time for each subject, and aim to do either a lesson (like in math and other subjects that lay out lessons for you), chapter (reading or other subjects that have things divided by chapter), section (longer chapters that can be divided by section), or timer (a pre-set time that you decide to do for a subject. I like a timer approach even if I don't actually use a timer and only go loosely by times because it helps me not over-plan a child's day.)

 

Make your own planner--you can do this without even planning out everything in advance. Come up with an overall approach (like the combo lesson/timer approach I mentioned above), and then just either check off the box or write in the chapter #, lesson #, or pages done each day. 

 

I gradually adopted each of these, and they helped us be diligent and yet not over-scheduled each year, but use whatever resources I felt were best for each subject while still having the helpful "accountability" I get from checking boxes. 

 

Definitely use what you love!

 

HTH some!

[Ausmumof3]

It looked easier to implement (no scheduling)? Prettier? Momentary feeling that I wasn't giving him the very best education available?

I shouldn't laugh but I'm laughing a bit because right now this very minute I am thinking of going back to a boxed curriculum for these very reasons even though last time I did a boxed curriculum we experienced exactly what you are experiencing. And every boxed curriculum mama I know has similar feelings of nostalgia/optimism about how great the boxes are and yet finds it impossible to implement them as written.

[Ausmumof3]

Oops double post

Edited August 19, 2016 by Ausmumof3

[Hunter]

I'm in the mood to create some yearly plans broken up into weekly checklists. I'm pulling out my copy of Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education. I know how to do it without the worksheets taking me step by step, but my brain is just fried lately, and I'm going to make this as easy on myself as possible.

 

https://simplycharlottemason.com/store/planning-your-charlotte-mason-education/

[AimeeM]

I shouldn't laugh but I'm laughing a bit because right now this very minute I am thinking of going back to a boxed curriculum for these very reasons even though last time I did a boxed curriculum we experienced exactly what you are experiencing. And every boxed curriculum mama I know has similar feelings of nostalgia/optimism about how great the boxes are and yet finds it impossible to implement them as written.

It's cool - I'm laughing, too.

Every year I do this. I know what we like and I know what he needs... but the pretty, shiny, already-planned-out MP boxes look so lovely. But then I look at everything and realize that unless I ditch the few things he enjoys about school, we'll be "doing schoolwork" until almost dinner time (and I do have two other children).  :coolgleamA:

[AimeeM]

I don't love the term "boxed," partly because people don't all mean the same thing when they use it. I have seen Easy Grammar referred to as boxed. Also KONOS. :huh:

 

Similarly, some people use the word "cobbled" when they talk about how they chose different materials to cover history or science or whatnot, as if making those choices is less valuable somehow than buying a box of books from a single source.

 

Is it too late to return your box of books?

To me, "boxed" means a program with every subject in the box and daily lessons plans for each, that come from the same company (I guess).

 

I can get rid of the program. That isn't an issue. I'm just afraid I'll feel return-remorse next time I look at the MP site because, "been here, done this" before (with the same company's boxed program; different year, same gig).

[73349]

I totally understand. I fortunately have been able to hold on to my belief that my box is better than their box... so far.

[JudoMom]

To me, "boxed" means a program with every subject in the box and daily lessons plans for each, that come from the same company (I guess).

 

I can get rid of the program. That isn't an issue. I'm just afraid I'll feel return-remorse next time I look at the MP site because, "been here, done this" before (with the same company's boxed program; different year, same gig).

I've banned myself from the MP website. I love the way their books look, and they look so easy to get to, and the covers all coordinate, but they just don't work for us. I can't even let myself look there.

[EmseB]

Obviously by my siggy you can tell we are MP people, but I also struggle with wanting to do other stuff. We tweak the boxes. I do use the core curriculum, but not the included math. We use the lit and classical studies in a way that doesn't require a ton of writing in workbooks (it is a lot of good discussion). MP is surprisingly flexible, but looks rigid on the surface because of the workbooks. Having been to their school and talking to the teachers, I think it's implemented so differently than what it looks like on the surface. But, that's really just a tangent.

 

Anyway, all that to say, before scrapping it, is there anyway to use it that would work for you? Or try it out instead of writing it off before you start? I say this not because it's MP and I like MP, but I would say this if someone bought a whole Sonlight core and then decided not to use it before trying it. The boxes that come to check are really just a tool to use, not a mandate.

[Emba]

I am a box checker, too.  I don't use any boxed curriculum.  However, I can imagine that the way to make it bearable for me would be to go through it and decide which checkboxes are not necessary - things you can skip or go over very lightly.  Then I would make a new, revised list of boxes to check, adding in the things I wanted to do as well as the necessary things from the boxed curriculum.  Checking other people's boxes can be frustrating for me.  I only like to check boxes I have chosen. 

[SnMomof7]

I am a box checker. All boxed program have too many boxes to be sustainable for us, though. Then I get overwhelmed. I make a doable weekly schedule with boxes instead.

[almondbutterandjelly]

I make my own schedule in a composition notebook. If I had your stuff, it would look something like this:

 

 

Date

 

BFSU:  pp. __ to ___

TAN's Story of Civilization:  pp. ___ to ___

Saint literature: Sant Book Name pp. __ to ___

Memoria Press:  Book Name pp. __ to ___

Dancing Bears:  pp. __ to ___

Miquon: Lesson or pages ___ to ___

 

Do each thing however you want.  Then you just checkmark when done.  New list every day.  (I like lists.)  

 

HTH!

 

 

 

[Peaceful Isle]

My seventh grader is such an "out of the box" girl

 

I just make weekly schedules for her. She likes it like that, and it keeps her in the know. She likes to know what is expected each day, but her curriculum is all over the place. It consists of notebooking, textbooks, living literature , lapbooks etc..

 

My oldest daughter is an in the box girl. She is doing BJU online this year and loves the consistency and daily schedule.

 

My boys... They are all over the place. ;) They would play all day if I let them, which I don't.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Peacefulisle

[mamiof5]

We do a boxed program, and modify it to our needs. Just randomly picking stuff wouldn't work for me.

[Arcadia]

My oldest is a "box checker". He choose his own curriculum or outside class for each subject. Then he check his own "boxes".

[Vernal]

FYI: there is a big re sell market on MP stuff, especially the SC levEls because they are newer. Sell what you want and keep the parts you like. I wish someone had told me this when I spent $1000 on K and didn't love all the parts.

 

I also agree with the previous poster that said it's easier to tweak than it appears. i have also banned myself from the MP website and the catalogs. Too much temptation. 😄

[EmseB]

FYI: there is a big re sell market on MP stuff, especially the SC levEls because they are newer. Sell what you want and keep the parts you like. I wish someone had told me this when I spent $1000 on K and didn't love all the parts.

 

I also agree with the previous poster that said it's easier to tweak than it appears. i have also banned myself from the MP website and the catalogs. Too much temptation. 😄

Holy cow, I thought K was less than $500, but I've never done MP at that level. :O

 

Then again, last year and this year we've done two cores and I'd never guess K would cost more than both of them combined almost.

Edited August 21, 2016 by JodiSue

[Guest]

I make my own schedule in a composition notebook. If I had your stuff, it would look something like this:

 

 

Date

BFSU: pp. __ to ___

TAN's Story of Civilization: pp. ___ to ___

Saint literature: Sant Book Name pp. __ to ___

Memoria Press: Book Name pp. __ to ___

Dancing Bears: pp. __ to ___

Miquon: Lesson or pages ___ to ___

Do each thing however you want. Then you just checkmark when done. New list every day. (I like lists.)

HTH!

This is exactly what I do as well. But I don't put in the page numbers, chapters, time, or episode (depending what it is) until it's done for the day. That way is a planner and a record book.

[AimeeM]

Holy cow, I thought K was less than $500, but I've never done MP at that level. :o

 

Then again, last year and this year we've done two cores and I'd never guess K would cost more than both of them combined almost.

When you could read alouds (which is a huge part of the lower levels of MP, imo), yes, it's pricey. 

[Sahamamama]

Memoria Press. Their Simply Classical Level 2.

It just seems... so... boxed. No time for anything he really wants to do, as to get everything done (and it is almost all tied together, one lesson to another) it will easily take about a normal "school day" (9-2ish).

 

I don't know if this will help (enough), because (in the end), we ditched Memoria Press for most things. It wasn't a great fit for us, either, and I am the ultimate box-checker. But, I like to make up my own plans, and check my own boxes, LOL.

 

Having said that... what we did when we did use Memoria Press (we never bought a full grade level) was to either (1) do much of the workbook orally, or (2) cross out all the busy work. We read the books that came with the workbooks, but the workbooks themselves were not that thrilling.

 

Example #1:

Story Time Treasures & More Story Time Treasures -- Just as they were, we used both sets of books & workbooks, and LOVED these for 1st grade. They were perfect, and we did them again with the twins.

 

Example #2:

Literature Guides for 2nd Grade -- These may have changed since then (I know the recommended books have changed), but at the time, I thought the assignments were a bit much for a 2nd grader! Even my very verbal, happy-to-write oldest would have been overwhelmed with all that writing (and research! in 2nd grade!). We only completed one-and-a-half guides out of the four literature guides that year, and it was a waste of time. I didn't care for The Courage of Sarah Noble (my daughter didn't, either), but for some reason, we trudged through that book and the guide. About halfway through the literature guide for Little House in the Big Woods, we stopped the literature guide, and made a diorama instead. We liked Tales from Beatrix Potter, but the literature guide didn't add to our enjoyment, so we skipped it. We also skipped the literature guide for Mr. Popper's Penguins. Instead, we listened to the audio book while traveling, which was much more pleasant than completing a boring MP workbook! We did some of the workbook assignments orally, and some in writing. But I didn't do those guides again at all with my twins. Life is too short to do literature guides with 2nd graders. Lesson learned.

 

Example #3:

Literature Guides for 3rd Grade -- These were actually better, at least at the time. We only chose two books & guides -- Farmer Boy and Charlotte's Web. I think these guides were actually worth doing, and formed part of our literature work for that year (along with some traditional "book reports" that my daughter enjoyed doing). But, again, we didn't repeat any MP literature guides after this. I think they are a ton of busy work, to be honest. I'd rather just enjoy reading together, talking about ideas, explaining concepts, defining words, and snuggling. The kids get big soon enough. 

 

Example #4:

What's That Bird? (Science) -- Well.... we read the books that came with the study guide. We love those books, it's just that (again) the workbook is so... tedious and... unedited and... uninspiring. It's hard to explain, but if you have a package, I'm sure you can see it, too. After a while, all the pages look the same. So, instead of plodding through all those MP science pages, we used that package to light our own fire. We studied birds all year, through all the seasons, hands-on, eyes open, using all the resources we could find. There are so many, and it's completely unnecessary to turn Bird Study into the drudgery that it would inevitably be with the Memoria Press guide.

 

Example #5:

Prima Latina and Latina Christiana I -- All three girls have completed Prima, and my oldest completed LC I, and we are now either done with Latin (forever) or taking a break for a year. We'll see. I'm still not truly convinced that Latin study (as a language) is the be-all and end-all of education, but I do think that roots are wonderful, grammar is great (in English, hello?), and history is good to know. However, even if we do come back to Latin, I doubt it will be with MP products. I am now severely allergic.

 

All that to say, there has to be something of merit in the package, or you probably wouldn't have been drawn to it in the first place. Spread it all out on a table. What draws you? Don't lose hope. There is still something. What did you picture yourself and your son doing, when you wanted that package? I'm sure you didn't imagine yourselves filling out workbooks for five hours a day, so what did you see? Reading? You can still do that. Talking, having conversations? Still allowed. ;) Carefully copying, writing, narrating? It's all still available to you, but you will probably have to take a hatchet to the actual MP products. At least, that's what we had to do, to make them fit a living, breathing child.

 

Put your son first, before the pile of workbooks, and you will come out all right. HTH.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Sahamamama

[AimeeM]

Thanks :)

Honestly, if he were learning at a neurotypical rate and able to use one of the grade level packages, I could absolutely see myself being content with it and just tweaking... but the special needs packages are pretty specifically targeted and I can't see how to do any of it orally more than is already written. The composition, copybook, phonics, and cursive specifically. At this special needs level, Story Time Treasures doesn't start until later into the year - and it's a different Story Time Treasures than the regular MP program. 

 

Actually, I wonder if the issue isn't that the special needs program is too specific, rather, that it may be too broad. He has specific needs - and they don't fit into a package, I guess?

 

I'm drawn to the regular MP packages - but my kiddo is just not able to handle it, even tweaked (not yet, maybe not ever - only time will tell, lol). Strongly suspected dyslexia (like his teenage sister) and "other" (more medical in nature) issues that come along with fine motor skill and muscle tone difficulties, combined with an otherwise neurotypical little boy enthusiasm for all things OTHER than school work (with the exception of science and math, which he enjoys), make me believe that, perhaps, MP is how I wish I had been educated, but that it isn't necessarily what's best for him. Right now, lol. I'm not saying I won't make a go of the regular MP program later, again... :D

I don't know if this will help (enough), because (in the end), we ditched Memoria Press for most things. It wasn't a great fit for us, either, and I am the ultimate box-checker. But, I like to make up my own plans, and check my own boxes, LOL.

 

Having said that... what we did when we did use Memoria Press (we never bought a full grade level) was to either (1) do much of the workbook orally, or (2) cross out all the busy work. We read the books that came with the workbooks, but the workbooks themselves were not that thrilling.

 

Example #1:

Story Time Treasures & More Story Time Treasures -- Just as they were, we used both sets of books & workbooks, and LOVED these for 1st grade. They were perfect, and we did them again with the twins.

 

Example #2:

Literature Guides for 2nd Grade -- These may have changed since then (I know the recommended books have changed), but at the time, I thought the assignments were a bit much for a 2nd grader! Even my very verbal, happy-to-write oldest would have been overwhelmed with all that writing (and research! in 2nd grade!). We only completed one-and-a-half guides out of the four literature guides that year, and it was a waste of time. I didn't care for The Courage of Sarah Noble (my daughter didn't, either), but for some reason, we trudged through that book and the guide. About halfway through the literature guide for Little House in the Big Woods, we stopped the literature guide, and made a diorama instead. We liked Tales from Beatrix Potter, but the literature guide didn't add to our enjoyment, so we skipped it. We also skipped the literature guide for Mr. Popper's Penguins. Instead, we listened to the audio book while traveling, which was much more pleasant than completing a boring MP workbook! We did some of the workbook assignments orally, and some in writing. But I didn't do those guides again at all with my twins. Life is too short to do literature guides with 2nd graders. Lesson learned.

 

Example #3:

Literature Guides for 3rd Grade -- These were actually better, at least at the time. We only chose two books & guides -- Farmer Boy and Charlotte's Web. I think these guides were actually worth doing, and formed part of our literature work for that year (along with some traditional "book reports" that my daughter enjoyed doing). But, again, we didn't repeat any MP literature guides after this. I think they are a ton of busy work, to be honest. I'd rather just enjoy reading together, talking about ideas, explaining concepts, defining words, and snuggling. The kids get big soon enough. 

 

Example #4:

What's That Bird? (Science) -- Well.... we read the books that came with the study guide. We love those books, it's just that (again) the workbook is so... tedious and... unedited and... uninspiring. It's hard to explain, but if you have a package, I'm sure you can see it, too. After a while, all the pages look the same. So, instead of plodding through all those MP science pages, we used that package to light our own fire. We studied birds all year, through all the seasons, hands-on, eyes open, using all the resources we could find. There are so many, and it's completely unnecessary to turn Bird Study into the drudgery that it would inevitably be with the Memoria Press guide.

 

Example #5:

Prima Latina and Latina Christiana I -- All three girls have completed Prima, and my oldest completed LC I, and we are now either done with Latin (forever) or taking a break for a year. We'll see. I'm still not truly convinced that Latin study (as a language) is the be-all and end-all of education, but I do think that roots are wonderful, grammar is great (in English, hello?), and history is good to know. However, even if we do come back to Latin, I doubt it will be with MP products. I am now severely allergic.

 

All that to say, there has to be something of merit in the package, or you probably wouldn't have been drawn to it in the first place. Spread it all out on a table. What draws you? Don't lose hope. There is still something. What did you picture yourself and your son doing, when you wanted that package? I'm sure you didn't imagine yourselves filling out workbooks for five hours a day, so what did you see? Reading? You can still do that. Talking, having conversations? Still allowed. ;) Carefully copying, writing, narrating? It's all still available to you, but you will probably have to take a hatchet to the actual MP products. At least, that's what we had to do, to make them fit a living, breathing child.

 

Put your son first, before the pile of workbooks, and you will come out all right. HTH.

 

Edited August 23, 2016 by AimeeM

[EmseB]

When you could read alouds (which is a huge part of the lower levels of MP, imo), yes, it's pricey.

Ah, yes those do add up to a lot of $$$. For the levels I've done, most are books I have or would've bought anyway, and the others we did from the library. I would just reserve a few weeks at a time since I had all the lesson plans. The library didn't have all of them, but enough to save us quite a bit of money.

Edited August 24, 2016 by JodiSue

[Sahamamama]

... make me believe that, perhaps, MP is how I wish I had been educated...

 

Take heart, you are in good company. I think we are all, more or less, looking back at our own childhoods, our own educations, and doing our best to create for our children something better than what we had. Then we turn around and take another look at our kids, and go from there. :grouphug:

 

[cintinative]

I have not used a boxed curriculum but I am a horrible box checker.  So my weekly planning list has lots of check boxes on it.  It is a handwritten thing--in a pdf format. Maybe it would help????

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0oUXygCNeMlek1EdDVSY3pnTXc&usp=sharing  

 

I can also send MS Word file that can be edited. 

 

I keep separate spreadsheets for my plans for history, science, etc. so on this form (above) I would just write History 1-1  (Week 1, lesson 1) or Science 2-2  (Week 2, lesson 2). We block schedule our weeks so we don't do history and science every day.  For things we do every day like Latin or Math I might just write (on my tracking form above) MIF 5A or LFC-1 (Chapter 1).  For writing, I might write SICC-A Lesson 7. 

 

Otherwise, we are very a-la-carte over here with curriculum.  

I find if someone gives me a checklist I am a slave to it, so I do better if I make my own lists. Then I can decide what is reasonable for us to do and check off what we have done. I have a friend that said this was her problem with TOG--too much stuff you could potentially do, and she felt like she had to do it all.  Sometimes we box check to our own peril . . .  =)

 

 

[Ravin]

Come up with better boxes to check.

 

Did kid learn something today? Check.

Did kid spend a reasonable amount of time on learning today? Check.

Was it fun enough that kid wants to do it or something like it again? Bonus check.

[HS Mom in NC]

Another box checker who makes her own boxes here. I make my own lesson plans with the things I want to do.  It takes time but it's worth it to me.

[EKS]

I made my own boxes and a generic list that I then added specifics to in pencil.  So, for example next to "Math" on the form, I would write in the lesson number in pencil.  Every week I would fill in the list for each day in pencil then as we/he did each thing, I would check it off.  If it didn't get done, or something changed, I simple erased whatever it was and wrote it in for the next day (moving things over as necessary).  If we did nothing for a particular subject that day, I made a horizontal line in pencil next to whatever it was and then checked the box.  The great thing about this system is that it is flexible and allows you to check boxes even when you don't do anything.  It also serves as both a plan and a record of what was actually done.

[...................]

I've used them a few times, but it always turns out that I am less pleased with it overall.  I think, now that my oldest is in high school, I really just have to fulfill requirements, but even then we ended up going with 3 different online providers, one video curriculum (DIVE), and one in -person class....so there's a sense in which I'm STILL choosing what's best for my son/

 

He did a box for 4, 6, and 8th grades and 8th grade I was totally hands off, except a lot of discussion and helping him study.  I will say for 8th grade it was great, because it allowed me to focus on my 6th grade daughter, and let him be independent, something he was totally craving.

 

So yeah, being a box checker doesn't necessarily mean you'll be happy with a box.