Amy Jo
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Posts posted by Amy Jo
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12yo (dyslexic): Apples & Pears
11yo: Simply Spelling (I think you can purchase the ebook again w/o emailing the author)
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This is what we are falling into this season:
Breakfast - I read aloud from one of three books (history, literature, science/health) -- I read at meals because that way my littles have to stop talking and actually, you know, eat something.
Morning Time (which we were doing after breakfast, but yesterday we did it at 10, in the middle of our school day, and it was a lovely break, so I think that's where we'll keep it for now)
- Singing (with dancing of course)
- Bible
- Recitation
- Short reading with narration (currently ONE of Pilgrim's Progress, Parables from Nature, Midsummer Night's Dream) -- 2 are dramatized audio, which is lovely
- Quick learning (currently ONE of I Speak Latin, Mother Tongue II, or Yo Sacramento!)
Little kids go play, the older boys and I do a more advanced reading - currently Plutarch or Fallacy Detective, but I'm looking to add something for finance and for Christian devotional reading. I'm toying with adding a section of Lingua Latina here as well.
Times shift seasonally here as well, so I've been trying to flow with the seasons instead of fighting them.
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The program I'm using for dictation, Simply Spelling, does include the rules but the rules are relevant to the context of the passage studied. (One doesn't need a program to point these things out, but it does help with independence, which is what I need them to have.) And I agree that by the time dictation starts, the child has done a lot of work with words, as Paula said.
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I've been making saddle stitch booklets for my kids. I limit them to about 10 sheets of paper (40 worksheets). For identification the covers are color coded (so blue is my youngest son), and then I have a rectangular basket we keep them in. But there are other home-binding options, saddle stitching is just super simple and quick. I love SeaLemon's tutorials on Youtube.
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But I am a fan of using repetition to develop muscle memory (i.e. handwriting) as well as fact recall (i.e. math). I do not agree with CM that one perfect execution solidifies a skill forever.
Well I'm pretty CM. Reminds me of Circe but more concrete. Anyway, I was wondering where CM says one perfect execution and to avoid repetition? Granted, she didn't say much on math, as Hunter pointed out, she felt math was an area taught adequately in her time. SCM has a lovely book on CM and math - the author actually found some of the older math books CM used and was able to expand on those, and other things, to come up with a nice picture of CM's math. Which did include math drill. So I'm curious on that...
As to what I use outside of AO (I assume we aren't bothering with things like math & Latin?), I use 2 programs for my dyslexic (Dancing Bears and Apples & Pears). I'm also using the Bob Books for reading instruction, while I think CM's methods would work great, I just can't wrap my head around it enough to implement it! I'm also re-adding Serl's Language Lessons, and I plan to use LTOW when I have a child who is old enough. HTH!
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I am looking at it for my 5th grader (pretty quick with language, but needs specific instruction and I don't know how to give it - he is hard for me to teach sometimes, because he questions everything, LOL) and my 7th grader (dyslexic). We are CM, so we've focused on copywork, oral/written narration, Latin & dictation.
How many lessons a week was it (assuming you wanted to do a year to cover the whole book)? I was just frustrated because I couldn't find a suggested weekly schedule or number of lessons anywhere. Even Amazon's "surprise me" wouldn't show me more than the very beginning. I've seen it described as having writing and grammar, but I don't know how much of either or what is really covered (usage? parts of speech? etc.). Or if it includes "CM" things like dictation.
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From Brookdale House - I can't see much of the sample but I'm very curious about it. Or if you seen the whole program, or beta tested it .... :) I'd love your thoughts. Especially how intensive is it? (Lessons/week, time/day, etc.) Also how teacher dependent is it - can I get the child started or will I have to sit there the whole time? Thanks!
http://brookdalehouse.com/product/writing-rhetoric-book-1-student-workbook/
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Don't participate in arguments. Walk away. Pray for a spirit of peace, perhaps memorize a psalm so you have good thoughts to meditate on.
Around here it works best when everyone has their area. I'm in charge of the kids for example but DH is in charge of vehicles.
Don't fall prey to resentment. I know, oh I know, how hard that is. It is a trap to sap your enjoyment. (I fall into it too often.)
For DH and I, alone time is also important. The best thing we can do when we get snippy with each other is get a sitter and leave the house. Sit down for a meal where we don't have to cook, clean, or corral kids.
And be thankful for your husband. Remind your self of his good points when he is driving you crazy. :)
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I have three boys using AO at grade level. And they aren't super stars. I will say they have surprised me by what they understand. True, sometimes a chapter goes over their heads, but we adjust, more background information or smaller chunks. It is certainly fine to back up a year but I don't want people to have the impression that you have to do that.
I also want my kids to know good books should be reread. Oliver Twist was a doozy though. I reread Black Beauty as an adult and got more out of it!
I read aloud or use audio until they can read alone. I also like them to read along with the audio as they transition. Some books we read together, because I think more guidance as needed.
And we don't keep a rigid time - table here, although I have learned to not let lessons drag on - it is better to stop and try again later than to beat a dead subject. :)
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Not offended at all. The rules are different in England, the English-English words are fun and he can't guess them (as has been mentioned). Plus, we read a lot of English lit with AO. And this really isn't a program for a 5 year old. This is a REMEDIAL program (for the most part, I know people can use it however). It is excellent. All the funny names & titles work in those less-used letter combinations... I suppose it isn't a perfect program, but it is pretty darn close. (And my son has completed the whole book - IT WORKS!!! He is reading now!!!)
But if you'd rather have "Mat sat". "Jill and the cat ran." more power to ya!
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I try *not* to drop things. We have not yet done well in the free read department (and that's being generous!). I'm a fan of sitting down with your commitments and making a schedule that includes things like eating and sleeping. NOT so you can follow the schedule (unless you want to) but so that you know (1) everything fits into 24 hours and (2) only one of you is required at any point in time.
Okay, for honesty we've dropped several things to actually finish the year. Not because AO was too much, but because the rest of life, which I didn't have a lot of control over, was too much for several months. Of course, you can just roll over and start the next AO year whenever, but that doesn't work for my personality. I pushed a few favorites into the next term but that was it.
As to fitting it all in, I'm trying a time-based schedule. You can see more on the Sabbath Mood Homeschooling blog. We did a few test runs this summer and it looks very promising. Basically, instead of "read chapter 1 of book X" we will have 20 minutes (or whatever) to read and narrate from book X, and on the next day it is scheduled we'll pick up from the same point.
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I'm planning to do CM style prepared dictation. And hopefully to keep an eye on misspellings in DS's work, so we can do a custom spelling list if needed. Whether or not that will work, I don't know. We just started A&P yesterday! But I will say if he can pass the test at the end of book D I will be a happy mama. Maybe he'll never be a great speller, but at least he'll spell well enough to use a spell checker if needed.
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I like your list! I wish one that flexible existed.
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I have that on my shelf -- I'll go take a look at it. Any other ideas? My search for "German" was pretty slim on results.
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I need something my DH can use to work with us (kids are 4 to 12) on German for about 10 minutes a day. Something not wordy or requiring writing. I don't know if a step by step book or an idea book would be better, but I want us to get started on some family German before the eldest hits high-school! DH speaks German fairly well - he actually remembers his high school German. He isn't as confident in reading it, so we need an easy start. So please throw ideas at me! Thanks!
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My son started it this school year, year 4 of AO, and he was 8 (9 now). So I'd say go for it. I assume he's done the D'Aulaire book already? I found that helpful, since it's a good overview of the Greek god family tree.
ETA: I'm talking about Bulfinch's Age of Fable, I've not read the others. AO's other Greek myth selections include Tanglewood Tales and the Heroes. And there are more on the mainlesson website - the one by Baldwin written for 3rd graders seemed good - I read the first few chapters.
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My older two boys are using The Fun Spanish. My eldest, especially, learns best with context/sentences, and I like that they draw a picture to illustrate the Spanish, rather than translation.
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I'm going for this approach. http://www.pocm.info/good_books_read_greek.htm
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I do some in the regular sections as sight words. Very few and I can't think of an example. I assumed they might be pronounced differently in British English - DS couldn't decode them because of our pronunciation (maybe 4-5 words in the whole Fast Track book).
I think sometimes it's better to jump in. Cross the bridge when you come to it and all that stuff. :D And I would recommend knowing the rules yourself and then explaining when you come to it. That way there is real, concrete practice instead of an abstract concept. At least I know my sons didn't do abstract well. I'll be starting my youngest son on the actual book on his birthday (Tuesday). He knows several of the phonograms and those will be cemented as he practices on real words.
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I use PDF Shuffler on Linux.
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Seriously?? Some kids are NOT natural spellers. One of my sons will do just dictation - right now he's learning more about usage than spelling. He's a natural speller. Another of my sons I will be ordering a specialized spelling program so that he can write with confidence and so that people can read what he wrote! He is the opposite of a natural speller. And I don't know about unschoolers, but there are people who can't spell. I would say it limits them, especially if they can't get close enough for the spell checker to correct them. I'm a natural speller.
I guess you need to, as far as possible, make sure they can spell. You'll have to decide if explicit teaching is needed for each child.
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My eldest just said all the sounds of a letter/combo, SWR style. If he didn't know them we just did the DB style. I didn't stress about it. My younger son doesn't have the SWR sounds so engraved, so I told him he just needs to say the first sound. But if he says them all it's still "right".
I use the cursor still and will to the end I think. My son still tries to rush sometimes, or he'll get frustrated, or some days he has troubles with some sounds, ... so it's just easier to use the cursor, slow and steady. One mod is that on the timed readings he controls the cursor.
The 'sight words' weren't an issue for my eldest, because he knew them from SWR (just not very fast). I just said some were tricky and we'd practice them each time we did that page. For my younger son I will build them phonetically if needed, and point out the sounds.
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No, never looked back. Eldest is now in book C. Actually, I like it so much I'm using the Fast Track book for my almost 8yo - I think other methods would work for him, but Dancing Bears is just so easy and effective. (And quick, youngest son is rather hyper although he is improving.) We must be mutants because we find the stories funny. :D As soon as I have the funds I'll be ordering the Apples & Pears set for my eldest.
We used various vintage books, SWR / WRTR, video lessons, readers, ... nothing worked. I did continue to use the SWR flashcards for my eldest with no problem when we started DB. I finally broke down and laminated the DB flashcards since my youngest son will be using them - he can be rough.
Dancing Bears is the single best curriculum I've purchased. There was a miracle inside the cover.
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We are doing both Latin & Greek. Right now we (older two boys) are using the Hupogrammon (workbook for the Alphabetarion). We'll be doing Elementary Greek after we finish, which will be soon. After that I'm not sure.
Guidance on building reading habits/fluency
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Buddy reading has been very helpful - for new, struggling and even good readers. My good reader and I do half pages each, the child who struggles generally does 1 paragraph then I read 2. It's really helped me see their pronunciation issues (names!) and each of them has improved his reading voice. (DD is still too bossy for this.)
I also (attempt to) have a daily reading or resting time, it is about 30 min, currently before bed (in the summer it will be in the hot afternoons). Anyway, they seem to choose to enjoy reading, but I find with active boys they need that block to 'help' them choose to read.