Jump to content

Menu

sleeplessnights

Members
  • Posts

    400
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by sleeplessnights

  1. When we started, I had four kids under the age of 5 (all about 1.5 years apart). We started using a mish-mash of different resources trying to combine the kids and make things fun and engaging. This was fine for the first couple of grades. But then as my kids got older, I realized that it would be difficult to use teacher-intensive programs for all of my kids at the same time. Even if we combined for some subjects, I found that I would have to differentiate for the different levels or my oldest would be getting "baby" work or my younger kids would be overwhelmed. And I did not have enough time to teach every subject to every kid every day. I just can't do four levels of AAS. So I had to compromise on my resources. I needed more independent work and I wanted individualized levels for each kid. Now I am using CLE as a foundation for math, reading, and language arts. Each child is working at his own level at his own pace. I rotate through the kids using a more conceptual math program (3 weeks for each kid). My older two use Memoria Press for their extra subjects (Geography, History, Science, Latin). My two youngest kids need one-on-one instruction for everything, but my two oldest can do a lot independently while I work with the younger two. We still do Bible, art, read-alouds, SOTW in the car, and activities together as a family, but I needed to know that they were being challenged in their school work. Although I get twinges of regret for not using the "most awesome" program at times, I feel that by being consistent my kids are probably going to be more prepared for what's next. Every family's dynamics are different, and you've got to find what works best for yours. Best of luck!
  2. We don't use the DVD. My son zones out when a DVD is doing the teaching. I just teach the lesson myself after a few minutes of prep work.
  3. We are about 2/3 through FFL. We are completing one lesson a week. That gives some extra time for more difficult lessons. Usually Day 1 includes the lesson, Section 1 & the enrichment section Days 2-4 review the grammar recitation and the forms recitation, and do another workbook section Day 5 is the weekly quiz. FFL has a lot of work, so you really need to work on it every day to retain the information and get through the course in a year.
  4. There are 34 lessons, so we try to do one lesson a week. This gives us a little extra time in the school year if a lesson needs an extra day or two. However, in order to finish a lesson in a week, you really need at least half an hour a day of Latin work, every day. We typically introduce the lesson on Monday and take the lesson quiz on Fridays. Memoria Press schedules the course in their grade level curriculum guides, but I think they'll sell you schedules for individual subjects if you give them a call.
  5. I have used R&S levels 2&3, and have switched to CLE. My kids are now in the 100's, 200's, and 400's. We primarily made the switch because of the teaching time and CLE's spiral approach. Now I teach LA to my daughter (100's), but my older two are essentially independent. If they have questions or need help, I sit down with them, but they can usually read the lesson and work on it by themselves. During R&S 3, my oldest son was having a difficult time determining the verb/verb phrase in sentences. It was taught in a couple lessons, then there was very little practice. Then the book moved on to a different topic and he forgot a lot. I added in some of my own practice, but I realized that he's the kind of kid that needs daily practice until it has sunk in. We use Memoria Press' program that focuses on learning English grammar through Latin, so I didn't feel that I needed to spend so much of my own time teaching the kids grammar. CLE has fit the bill. They are mastering parts of speech and diagramming independently. The lessons are written so that the student can understand without adult intervention. My oldest (400's) takes about 20 minutes a day and checks his own work. Then he brings the book to me and we go over the problems he missed. It has definitely helped his ability to read instructions carefully and take ownership over his own lessons. We do use R&S's spelling program, but plan to continue with CLE LA. I like the workbook format because I want grammar to be fast & efficient. I figure they write plenty in other subjects.
  6. I also have two boys working through BA. Although my younger is more mathy than my older, my older son can figure out the problems much faster and can solve most of the problems by himself because he is about a year and a half older. I typically work through the guide with my younger son. If I had them working together, my older son would be ok, but my younger son wouldn't get that "aha" experience from figuring it out on his own. I would recommend letting them do it independently at their own pace, primarily to make sure the younger one is getting the full Beast Academy experience.
  7. I try to finish a section in about 3 weeks. I believe that comes out to about 2 pages in the practice book per day.
  8. I've got one in LA 1, 2, and 4 right now. I use the answer key for my 4th grader to make things quicker to check. I don't use the one for my 2nd grader. I didn't originally use the one for 1st grade, but I could not figure out some of the pictures that she was supposed to write the word for. For example, there was a picture of a forest clearing with a kid and a sun. Apparently she was supposed to write "day." I finally broke down and bought the teacher's manual for 1st. If your daughter works about grade-level, I would have no problem starting in the 2nd grade books. You could always start in the last couple 1st grade books (107 or 108) if you wanted some review. Everything in CLE is very incremental and the beginning of the year is review, so you'd probably have no problem starting in the 200's. Good luck!
  9. Prima Latin is definitely focused on the younger (2nd-3rd grade, maybe 4th grade) crowd. The purpose of the program is to learn the parts of speech and some prayers. For example, one week you will learn what adjectives are, and then learn five Latin adjectives. Then you learn what pronouns are and learn the six Latin pronouns. You take two weeks to learn how to count to 10 in Latin. I think it would be excruciatingly slow for older kids. My 2nd grader does about 5-10 minutes a day and has mastered everything no problem. For your ages, I would be choosing between LC and First Form. LC moves much slower than First Form, but you are actually learning Latin conjugations and declensions. If you are looking for a easier intro to Latin, I would definitely choose LC.
  10. We use Memoria Press' geography products. Every week you fill out a map on the area you are covering and read about the new areas. At the end of the unit you fill in a map on the entire region: http://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/american-and-modern-studies
  11. My son is using CLE LA 4 this year and he hasn't encountered phonics (odd or otherwise), though we don't do the spelling sections.
  12. My two older boys are currently using grades 3 & 5, a year ahead of their actual grades. As suggested by Memoria Press, they copy all of the words each day before they start their lessons. We do section A on Mon, B on Tues, C on Wed, test on Thurs, and re-test on Friday if they don't get them all right on Thurs. Level 5 is MUCH harder than level 3. Level 3 is still working on some basic phonics skills, but Level 5 has much more intricate word activities that really make you think about the words. I hear there is another jump up in difficulty in Level 7. FWIW, my oldest did levels 1-5 of AAS and my second son did levels 1-3. We miss the dictation, but we needed something less teacher-intensive and I like the word analysis exercises in R&S. We're planning on sticking with it for next year, at a pace of one lesson per week.
  13. I agree. We've done US States & Capitals and are about halfway through Geography 1. The think the student text for Geo 1 is beautiful and the maps are great. Plus it's nice to have some relaxing independent work for my son.
  14. Memoria Press has a poetry book that is for grades 3-6 (you use it for 4 years). You learn the poem, do some copywork, determine the rhyme/meter of the poem, answer some questions, and there is room for a sketch too. We have enjoyed it for the last year and half, but it is not super-fun. The poems are age-appropriate though, and interesting.
  15. I believe that the cutoff for the school year is September 1st. In public school, if you turn 5 before Sept 1, you would be in Kinder (if you want). If you turn 6 before Sept 1st, you would be in 1st, but you can put your 6yo in kinder if you think that would be better. Either way, if your child turns 6 in June, he must officially be in school, i.e. registered with the authorities. You pick the grade, but typically a 6yo is in 1st.
  16. The recitations in K-2 are general knowledge questions, like your address and number of stars on the flag. Starting in 3rd grade, the questions follow what is being learned in the Classical Studies, Christian studies, Geography, and Science courses (and a little Latin). The 4th grade questions also review some of the 3rd grade and earlier material too. My older kids like to answer the questions with the younger kids, but the questions become very subject-specific later on. I separate the questions according to subject and ask them when we work on that specific subject, as well. The classical studies flashcards contain the questions that are on the recitation for that subject. I think the recitations are a great way to keep earlier information fresh. Hope this helps.
  17. I am totally with all of you! We love their stuff and the fact that they will trade out any Beta items for the real thing once they receive a final printing. I ordered the Kindergarten Art Cards and the Grammar Recitation book yesterday. Their articles are always so good too!
  18. We use Poetry for the Grammar Stage in conjunction with MP's graded lesson plans. Last year, in 3rd grade, my son learned 4 or 5 poems, and I believe that there are about 5-6 for this year in 4th grade. Although you could use this program as a stand-alone, the topics of the poems match up with other elements of MP's curriculum. For example, last year my son memorized "The Pleiades" while he was studying astronomy and recently learned "The Grasshopper," which goes right along with his Insect course. Each poem includes a space for a sketch, if you feel inspired. Then there is a copy work page, a page where unfamiliar words are defined, some work with the rhyming structure and meter of the poems, and then a comprehension questions section. As with MP's other products the lessons are efficient and to the point. About every 5 or 6 weeks we take a break from grammar to work through one of the poetry lessons. We add a few new lines every day, and usually have the poem memorized by the end of the week. Then we review all of the memorized poems every Friday to keep them fresh. It's a low-key way to incorporate poetry into our lessons, and it's nice to have four years of lessons in one package.
  19. Last year (calendar year 2012) my oldest used MP's 3rd grade package. He is now about 12 weeks into their 4th grade curriculum. We used their Christian Studies orally as a family, and he did Latina Christiana, States & Capitals, Greek Myths, and Astronomy individually. This year he is using First Form, Geography I, Famous Men of Rome, and Insects individually. We don't use their lit guides right now; I just let my kids read and discuss. MP's products have worked very well for us, and I intend to have my kids work through their programs at their own individual levels. The products we have used have all been spot-on for ability level, and focus on memorizing the facts and stories studied. My son memorizes the vocabulary in the Classical Studies books (Greek Myths, FMR), and does his WWE narration/dictation from these selections too. It has helped to streamline our day and really helps him learn the material. I was a little wary of the elementary science courses, but we have been surprisingly pleased. Last year in Astronomy, the majority of the year (3/4) focused on learning the constellations. The lessons incorporated a lot of the Greek myths that we were learning, and my son liked the dot-to-dot look of the workbook. Now when he looks at the night sky he can quickly pick out some of the most prominent constellations. This year in insects, the Charlotte Mason-esque reader talks about observing certain insects in everyday life and notes observations about the characteristics of the different types of insects. The workbook first teaches about classification and metamorphosis, and then each following lesson includes sketching the insects that are being studied, noting differences. My son loves carrying his insect reference book when we're out and checking out what we find! We definitely plan to continue their sequence next year.
  20. I think it would be very difficult for the students if they didn't each have their own textbook. My son references his while doing his worksheets throughout the week. And the back of the text explains how to diagram different types of sentences. Theoretically, they could take notes during your lecture, but they would be essentially copying all of the information that is in the text.
  21. My fourth grader is using First Form this year. He used Prima Latina and Latina Christiana the previous two years. First Form is considerably better put together than the previous two programs. Each lesson (= 1 week) is contained in two facing pages. The textbook is clean-looking and not overwhelming. The workbook has lots of practice for each lesson, so you really know your stuff by the end of the week. However, there is a lot to learn, so expect to spend time each day working through the course in order to finish it by the end of the year. I don't know how old your child is, but I would definitely stick to MP's grade recommendations: 5th grade for new Latin students, 4th for continuing students. I don't know about other program because we've only used MP's products.
  22. We do better with shorter, more frequent blocks, even for content subjects. For example, this year my oldest is doing Famous Men of Rome. He takes one lesson that is designed to take about 90 minutes and breaks it up into 3 or 4 shorter blocks. Friday he reviews the previous lessons. I have found that this keeps his attention and improves both his work quality and retention. MP's curriculum is designed for one content subject a day, but we break most of them up over several days. This year is going much better, but that may be because I'm trying to juggle four kids...
  23. My 3 boys all have fall birthdays, so for school I start their new grades in January (after taking a nice break in Dec). My daughter has a spring b-day, so I start her school year in Aug. My older kids learned to read early, but I just kept them reading and doing some light copywork until 1st grade. They are also ahead in math. I don't want them to progress too quickly in math, so we do a couple different math curricula a year to cement concepts before moving on. I'm going for a pre-Alg in 7th, calculus in 12th time frame. Most of our "yearly" subjects are the content ones. We use Memoria Press, so our yearly subjects are history, geography, science, and Latin. We also start a new grammar program each year. I don't really see the point of accelerating these. We use the extra time at the end of the year for fun topics and activities. My daughter really got into sewing last year. My older boys love drawing.
  24. Some subjects (like math, reading, writing) I just keep moving year-round because I want to keep them progressing slow and steady. Other subjects I like to start at certain times. For example, I start spelling and cursive when my kids start 1st grade. They start Latin in 2nd. They start formal science and history in 3rd. The kids get excited about reaching these "milestones." But most subjects I like to have a set starting point, and then finish when they are done with the book. For example, last year my oldest son was doing MP's Greek Myths. When he was done with the book, he was done until the official start of the next year. As they finish up subjects, I add in other subjects & activities to keep them busy. We like the closure of closing the book and then getting a break, even though we school year-round.
  25. My oldest has used MP's 3rd grade and is using their 4th grade this year. You are right that the science is not experiment-centric. Their focus during the elementary years is to get some background information on a specific topic. Then you can then use this information how you want. This is great for us because experiments don't get done around here. For 3rd grade Astronomy, 3/4 of the year is focused on the constellations and the stories (mostly Greek Myths) behind them. They are organized according to the time of year you can see them in the sky. The last 1/4 of the year you are learning about the planets, moon, comets, etc. My son loved the course and enjoys finding the constellations outside. This year for 4th grade Insects, the course comes with a Charlotte Mason-y type of insects reader. It talks about different types of insects, what they do, where they are found, how they lay their eggs, etc. The workbook has comp questions and then a sketchbook/observation page to help learn the specific details of the different insects. Again, there are no experiments, just the occasional suggested activity. The Greek Myths (3rd) and Famous Men of Rome (4th) work well for our family because they are also in storybook-format. My son does his WWE narration & dictation off of these stories, and then memorizes the vocabulary in each lesson. We spread the weekly lesson over four days to break it into smaller pieces. We like MP because it is rigorous, interesting, and independent. It can be very workbook-y, but we break it up and do some work orally in order to minimize this. I know that it might not be a good fit for all, but we have found their curriculum packages a good fit. Sorry I can't help you with the upper grades - we're not there yet!
×
×
  • Create New...