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Use the curriculum that gets done, not the one you want.


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In the large family homeschool thread, BlsdMama said: "I don't use the curriculum I WANT to use, I use curriculum that is better situated to a million children and "do the next thing" philosophy because at least then it gets done."

 

I'm wrestling with this exact issue right now.  and I think if I were to go back and read my posts from years past, I'm always wrestling with this. 

 

Example from this year:  We had used Rod and Staff English for many years, but then switched to CLE for my oldest in order for her to be more independent.  However, English became total drudgery for her.  She just rushed through the exercises and retained almost nothing later.  Plus, it was just dry.  She started dreading it every day.

 

Enter Cottage Press language arts.  It looked like my ideal curriculum.  It had the right balance of CM and WTM....copywork, dictation, poetry, literary elements, diagramming exercises taken from literature and progym and copia lessons in writing. Since it was an all-in-one, I thought it would streamline things for us.  For awhile we loved it.  It was beautifully and thoughtfully done.  But then it just started to seem long and involved on my part.  It contained too much of a learning curve for me to get used to it.  There ended up being just as many parts and pieces to the program as if I had pieced something together myself.  If she was my only child, I think we could have made it work, but it ended up overwhelming me.

 

So we went back to "tried and true" which has been helpful.  Even still, I find myself heavily involved in many subjects that they (my 8th and 6th graders) used to do more independently, because I've found they enjoy school better and have an better attitude overall when I'm working with them. When they were more independent, I used to find a lot of careless mistakes as they skimmed through their subjects. 

 

But now my 3rd and 1st grader seem to be getting shafted since I'm running out of time most days.

 

All this to say, subjects that get done independently end up not being done as well as subjects I do with them.  But I only have so many hours and so much brain space!  I can't seem to find the balance in this area.

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"Only" 5 kids?  :lol:

 

I have three and I use what gets done. We don't hate anything that we do, but my homeschool fantasies and reality tend to collide when it comes to content areas.  :laugh:

 

For example: I love the idea of BFSU, but I need something that is more scripted. We're using Ellen McHenry units atm. 

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Edited by mellifera33
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I agree. It is why my younger kids have short days and my older kids have long days. I work with my younger kids first thing in the morning while my older kids are reading. I spend the rest of the day with my older kids.

I dream of doing this, but if I take my focus off the younger children (ages ~8 and under) for any length of time, one or more of them will inevitably get into trouble, which derails my work with the older ones.  

 

How do you prevent this?  I'm sure you've described it before, but I've forgotten.  :tongue_smilie:

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When they were more independent, I used to find a lot of careless mistakes as they skimmed through their subjects. 

 

Yes, independence should be a goal, but it needs to be earned. It takes training and maturity. You can't force it if they're not ready.

 

Do you feel this way with all subjects? Or mainly LA? I find when a curriculum has too many "bits and pieces," it becomes difficult to maintain. LA is always the worst when it comes to this.

 

When I was wavering between CLE and R&S, I found we had the best success doing R&S orally, with a whiteboard. But then I dropped that too, because I didn't want an emphasis on grammar anymore, and both programs are grammar-heavy. I spent a few years with Understanding Writing, which I liked, and now completely wing it on my own with CM skills. If you like CM, how about Primary/Intermediate Language Lessons? The lessons look short and sweet.

 

With more students now, I am all about efficiency. But something must be effective in order for it to be efficient. I find progress is best made when I am involved with the skill subjects--just a little bit--but it is daily. For instance, with my 4th-grader, I do a daily dictation with him. We discuss the spelling and punctuation. I may quiz him on a part or two of speech. I encourage him to use good handwriting. Five or ten minutes, and we are done. I'll introduce his math lesson to him with a lap whiteboard, and do a few problems together. Again, only ten minutes. He does the rest on his own.

 

Content subjects are done independently. I don't have time for that too. Skills are my priority.

 

I still recommend finding a curriculum that YOU like administering. I think what BlsdMama meant was we need to let go of idealism, and trade "perfect" for "finished."

Edited by birchbark
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"Only" 5 kids? :lol:

 

I have three and I use what gets done. We don't hate anything that we do, but my homeschool fantasies and reality tend to collide when it comes to content areas. :laugh:

 

For example: I love the idea of BFSU, but I need something that is more scripted. We're using Ellen McHenry units atm.

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Haha, we just started using Ellen mchenry as a break from bfsu and IT'S GETTING DONE PEOPLE! My kids love it and start without me! In fact, this very thing came to mind when I read the thread title.

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I agree. It is why my younger kids have short days and my older kids have long days. I work with my younger kids first thing in the morning while my older kids are reading. I spend the rest of the day with my older kids.

Thank you for saying this. This is exactly what I find myself doing more and more. I really enjoy being alongside them as they work and it's easy to have little ones come sit on my lap or nurse or sit quietly alongside if they want to be near me while I'm working with the older ones.

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This is the only way we were able to homeschool through constant medical crises over the last twelve years and my work schedule. I had to constantly streamline.

 

I agree that CLE is dry, but it gets the job done. I had mine give me their units after dinner so that I could mark and discuss them every day.

 

When they were in grade school I switched from Tapestry of Grace to Sonlight. I had time to read to them and enjoyed that, but I needed a set plan.

 

Thankfully we were able to outsource parts of high school through a bartering arrangement. Those classes were great. Lots of interaction and deadlines!

 

 

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Even still, I find myself heavily involved in many subjects that they (my 8th and 6th graders) used to do more independently, because I've found they enjoy school better and have an better attitude overall when I'm working with them. When they were more independent, I used to find a lot of careless mistakes as they skimmed through their subjects. 

 

But now my 3rd and 1st grader seem to be getting shafted since I'm running out of time most days.

 

All this to say, subjects that get done independently end up not being done as well as subjects I do with them.  But I only have so many hours and so much brain space!  I can't seem to find the balance in this area.

 

I only have three students (at two levels!), and I'm still finding this to be so true, in particular with CLE grammar. I've had to slow it down, do the work with them, use the extra practice pages and diagramming practice, review and question their understanding, and actively teach the material. Some of this may be because we are new to CLE LA this year, but I can see that it is going to require me to carefully, patiently teach it. I've gone back to studying FLL (for the script) and R&S (for the diagramming) in my spare time! ;)

 

Honestly? I don't know how you moms of many do it. There are days when actively teaching (and mothering) these three takes nearly all day. Well, most days, really. If we had younger children in the mix, we would have to work it like Eight does -- littles in the morning, while the olders read, then work with the olders the rest of the day.

 

Maybe some of the needed wisdom lies in choosing materials that work, and some of it is in how we configure the day, and some of it is in being disciplined and diligent over a long haul? If we can get all of that perfectly balanced, then perhaps it is doable (but hard work). If not....

 

Even so, if I had four, five, six kids, I would expect my days to be very, very long -- longer than they already are. If my youngest two weren't twins, or if they were on totally different levels for English and Math, that would add to the teaching load. If we had a third grade level, a fourth grade level.... yeah, it would add up. We do all of our content studies -- Bible, Science, Literature, History, Geography, Bible Memory Work, Junior Bible Quiz, Hymns, Composer Study, Music Theory, Artist Study, Art & Handicrafts, and some French -- as a group. I'm trying to imagine having multiple levels for content subjects, in addition to grade-level work. :svengo:

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In the large family homeschool thread, BlsdMama said: "I don't use the curriculum I WANT to use, I use curriculum that is better situated to a million children and "do the next thing" philosophy because at least then it gets done."

 

I'm wrestling with this exact issue right now.  and I think if I were to go back and read my posts from years past, I'm always wrestling with this. 

 

Example from this year:  We had used Rod and Staff English for many years, but then switched to CLE for my oldest in order for her to be more independent.  However, English became total drudgery for her.  She just rushed through the exercises and retained almost nothing later.  Plus, it was just dry.  She started dreading it every day.

 

Enter Cottage Press language arts.  It looked like my ideal curriculum.  It had the right balance of CM and WTM....copywork, dictation, poetry, literary elements, diagramming exercises taken from literature and progym and copia lessons in writing. Since it was an all-in-one, I thought it would streamline things for us.  For awhile we loved it.  It was beautifully and thoughtfully done.  But then it just started to seem long and involved on my part.  It contained too much of a learning curve for me to get used to it.  There ended up being just as many parts and pieces to the program as if I had pieced something together myself.  If she was my only child, I think we could have made it work, but it ended up overwhelming me.

 

So we went back to "tried and true" which has been helpful.  Even still, I find myself heavily involved in many subjects that they (my 8th and 6th graders) used to do more independently, because I've found they enjoy school better and have an better attitude overall when I'm working with them. When they were more independent, I used to find a lot of careless mistakes as they skimmed through their subjects. 

 

But now my 3rd and 1st grader seem to be getting shafted since I'm running out of time most days.

 

All this to say, subjects that get done independently end up not being done as well as subjects I do with them.  But I only have so many hours and so much brain space!  I can't seem to find the balance in this area.

 

 

So I can tell you why *I* said this and the past history on it. ;)

 

We started with FIAR when Ana was in kindy and she's a senior in college and we used it in tandem with suggestions from The Well Trained Mind - volume 1.  I think we bought that first edition her K or 1st grade year and I was hooked.  We used Rod & Staff English, Saxon for math, and, of couse, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. :)  As SWB came out with materials, I was switching - SOTW, OPGtTR, FLL, all for DS #2.  We were doing just what SOTW said - use spines and pull in living books.  Design writing around what reading, the whole nine yards, and I *loved* every minute.  "Designing" curriculum was the most enjoyable part of homeschooling for me and basing it all of SWB recommendations and curriculum catalogs.  And every two years (or less) a new baby came along and I loved every minute of that too, lol. ;)

It would have been Ana's 6th or 7th grade year that I transitioned to Sonlight.  DD #4 and DS#5 were 11 months apart, I was running a home business, Etsy was emerging as a force in that business (with HyenaCart being the pre-cursor) and Sonlight had a plan.  And I didn't last long - I loved the books but I thought it was fluffier (fiction heavy) compared to what we'd been doing with SWB's suggestions.  We made the switch to TOG pretty much the year it came out and I loved it.  We used TOG her 8th, 9th, and I think her 10th grade year.  But, combining wasn't happening.  We had a very academic oldest, a next who was "pencil allergic" (severely dysgraphic but we didn't know what that was then) and moderately dyslexic - I was really focused on getting him solid in all areas.  And, by then, we had up and comers, the next of whom was also dyslexic.  

 

I was getting overwhelmed because I couldn't do curriculum the way I'd always done curriculum and I had been reading so much Charlotte Mason and it really meshed with my thoughts on school and how to educate kids.   So, of course, a foray into CM materials too for the shorties.  By this time it was getting a little crazy.... we were active in a parent run co-op and just a little bit later, moving back to the Midwest.  Somewhere in there I had told a dear friend I was going back to textbooks - cold, hard textbooks.

 

Why?

 

Because the doing needed done and because it wasn't getting done - or at least not consistently.  I was still making them read, but on the crazy days (and isn't that kinda every day???)  school was pretty hit or miss and so much of it revolved around mommy facilitating, teaching, reading, etc.  

 

The dear friend's response?  "Kelly, you'll hate it.  It's just not you.  You'll be so sad."  And I conceded that she was right - and she was because I still wasn't certain.  But I felt guilty that we weren't doing enough (and we ALL have those thoughts even if we're squeezing in Latin, current events, Logic, and all of the ideal, but time consuming, extras.)

 

But, when we moved back to the Midwest and I went through a rough transition, I threw my hands up in the air and went back to Ana's early elementary years - Saxon math, Rod & Staff grammar, science text, etc.

 

I have never been so content.

 

I'm a CM girl through and through.  I BELIEVE in it.  But there are eleven  kids in this house and eight of them are currently homeschool age.  Five of those are dyslexic to some degree and we use a more intense program to remediate.  But the basics are getting hit and hit consistently.  Do you know the relief of the basics getting hit consistently?  

 

KeriJ says:

So we went back to "tried and true" which has been helpful.  Even still, I find myself heavily involved in many subjects that they (my 8th and 6th graders) used to do more independently, because I've found they enjoy school better and have an better attitude overall when I'm working with them. When they were more independent, I used to find a lot of careless mistakes as they skimmed through their subjects. 

 

So, Keri, let me talk about this part of it a little bit - Look at the time period when *I* started switching curriculum - middle school!  So I'm not going to dismiss ANY level, but, middle school is a couple of things - first, it's panic because you know high school is coming, lol.  Second, they've mastered those basics you EXPECTED to put time/effort/energy into - like teaching a child how to read, and then they had the honeymoon years - 4th-6th, and now they are transitioning into more difficult material RIGHT AFTER they were more autonomous.   I'll just stop here for a minute and tell you I think 7h-8th have been my most intense years of me teaching/preparing/equipping and 9th has been the hardest on my students (my three oldest so far) because THEY feel the pressure to push.    High school has, so far, been FAR easier than middle school.   My oldest three have become so independent, and, like yours, were pretty independent in upper elementary, then transitioned to a more intense couple of foundational years, then back to far more independence.

 

KeriJ said:

But now my 3rd and 1st grader seem to be getting shafted since I'm running out of time most days.

 

I cannot remember where the idea came from - it was either Cindy Rollins, Kendra from Preschoolers and Peace, or Teri Maxwell - but, here's the deal, if you don't carve out a tiny bit of time for your littles, the GUILT will weigh so heavily on you.  I do NOT spend a lot of time homeschooling anyone much under the age of 8-10 (dependent on the kiddo.)  BUT, if you don't spend some time, the guilt is going to be so heavy on your shoulders that it is a balm to the soul to spend that time with the littles.  I think this is where Circle Time (and now Morning Basket) is born out of.  While so many aim Morning Basket at the olders, I don't.  I aim it at the lower elementary kiddos.  

If you want peace about choosing not to do math with the under 10 crowd, head over to Teaching the Trivium and read a few of those studies.

 

My goal for any child under ten is to get them reading SOLIDLY.  Then I enforce reading times UNDER their level to increase fluency/automaticity.  This is guided reading meaning, "You ain't pickin' your book, girlie!"  These enforced reading periods are at nap/quiet time - at a MINIMUM for an hour and at a max of about two.  I am a brick wall - no moving me on this one unless we have to go somewhere.  And then those that can read readily - get a night light for a gift and get an extra hour or more to stay up and read.  The catch?  If a child is too little to be still and look at books quietly for an hour, they continue to nap.  No fidgeting, no mommy running in to settle things, nope, nope, nope.  Being "allowed" to stay up and read is a gift, if you do not appreciate it, take a nap.   The same with the evening and I'll tell you, in our house, skipping nap time for reading comes first at around 5-8 depending on the kiddo, and the night time reading usually follows later, give or take, by about a year.

 

 

All this to say, subjects that get done independently end up not being done as well as subjects I do with them.  But I only have so many hours and so much brain space!  I can't seem to find the balance in this area.

 

So, I'll be the person who says don't think of it as a buffet.  Seriously, don't.  That puts all the pressure on YOU to set out the courses for your child to have a good meal.  But that's just me.  The idea of a buffet is fun, but then I feel really deficient.  And it isn't that I wouldn't love to spread all things out in front of them, but look, just being a Martha for a moment - big families have everything multiplied exponentially - laundry, dishes, teaching, nurturing, diapers, cleaning.  I would NOT trade it for the world.  I love this crazy most days.  But, when you have 24 hours in a day, you cannot do all things.  And that is actually true of people with one child and people with fifteen.  They're all *not* doing things they'd like to do.

 

So, right or wrong, I think of their education like a house.  First you clear the site.  Then you can lay the foundation.  Then you build on it brick by brick.    The site clearing is the prep for the house - make sure your littles are listening to you read and not just plopped in front of the screen. (I am *not* denying the need for a little Leap Frog or Magic School Bus, lol.  Otherwise when my oldest DD starts blogging/homeschooling the truth will be set free, lol.)   The foundation is reading.  If you do nothing else, get them to read and read well.  Maybe you think that's me being dramatic but nope.  I actually mean you can skip ALL things except reading aloud and teaching them to read and carving out that time to read.  Then, guide their reading.  (This is code for you pick the books and they don't.)  I do mean, most emphatically, that you CAN skip handwriting for a couple years, math for a few years, history for a couple years, and be JUST FINE.  After reading a few articles (the Bluedorn site) we intentionally delay math.  (That and some very serious math struggles on the part of my oldest in high school math.)

 

What would happen if you looked at your 1st grader and thought of "this one thing" philosophy?  Time the one thing that you want to do with her each day.  Then tell yourself, I can carve out ten minutes.  I suggest it be fairly early in the day unless your house is like mine, because once we get rollin, things get pushed out.  

 

I also agree that things don't get done as well as the things you do WITH them.  Foundational things in mind again, how does that look?  I can only compare in my house:

 

Let's take my 11yo as an example.  She's pretty autonomous but needs some teaching.  Math is pretty independent for her and so she'll come get me if she has questions.  She can do any reading quite thoroughly.  Her area of direct teaching is definitely writing.  She uses Rod & Staff Grammar (2 years below - SWB suggested this for newbies to R&S in one of the versions and I've found this works great because it is very independent at that point and by the time you get to the 9/10 book - IF you get to the 9/10 book - you are well over typical high school level anyway and it stops at 9/10.)  So she can get started in the AM with self-teaching / doing math and grammar without me.  What's my most important foundation to work with on her?  Well, reading is covered so now I want to work on writing.  That has to be done with me because it requires a good deal more instruction. We use IEW because it actually gets done and because we're using the Ancients theme book right now to reinforce her history, also Ancients. 

 

Other tips:

 

If you have maids (the dishwasher and washing machine) keep those girls moving.  I don't stop to fold laundry during the day. I wish I was that person.  I'm not.  I also keep pots and pans (usually unless I'm amazingly awesome) until the afternoon after naptime which is our traditional pick up time. 

 

I have been more organized in my life.  But I'm not sure I've ever gotten more done than right now, lol.  Now, if  you want to carve out time to build shutters and put in carpet (Logic, Latin, etc.) please, please do.  But at least hit those basics solidly because it will alleviate so much TIME spent on stress, worry, guilt.  We read aloud at night.  I remember a time when I read aloud 2-3 hours each day, consistently.  That is not happening in our house right now.  I wish it was.  I am using a lot of audio books/audible/etc. and we're doing family reading and we try to do Circle Time.  That has not been hit consistently this year but I think it is very worthwhile especially if you have 3yo-5yo and you want them sitting in so you feel like they got something great from you. :P  Our Circle Time is usually some reading (Bible and then a nature book most often) and then recitation right now. This rotates and I wish I had a plan but I don't, lol.

 

 

All this to say, subjects that get done independently end up not being done as well as subjects I do with them.  But I only have so many hours and so much brain space!  I can't seem to find the balance in this area.

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Maybe some of the needed wisdom lies in choosing materials that work, and some of it is in how we configure the day, and some of it is in being disciplined and diligent over a long haul? If we can get all of that perfectly balanced, then perhaps it is doable (but hard work). If not....

 

 

 

Sigh. Configuring the day and being disciplined and diligent are issues for me. This year we are roughly following the recommendations from The Latin Centered Curriculum and finding it much more doable than trying to cram in everything every day. 

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I only have three students (at two levels!), and I'm still finding this to be so true, in particular with CLE grammar. I've had to slow it down, do the work with them, use the extra practice pages and diagramming practice, review and question their understanding, and actively teach the material. Some of this may be because we are new to CLE LA this year, but I can see that it is going to require me to carefully, patiently teach it. I've gone back to studying FLL (for the script) and R&S (for the diagramming) in my spare time! ;)

 

Honestly? I don't know how you moms of many do it. There are days when actively teaching (and mothering) these three takes nearly all day. Well, most days, really. If we had younger children in the mix, we would have to work it like Eight does -- littles in the morning, while the olders read, then work with the olders the rest of the day.

 

Maybe some of the needed wisdom lies in choosing materials that work, and some of it is in how we configure the day, and some of it is in being disciplined and diligent over a long haul? If we can get all of that perfectly balanced, then perhaps it is doable (but hard work). If not....

 

Even so, if I had four, five, six kids, I would expect my days to be very, very long -- longer than they already are. If my youngest two weren't twins, or if they were on totally different levels for English and Math, that would add to the teaching load. If we had a third grade level, a fourth grade level.... yeah, it would add up. We do all of our content studies -- Bible, Science, Literature, History, Geography, Bible Memory Work, Junior Bible Quiz, Hymns, Composer Study, Music Theory, Artist Study, Art & Handicrafts, and some French -- as a group. I'm trying to imagine having multiple levels for content subjects, in addition to grade-level work. :svengo:

THe problem with long days is they don't allow a lot of family time and I'd rather have a solid family than a solid school. ;)  With three you get both.  With 5, 6, 7 + things become a trade off.  It doesn't mean that you can't give them a rock solid education and a great home/family life.  But it does mean that not all materials will work well for you.

 

I can dig a hole with a spoon or I can use a shovel.  If I have all day and a pretty spoon, well, have at it.  But if the spoon and shovel both do the trick and I don't care how fancy the hole is? I'm picking the shovel.  And I'm doing it guilt free, lol.  Why?  Because the point was the hole and the hole got done.

 

I love the idea and concept of beauty and time spent together and I think that if you had the basics being hit solidly, consistently, with git 'er done curriculum, you'd find more space to breathe and explore other things. 

 

Now, as an encouragement, I will add that because we can't fit them in daily, you can fit them in in rotation.  (Circle time again OR CDs in the car - like stories of the composers and CDs of their music.)  And while I'd love to have time carved out for handicrafts each day, it doesn't happen.  But I have found "seasons" happen.  We had a season of knitting.  (Okay, it was more like three years.)  I taught many of my girls to knit and some still do on a regular basis.  It's okay to have seasons where you do something intensely, lay the foundation and teach the basic skills, then let them run wild with it.  You might have a season of painting, then equip them with materials and free time.  

 

And try not to compare.  Ana (oldest DD) probably had the best education.  Unfortunately, I was so busy getting through the laundry list (and it was long) of subjects that I think I missed the soft skills of being present and truly relishing some of those subjects.

 

I honestly believe I probably have more joy NOW in what I choose to teach and maybe it's because I'm teaching less? I've almost always enjoyed homeschooling, except for a semi-short period time - but I wish I'd known then what I know now.....  That you cannot spend enough time reading aloud.  You can't spend enough time outside.  The combination is unstoppable.  Teach skills and independence and definitely delve into literature  deep and wide.  

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I still recommend finding a curriculum that YOU like administering. I think what BlsdMama meant was we need to let go of idealism, and trade "perfect" for "finished."

 

This is a good point.  I felt very confident going back to Rod & Staff grammar rather than the gamut I'd tried.  Why do I like it?  It fills my trouble areas -it's thorough and it gets done.  

 

There are things I would rather use.  This is not my mountain to die on, if ykwim?  My mountain to die on is reading aloud.  I will sacrifice picking and choosing curriculum in almost all areas in order to have the time/energy/effort available to read aloud.

 

I think this priority is different for each person.

 

I will say that I clean an office twice a week.  (It's silent, it's late, and I'm alone, lol, it's perfect.) I use the time to listen to podcasts.  I think it might be the most valuable part of my week - it gives me inspiration to carry on and keep reading.

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We use IEW Fix-It Grammar and The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need OGYEN).  At first, we used FIG as designed.  However, because we don't use any other IEW products, my DD became bogged down and confused over grammatical wording.  So I have altered the way we use it.  

 

I'll tell you how we now use FIG and the other grammar book and it may provide an idea for you & your kids.

 

On Monday's I use the OGYEN to choose two often misused words & teach the difference to DD (eg., advice vs. advise); then we go to FIG.  I'll read the weekly paragraph to her (not just one sentence, but the complete paragraph as dictation).  After I read it to her, I'll read it again to make sure she got all the words; then I'll read it a 3rd time grammatically, and she has to put in all punctuation according to how I read the passage.  This teaches her how to read/write grammatically.  This practice also constitutes her spelling practice.

 

Next, I give her a list of parts of speech, phrases, & clauses she has to identify.  Once she's done with that, she turns her notebook in to me and I correct it.  I take note of any misspelled words, and they go on a master spelling list which we review weekly.  If she misidentifies any clauses or phrases, during the next class I teach those items from OGYEN because it teaches the proper name for those items and matches Kilgallon's identification of those phrases & clauses.

 

This whole process only takes DD about 15 minutes.  She is retaining more and doing much better than when we had a more formal curriculum.

 

What I'm thinking is you could read maybe two sentences from the FIG paragraph; have your younger Dc stop and identify simple nouns and verbs (more if they have been taught more figures of speech) while you continue the paragraph with your older DC and have them identify more grammatical elements.  When they hand in their notebooks, check their work.

 

During the next day's class. Alert DC to all misspellings. Don't worry too much about spelling more difficult words with the younger. Praise them if they spell something phonetically, but show them the proper spelling and sound it out with them.  Have them practice writing the words on their own and saying them as they write (maybe 2 to 3 times). Quiz them in a fun way later in the week on the words they missed.  However, the older DC should have all spelling corrected and missed words go on a master list to be reviewed throughout the week.  Phrases, clauses, and other grammatical elements that were missed by the older DC should be taught this day as well in a short lesson with examples.  While younger DC are writing their words, write some example sentences out for the older DC asking them to identify those grammatical elements they missed before; have the younger DC (if they've finished writing their words) identify nouns, verbs, etc in your sample sentences as reinforcement of their previous lesson.

 

This is just a basic idea.  You could tweak it anyway you want.  However, keep it short & sweet: 15-20 mins. Then have older DC move on to writing/lit/comp; whatever else you have them doing.  Younger can move on to another class.  You can do this with any of the FIG books, as well as any grammar resource book that includes example sentences.  Sometimes I also just use example sentences and instruction from websites if the instruction is better than the grammar book.

 

Just a thought. HTH.

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This is so true. Even as a mom of one, this has been a big lesson for me to learn. Now granted, I'm a single mom and run my own business, so really it's like having 3 kids lol. 

 

For us, learning this meant giving up the program I loved that was just too much {Sonlight}. And transitioning to Lifepac, Saxon, and more workbook based schooling. Is she getting the depth of education she was before? No. But is school getting done? Yes. Is life getting done? Yes. Are we still having rabbit trails & great discussions? Yes - even more so now that I don't feel we are always behind. The biggest thing is our schooling no longer feels disjointed anymore - even if we take time off for health problems, a busy week for me, etc - it is FAR easier for us to just jump right back into our lessons again. 

 

 

And I also agree about using tried & true materials. Saxon math is that for us - I used the same edition myself as a homeschooler. So I know that, despite her complaints about the program, if we stick with it she will get a solid math education. 

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First Kelly, I have to say I  :wub:  this post and your others in this thread too! Thank you for saying all of this. It was very very good to hear for a mom of only three. Especially the high school part I highlighted. We are knee deep in 9th grade right now and wow. Some weeks........it's nice to read perspective. 

 

Second, I have a question. Is Teaching the Trivium a book or a website? 

 

Teaching the Trivium is a book written by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn.  It's been AGES since I read it (Ana was little) and I didn't get a lot out of it because she was only 8-9 at that time.  However, I've referred back to their site for math articles that are pretty fascinating and worth pondering.  

http://www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/research_on_teaching_math.php

 

 

 

But their article on ten things to do under age ten is a worthy read:

http://www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/ten_to_do_before_ten.php

 

I'm really wondering if the Bluedorns were the first to influence my thinking of deciding what is most important and doing that thoroughly and completely, but minimizing what is "most" important and then building from there.  The article is worth reading.  They, in no way, minimize education.  They just laid the foundation, kwim?  You'd recognize their boys' book.  :)  Fallacy Detective

 

An interesting quote:

[page 290] Immersing children in good language from books and tapes, modeling patterns for their own speech and writing, and letting them enjoy their proficiency in using words to manipulate ideas are valid ways to embed "grammar" in growing brains . . . . No amount of worksheets or rule learning will ever make up for deficits resulting from lack of experience with the structure of real, meaningful sentences.

It is folly to ignore the importance of oral storytelling, oral history, and public speaking in a world that will communicate increasingly without the mediation of print. These skills build language competence in grammar, memory, attention, and visualization, among many other abilities.

. . . I personally believe . . . that helping students at all grade levels memorize some pieces of good writing Ă¢â‚¬â€œ narrative, expository, and poetic Ă¢â‚¬â€œ on a regular basis would provide good practice for language, listening, and attention. I do not mean reverting to a rote-level curriculum, but simply taking a little time each week to celebrate the sounds of literate thought . . . .

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I agree. It is why my younger kids have short days and my older kids have long days. I work with my younger kids first thing in the morning while my older kids are reading. I spend the rest of the day with my older kids.

 

This is good advice. I'm not sure how this looks in 8's home, but in our home the younger ones pick up an astonishing amount by voluntarily hanging around with the older ones as they're learning with me throughout the day. For example, I haven't begun Latin with 9yo, but he knows all the paradigms and vocabulary my middle schoolers know because he thinks it's fun to practice flashcards with them. At 6/7yo he could narrate Dickens as well as the rest of them simply because he was used to hearing that kind of language. You just can't overestimate how much younger kids pick up when they're living in a learning environment.

Edited by Jane Elliot
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I can't really speak to the aspect of schooling many children, but in regards to "using the curriculum that works vs. what you like", I wanted to add: 

 

The scientist in me really, really likes BSFU for science.  In theory.  The content and the way it's organized.  The way it's written.  

 

The problem is I'm just never getting to it.  There's a little too much reading ahead and gathering-of-materials to do on a daily or weekly basis for me.  It's not that the concepts are difficult to understand or convey...It's just not really open-and-go, which--due to our life/schedule--is what I need on a regular basis if formal science is going to get done.  DH works in science and we do a lot of informal science lifestyle-wise, but I try to work through a formal course of study as well.  So...

 

I just ordered something new last week.  

 

Finally realized after several months of BSFU sitting on the shelf that using something different--albeit possibly "inferior", to my way of thinking--would be better than not accomplishing anything.  

 

And accomplishing something "inferior" (said with humor--I know there are a lot of good science programs out there) would definitely be superior to doing nothing!  

Edited by vonbon
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I think, although I have far fewer children, what I do and Arctic Mama does is similar. Rather than incorporate everything into 'school", we have get 'r done school, that gets done, and then leaves lots of extra guilt free time for all that other wonderful stuff. So maybe we use textbooks or what not for some stuff, but then there is time for questions and discussion and documentaries and playing outside and knitting or crafts or whatever, on their own time. It's not what I envisioned, but it's working. (I think!)

 

I also fully count listening to NPR in the car while I drive kids around as part of their schooling. And watching "wildlife docs" or "sea rescues" or whatever, for the littles. I swear they learn a ton from all that stuff, and it fills in some of the depth I don't always get to. 

 

I'd also agree that reading is the number one thing. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Is this thread too old to respond to?!   :coolgleamA:

 

Keri, I'm with you. I don't know how to do it all with four students; it's been such a tough fall here. I'm spread way too thin, everything demands my intense time/attention, someone is always getting neglected, the oldest is VERY needy, kids retain better and learn better with me at the elbow, etc. etc. I'm really not sure how to resolve all of these tensions. There are so many variables that affect a family and how the family runs including Mom's personality and the kids' personalities. Sometimes I wish I could swap birth order here so that certain personalities were in different places within our family. :coolgleamA:  My oldest student is my brightest/smartest but the MOST needy because he has significant challenges with focus/attention/time management. My youngest breaks the Extrovert mold; talks incessantly and processes everything out loud. He is a joy but shreds this introvert Mom to bits every day. And then there are the middlers ...  :lol:

 

I have chosen certain curriculum to help me "get it done". I have the areas I want/need to focus on and for now these are math, writing, daily corrections and time management/accountability. Some things are 'dry' but shrug. I seriously can't help with all of that ....  

 

While I KNOW I can't "do it all" there is still the challenge of figuring out what to actually DO and how to go about it and how to be at peace with the decisions. :laugh:  

 

 

Edited by abrightmom
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Is this thread too old to respond to?! :coolgleamA:

 

Keri, I'm with you. I don't know how to do it all with four students; it's been such a tough fall here. I'm spread way too thin, everything demands my intense time/attention, someone is always getting neglected, the oldest is VERY needy, kids retain better and learn better with me at the elbow, etc. etc. I'm really not sure how to resolve all of these tensions. There are so many variables that affect a family and how the family runs including Mom's personality and the kids' personalities. Sometimes I wish I could swap birth order here so that certain personalities were in different places within our family. :coolgleamA: My oldest student is my brightest/smartest but the MOST needy because he has significant challenges with focus/attention/time management. My youngest breaks the Extrovert mold; talks incessantly and processes everything out loud. He is a joy but shreds this introvert Mom to bits every day. And then there are the middlers ... :lol:

 

I have chosen certain curriculum to help me "get it done". I have the areas I want/need to focus on and for now these are math, writing, daily corrections and time management/accountability. Some things are 'dry' but shrug. I seriously can't help with all of that ....

 

While I KNOW I can't "do it all" there is still the challenge of figuring out what to actually DO and how to go about it and how to be at peace with the decisions. :laugh:

Not too old at all.Ă°Å¸ËœÅ  It's an ongoing topic to ponder for me.
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  • 3 years later...

Thanks for bumping the thread. From the first post I was thinking, "Yes, BFSU/Nebel science is What I Should Have Used. All the engineers and science people I knew who homeschooled swore by it. But I could barely understand it, my kids didn't remember anything of it, and TOPS Science worked so, so much better for us.

Oh and also Wordly Wise. How I tried. How they loved the games. Nobody remembered anything.

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Even with one "what gets done" wins.   I really wanted to love Math U See, but I needed something scripted for it to get done (and to not have to watch videos or sort out extraneous info to get that script.)    So I get it. 

Edited by goldenecho
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