pgr
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Posts posted by pgr
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Awesome job, Mommy! :hurray:
I applaud both you and your girl for having the courage and perseverance to go back and plow through it all from the beginning.
Bring on the celebration!
:party:
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Darn you Angela!! You're going to cost me a small fortune. Quit showing all this neat stuff after I'm "done" making my curriculum and resource purchases.
{sneaking over to Amazon now while my dh isn't home}
:iagree::iagree::iagree: (except that my DH is home :D)
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:w00t:
"Wow" is right - I'm very impressed!!!
(thanks for sharing!)
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Attempting to resist the urge to complicate things is futile, it seems... :)
Searching the boards hasn't led me to a difinitive answer, so I thought I'd ask.
We've been afterschooling as our daughter attends half day Montessori K, and will be HS full time starting this fall. So far, we've been reading CHOW and supplementing with Usborne Encyclopedia of Ancient (not World) History and other books from the library (and All Through the Ages lists). She's voiced an interest in doing activities related to what we're doing.
Since we already have CHOW, and I've read it overlaps considerably with SOTW, I wonder if it would make sense to add SOTW AG? Or HO? Or....
I'm not really looking for a curriculum guide, per se, and I'm feeling too overwhelmed with other responsibilities at this particular time to dig through the internet/random books to come up with ideas. That may change in the fall when things should simmer down at least a little.
I would, however, like to continue whatever we start for (ideally, if it's working) the full 4 year cycle of history. Any thoughts?
Thank you!
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Classical Writing - it's a writing curriculum for K-12.
This is the website:
:)
ETA: if it's listed as curriculum, then that's what it seems to stand for. I agree about context, though.
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A classical education is a wonderful vaccine against banality.
Love this thought!
(and I love this thread!)
:D
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Thank you so much for sharing this - like many, I never would have seen it otherwise!
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Oh my gosh- after all of that, I just looked at your signature line and see that your kids are only going into 1st grade and K- so this won't even be an issue for you for a few years yet. You don't have to do anything until the school year when they turn 8 years of age by your district's cutoff date!
That's when compulsory school age starts here.
:)
Thank you SO much for taking the time to type all that out - I'm going to print it for future reference ;)... It was all information that I'd come across before in one form or another in my research of PA laws, but I found it terribly helpful to see it all in one place, broken down into user friendly steps :).
I know compulsory education starts at age 8 - I want to use those first years as a dress rehearsal so I'm not just looking at it all for the first time when I actually have to do it.
You've been incredibly helpful - I really appreciate your post!
:)
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We plan on trying Spelling Wisdom. We haven't started using it, so I can't comment there. I like that it provides fairly strong exposure to common words in a "natural" way, i.e. reading, copywork, dictation.
I also plan to incorporate vocabulary - Wordly Wise is what I've got. Again, haven't used it yet....
I wish I could be more helpful as far as sharing real experience with these programs, but that's what I've come up with based on the research I've done, so I'll share what I've got! :)
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In my opinion, the only things more important than a second language in elementary school are reading, writing, and math. In my view, a living language is the best choice.
Like many who have replied, I emphatically agree with this.
As far as the "window", the little guys certainly have an easier time just absorbing a second language. However, it's not an all or none deal. The younger you start, the better - but a person is able to learn a language fluently and speak it without an accent until about 12-14 ish.
Of course, a natural talent in that area, along with ideal conditions (e.g. living in a foreign country where the language is spoken) is clearly going to be an advantage...:) I learned Spanish that way when I was 9-10 yrs old.
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I did a lot of research on it and ended up ordering it for the upcoming school year.
I haven't used it, but looking at it (I have pre-A blue) - I agree that some parts may seem too easy for a child that is advanced in LA (though it's not described as a "gifted" curriculum, so it's fair that it should be expected to be appropriate for an at-grade-level child). My second hesitation in using it is that the layout is very busy, and I'm not really liking how it's organized.
Again, I'm not really able to give a fair review until I actually use it! (A bit reminiscient of recipe reviews that say "Terrible recipe! Made exactly as written, only I used celery instead of potatoes, tomato sauce instead of cream, and cod instead of beef. Would never make this again!" ;)
I don't know how helpful this is, but that's my first impression for you. To be fair, I didn't vote.
I have heard rave reviews across multiple forums, which is what pushed me over the edge in terms of buying it. I also have heard lots of times that there's a steep learning curve, and that it's wonderful once you get past that...
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:seeya:
Nice to see there are others out there who will either be braving the PA laws soon or have already survived them :tongue_smilie:!
I'm sure they're not nearly as noxious as they sound...
The clock is ticking loudly around here - we've got a contract on our home here in NY, and are madly looking for a place to live in PA.
We'll be on our way to PA in late June! :) It's nice to feel like I already "know" some folks over there! :D
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:lurk5:
I had looked at El Espanol Facil/Easy Spanish very seriously; it seems like a great program (and overall idea), but I haven't found any terrific reviews here...so I"m waffling.
I also wonder about the merits of grammar in several languages.
Is Getting Started with Spanish dry, or does it just seem to be from the sample pages? Everyone seems to love it, and I can't figure out why just by looking at the website.
I don't mean to jump in and hijack the thread, bonniebeth4 - hopefully my questions will bring useful info in some indirect way... :blush:
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:lurk5:
Thanks for asking this!
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For those that have used these - any input on which you'd pick if you could only use one?
I'm looking for a supplement to geography for 1st grade. DD is familiar with things like directions, the world map, continents.
They both seem pretty simple and quick to get through...
Thanks!
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Thank you for the replies - I'm feeling much better about this!
I forgot to add that the WWE (and CM) approach is also part of my current plan. I don't know that I will follow the textbook exactly, but I do plan to do narration and dictation. I'll edit my original post.
Sounds like you're doing a great job. Just keep in mind your goals and fill them in naturally. It seems to be her strong point, so work with it! And AWESOME that she's doing that well with a second language.Thank you for the reassurance - my gut instinct tells me to just let her soar and see where she goes, but instincts can be wrong sometimes... I do feel more confident hearing reassurance from those of you with much more experience!
Just a little plug for Sequential Spelling. Reading and spelling comes naturally to both of my olders and they don't have a lot of patience with busy work. Sequential Spelling was relatively painless as far as that goes but it did give them a good way to recognize different spelling patterns. There is also a lot of instant gratification because you get to the "test" everyday and from Monday to Friday they are able to see a lot of words and by Friday they are confident in spelling them. We didn't use it this year (using a VA so we didn't have a choice), but they've been able to skip more than half of the busy work because they recognize the patterns from SS in previous years.Also, reading, reading, reading has built their spelling abilities and vocabulary more than any program we've used. DD#3 has an amazing vocabulary just from read alouds even though she struggles mightily with reading on her own. Exposure is more than half the battle in my book.
Thank you for sharing this - SS was at the top of my list for quite some time. I was under the impression that it was better for someone who already had had exposure to the rules, so I've put in on my "to reconsider if need be" list. I'll look at it again and keep it in mind.
I absolutely agree that exposure is more than half the battle! Especially when there's a natural inclination and a willing participant! My kiddo just loves books, so it's easy.
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Sounds as if you've done a really great job, all on your own. :thumbup:
I don't think it hurts any child to have some direct instruction.
Personally, I would probably not do GWG yet, nor Wordly Wise. Tons of reading plus Spelling Wisdom is probably enough. Yes, even though her reading and spelling skills seem quite advanced for her age. There are only 8 parts of speech; with your eagle eye to make sure there aren't any gaps along the way, I'm pretty sure she won't need 12 years of instruction to learn to use those 8 parts of speech well. :)
Thank you for the pat on the back - I really appreciate it! Though I think most of her skill is the result of genetics in action and not really action on my part ( well, other than turning the TV off ;) ), but it's still nice to see a thumbs up and to hear that someone else believes that less can be more...
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I've plowed through all the threads I could find, and I still have not come to a decision.
My DD is reading at about a third grade level (e.g. Charlotte's Web). She's doesn't do a whole lot of writing yet, but very rarely makes spelling mistakes when she does write, spelling things like "dinosaur" without any pause to think. I've had her read aloud to me - even the words that she doesn't know the meaning of, she sounds out correctly about 80% of the time. English is not her first language, and I'd guess she's at the same level as far as reading/writing (and speaking) go in both languages.
We read with her since she was a baby, and she took off reading on her own at 4.5yrs. She's not had any formal phonics instruction, nor any grammar/spelling - she has not seen any of the rules. She's not one to be terribly patient with rules, either...:tongue_smilie: She's also a visual learner.
I've gone back and forth, wavering in my decision on what approach to take. I've "firmly decided" to do rigorous phonics/grammar/spelling, and I've "firmly decided" to just let her read and write and see where she's at in a year or so. I've made compromises to my "final decisions". Now I'm back to the "I just don't know!" stage.
She's just at the age of starting first grade. My intention would be for her to grow up to be a strong reader and a strong writer. As much as I hate it, I also have to admit that I'd like her to do well on the standardized tests that she'll have to take (state mandated).
My most current plan of action is: GWG, Spelling Wisdom (dictation), and a ton of reading, with maybe Wordly Wise thrown in for additional vocab. ETA: I also plan to do some narration/dictation along the lines of WWE/CM.
I'm wondering if I should add something for spelling (or use something instead of the Spelling Wisdom approach) like Spelling Plus or Spelling Power or Soaring with Spelling...
If relevant, my plan for the future would be to use MCT/Killgallon. I'm also looking at JAG/AG depending on where we're at in that regard a few years down the line.
I guess I want to make sure I'm giving her (i.e. not robbing her of it) the foundation she needs in order to succeed, but I also don't want to bombard her with a bunch of rules if she doesn't need them. I don't want to kill the love she has for languages at this point.
A final piece of information: one thing that is influencing my thought process is my own background. I changed schools every two years or so, and lived part of my elementary years overseas (where all instruction was in Spanish, not English). I've got gaps bigger than blocks of foundation when it comes to the rules of the English language. Regardless, I was in AP classes in HS, and originally planned to seek a degree in journalism. I'm naturally strong with languages (and NOT in math, so it's a balance! :D), and I'm sure that's a very large part of it, but I'm a strong reader/writer even without all the rules.
Help?!
Thank you!
:)
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These programs seem to be quite good, but I'm having a hard time finding reviews... I did find several threads in which people mentioned they were going to try one or the other, but then look down at their siggy and they're often using something else...
Any input at all???
I'm looking for beginner programs for the early elementary years. FWIW, I have some background in both French and Spanish.
Thank you!
:)
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Spreading Oaks School
I, too, agonized over this quite a bit. Spreading Oaks (especially if you look at Google Images :tongue_smilie:) are such strong, majestic trees, with good roots and firm foundations. They cast a wide shade for the weary, it seems, and the oak is a strong national symbol in our native country.
I do find it fitting that, especially at this stage of the game as we're just starting out and I'm a wee bit apprehensive, the initials spell "SOS"...:D Try putting that on a school logo or T-shirt! :lol:
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I started this post as a "multi quote", but I realized I want to say essentially the same thing to all of you who replied -
in reading each post carefully (and the FAQ page at Geomatters), I now feel I have a much, much better understanding of the two programs and how they can, it seems, compliment each other in different ways. Thank you so much!
I have a feeling Galloping the Globe is going to be a little broad (i.e. I have a history, science, etc curriculum set up), but I'm looking at that as something to maybe start with.
My only remaining questions would be, should I find that we can swing both the Trail Guides and the Ultimate Geography:
- do I need Uncle Josh's map outline CD as well? I thought I read somewhere that it's somehow incorporated into the Ultimate Geo, but then I was unable to find that sentence later... :tongue_smilie:
- do I need something extra like Maps Charts Graphs to teach basics of mapping, or is this somehow covered?
- do you have any recommendations for a good atlas? I really liked the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers, but I don't know if it would work here.
Thank you so much for the information!
:)
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Thank you for the replies - I'll take a look at both Galloping the Globe and Expedition Earth. :)
Any input on the other two from anyone (Ultimate Geo and Trail Guides)?
Thank you!
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I've searched the forum many times and many ways, and I'm still pretty much coming up empty-handed.... :(
I feel geography is an all too often neglected subject, and I think it's important enough to get its own place in the schedule, so.... I'm looking for a good curriculum/guide for the grammar years :).
These are two that seem good, but, as usual, it's hard to gauge just from the sample pages.
The Ultimate Geography and Timeline Guide
Trail Guide to World Geography
Has anyone had any experience with either of these? Please share!!!
:)
ETA: If there's some other terrific resource you've used - please post! I've looked at Evan Moore and Teacher Created workbooks, but I'm hesitant (not a big fan of workbooks, but we do use them if they're really good resources). I'm looking for physical and cultural geography mostly.
Thank you!
CHOW and SOTW AG for ancients 1?
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
anyone?
:bigear: