I'll play! I sorted through the girls clothes, bagged up *4* BIG garbage bags of clothes to take to goodwill. Also went through their toys and things and got rid of one huge bag of stuff, broken parts, missing parts, ect. I also went through the sippy cup drawer and got rid of a BUNCH of cups. We are down to two cups per kid. our big deep freezer shorted the circuit so we had to throw away all the food in there-it was actually a good thing to be able to sort through everything and clean it out. My next project is to clean the garage...but will need dh to help there because I'm not sure where he wants his stuff. I also want to go through the pantry. And do one more toy sort...;)

I get overwhelmed at all the choices that I can't even figure out what SUBJECTS I'm supposed to be covering!!! Is this accurate? Grammar (something like FLL) Handwriting (forming letters, learning cursive, ect) Spelling Phonics So what is dictation for? Or WWE? When someone says "writing curriculum" what are they referring to? I'm assuming it's something like being able to compose a sentence, paragraph, or story that makes sense...isn't that taught through grammar instruction? Or is that something else? What is copywork for? Handwriting? Grammar? Help a poor, overwhelmed mama out lol.:confused:

Well, my house isn't perfect, but I've finally found somewhat of a routine...keep in mind that I have three younger kids, and the toddler is intent on destroying everything...;) Daily Beds made (everyone makes their own except for the baby) One load of laundry-there are assigned days for everything, kids clothes (they do their own laundry with supervision), adult laundry, cloth diapers, sheets. Bathrooms-counters wiped and toilets swished, I use the Clorox disposable click on toilet cleaners and Lysol wipes for the counters. Dishes put away first thing in the am, then all dirty dishes go directly into the dishwasher throughout the day. Kitchen counters and refridgerator door handles are wiped after every meal. Stovetop/convection oven/microwave is wiped if it is used. So, every time an appliance is used, it gets wiped. Table gets wiped after every meal, kids do this. Kitchen floor is vacuumed and spot cleaned, if not mopped. Vacuuming. I alternate, so one day I do bedrooms, one day I do common areas, one day I do bathrooms. Dusting. Again, this alternates, one day I do the living room, one day the bedrooms (kids do their own rooms) and one day the school room. Twice Weekly Bathrooms mopped, tubs and shower sprayed and wiped down. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets wiped down. Oven hood thing wiped. Doggie poo picked up from yard. It looks like a lot when I write it all out, but honestly it doesn't take long. The hardest things for me to do are empty the dishwasher and fold clothes. And that's only because my toddler undoes everything. :glare: My older kids (4 and 7) have a list of chores to do daily, and weekly. They help me a lot and are relatively thorough in their jobs. It does take a lot of instruction from me at first, but now that we've been consistent, they are actually pretty good about getting it done.

Thank you both for replying!!! I think I have it all set up and then I start OVERthinking things and get all confused lol. 3peas-I've heard that said about level 4 with ETc, which is why I wasn't sure where to start. She will finish level 3 soon (when we get the ok to begin again from the VT) and I was planning on going to 4, doing half of that then switching to 5. I'm hoping we can get through both of those at least next year. VT should help in the reading aspect, which will help us get through ETC faster as well. We are doing AAS now, so yeah, hopefully we will complete 2, maybe 3 as well. Handwriting. She can form the letters, but yeah, they are sloppy. VT will help somewhat, but I'd really like to have her work specifically on shape and size. I found the cursive teachers guide at a used book store, and was thinking of doing cursive with her, as she's asked to learn... Silver moon-the phonics I just am not sure about. :confused:She detests anything phonics. She is reading somewhat, and Vt will help advance that a little, but I still feel she needs phonics...however it is a huge struggle for her and honestly she does not really seem to 'get it', yet she can read and apply phonics rules when she needs to. Would ECT and AAS be enough? This is where I am most unsure. She will be doing the Dynamic Reader program through the Vt, but from what I understand it is not teaching phonics, but working on speed, comprehension, accuracy, ect. I'm waiting until we are further on with VT to determine what phonics route we will take.

For second grade? Miquon and MEP AAS 2-3(?) ETC 4-5(?) HWOT (she also needs some remediation in handwriting, not sure which level to get for her...) The Reading Lesson Or continue with WRTR (she needs some remedial phonics because she is in VT right now, and we've stopped all reading instruction for a few months) FLL2 and WWE1 (I may or may not use the workbook. I know it makes things easier, but I'd love to be able to use excerpts from what we are currently reading, whether it be from history or science or literature...) SOTW1 with AG and extra read aloud books BFSU with related books and a workbook from the Critical Thinking Co. Working through My Book House and other great childrens literature Once a week art, composer, or poetry study, ala Charlotte Mason We school 6 days per week, with one 'light' day for projects, experiments, art, ect.

We do. We love it. I love that it makes dd *think*, and figure things out on her own. I'm constantly surprised at HOW she figures things out. We also use MEP, slightly behind schedule, so that her brain has a chance to 'rest' between new concepts. We typically do Miquon 3-4 times a week, and MEP 2-3 times. I know a lot of people jump around doing Miquon, but we've always just gone from the front of the books straight through, and it's worked out great that way.

Would adding in the 1/2 books make it 'enough' practice and review? Dd isn't doing very well with any structured phonics approach, however, she will tolerate the ETC books. I'm planning to try Teach Your Child to Read Using Children's Books with her, as I think she would do better with that method. However, I still want to sneak some phonics in there...would it be enough to have her do not only the whole number books but also the half books, since that will be her only official phonics? Of course, I am planning on addressing the rules and such as they comme up during our reading time as well.

We are insanely lucky. Our ped knows and loves our midwife. :001_smile: He advocates for a lot of natural choices, breast feeding, home birth, alternative medicine, homeopathy, nutritional healing, chiropractics (he has a chiropractor in his office, and sometimes, that is the first line of defense that he 'prescribes'). He fully supports our choice to not vaccinate. When I brought my first dd there at six months, he asked if she was still waking to nurse at night. Fearing a lecture, I mumbled that yes, she was, because she was still in our bed. Imagine my surprise when he said "oh good! Keep her there as long as you can, that's the best place for babies" :D We have moved since we started going to him, but I can not bring myself to change peds. He is SO worth the hour drive!

Thank you all for replying...some thoughts- Yes, we have the games for reading book, and are doing some of the games in there. :001_smile: I've also played Elizabeth's game with dd. She can read pretty well, especially considering her vision issues, IN CONTEXT. She can NOT generally read the exact same words if presented on a list, kwim? We have WRTR and AAS, so are you saying that either of those do not work well? I'm pretty certain she has ADD, and is a right brained learner, which means she probably learns whole to parts. That explains the difficulty in phonics. Plus, since it's boring and not of interest to her, keeping her attentioin is nothi short of a miracle. Even for just a few minutes, it is very hard. She LOVES listening to stories, and I read quality books to her daily. She also listens to audio books daily. Right now she is listening to Black Beauty and loving it. So her comprehension and focus is great for auditory learning...which seems at odds for ADD and right brained learning. :confused: She confuses me lol.

That there are some kids for whom a sequential, ordered, phonics approach will NOT work? I understand and agree with having a strong phonics base, and disagree with the Look-Say method. However, my dd is...not getting it. She simply can NOT memorize the phonogram sounds, rules, and what not. It's so insanely painful for her. Arbitrary and boring. She CAN read, albeit slowly, things like Frog and Toad. She understands what she is reading. She is currently in VT, so reading is on standstill right now anyway. Prior to starting VT, she would read books from the "I can read" series, about 15-20 minutes daily. It was work, but not impossible. Since starting VT, I've been just trying to go through the phonograms with her, working on handwriting the WRTR way, as her therapist thinks it will help with reversals. I don't know if I'm just a bad, ineffective, and boring teacher, or what. Basically, we do the flash card way, I show her the phonogram and she is supposed to say the sounds as she writes it in her notebook. We do 6-8 per day, so she is writing about 15 letters daily. It is suggested to go through 4-6 phonograms daily, until they get through all of them. We do one or two new ones per day and the others are review. So, what should I do with her? Continue phonics instruction? Lay off for a while until she is reading fluently? Will that happen without phonics? I want her to LOVE to read, and because of her vision issues and phonics, she dreads it.

Wow. Whether I agree or disagree with the Circe way or Andrew Kern, I have an enormous amount of respect for this. :001_smile:

I love these threads, it really helps me when I'm in a cooking rut. It can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If its a bit more than $5, post it anyway! :D

How do you like it? Worth the $? Can I use it with WRTR? Thank you!:001_smile:

:lurk5:

:lurk5:As we just started VT. So far, dd really loves her therapist, so that helps tremendously. We've talked about how much the exercises are going to help her, and when it gets to be too much, we take a break for a few minutes and I read to her while she closes her eyes. We too, are diligent in doing the exercises every.single.day. First thing in the morning. I've cut out a LOT of our schooling, at the recommendation of the ladies here who have gone through VT with their children. It was VERY hard for me to scale down to almost nothing in regards to school work, but I want our emphasis to be on VT being a top priority for the next few months. The school work we are continuing, I am mostly reading aloud to her. I've researched a bit on some other OT exercises that may help, and just bought Brain Gym. I know that many times VT and OT work together, so we will be doing those exercises as well...it can't hurt, right??? After we finish our VT for the day, we try to go outside for fresh air. I've been taking them down to the lake and they play in the sand or in the water for a while. Abby seems to really thrive on pouring activities, they are relaxing to her. (and to her sister as well ironically) I have not had to resort to bribery yet, but if it comes down to it, I'm well stocked with M & M's, Tootsie Rolls, and gummy bears lol. ;)

If we are going to do SOTW 1, which one would we be studying? Or both? Just trying to fill up my amazon wish list lol.:)

I need my own space. I voted for separate housing and kitchens. I would love to live in close community to other like minded families, but being an introvert has me needing my privacy.

Darn, wish I would have know about it before we paid $3,600 for VT...:glare: (just kidding...kinda) We've just started VT, and while I know it will be wonderful, some of the exercises they have her doing I totally could have looked up online or in a book like this. :tongue_smilie: Sigh.

Ack!!! How did I end up with 53 things in my cart?!?!?:001_huh::lol:

http://www.amazon.com/Developing-Ocular-Visual-Perceptual-Skills/dp/1556425953/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Looks good...

This is me. I do not have a creative bone in my body but I'm a pretty good copycat lol.

Has anyone ever heard of or used this? It was recommended to me by our vision therapist, it is what they will be using with Abby once she completes the first part (3 months) of therapy. I can't figure out if it is sight word based, phonics based, or what? Also, does it teach them TO read or just increase speed and fluency? I'm willing to buy it to do at home, but I don't really even know WHAT it is, or if I'd need to add in a phonics program as well...cross posting in the K-8 forum as well. Thank you for your input!

Has anyone ever heard of or used this? It was recommended to me by our vision therapist, it is what they will be using with Abby once she completes the first part (3 months) of therapy. I can't figure out if it is sight word based, phonics based, or what? Also, does it teach them TO read or just increase speed and fluency? I'm willing to buy it to do at home, but I don't really even know WHAT it is, or if I'd need to add in a phonics program as well...cross posting in the SN forum as well. Thank you for your input!

Thank you!!! That was very helpful! Ok, so now I'm realizing that there is a difference in the Spalding and OG methods...can anyone explain what it is?

Thanks for the responses you have given me a lot of food for thought....:001_smile: